The jury, headed by prominent Cuban dancer Aurora Bosh, praised the "integrity and originality of his work," and its "excellent use of classical language within a contemporary framework," according to AFP.

Morell will be awarded €6,500; his ballet will be performed by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba at the XX Festival Internacional de Ballet de La Habana in September. Morell will direct the production.

The Chilean Carolina Vania Romero was awarded an honorable mention.

The bi-annual competition was founded in 1998; previous winners include the Cuban Gonzalo Galgueras (1998), the Mexican Jaime Camarena (2000); the Cuban Jorge Enrique C_spedes (2002) and the Argentine Jorge Amarante (2004).