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Notably, Chengwu is the first male dancer to win both the panel-voted main Award and the public-decided Telstra People’s Choice.

Previously, ballerinas Amber Scott and Stephanie Williams achieved this double-header feat in 2004 and 2009 respectively.

Between the two honours, 22-year-old Chengwu has taken home a cash prize total of $25,000, awarded by Principal Sponsor Telstra.

The sensational result was announced by Deena Shiff, Telstra’s Group Managing Director, Applications and Ventures Group, in front of a capacity crowd of 1500 at the Sydney Opera House, following tonight’s Sydney premiere of Graeme Murphy’s Romeo & Juliet.

While presenting the Award Ms Shiff said: “It’s wonderful to see such strong public support for our male dancers. Chengwu has not only won over the public with his talent and dedication but also our highly esteemed judging panel – congratulations!”

The artistic director of The Australian Ballet David McAllister also congratulated Chengwu on his remarkable accomplishment: “Bravo to Chengwu! He is a powerhouse with astounding technical ability who regularly leaves our audiences gasping in astonishment at his death-defying leaps and speed-of-light pirouettes.”

“His dual TBDA win is a testament to the growing enthusiasm for male dance and I have no doubt he’ll be inspiring young boys everywhere to head to the ballet studio,” McAllister said.

Since leaving the Jiangxi province of southern China at age eleven to begin ballet training at Beijing Dance Academy, Chengwu has found success at every turn.

He won the prestigious Prix de Lausanne in 2006; his prize was a dance-training scholarship, which he chose to undertake at The Australian Ballet School.

In 2009 Chengwu won the Chinese version of So You Think You Can Dance in front of a TV audience of 80 million. That same year he appeared as the teenage Li Cunxin in the smash-hit film Mao’s Last Dancer.

Chengwu won the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award after being judged as outstanding on numerous criteria over the course of the year.

Visit: australianballet.com.au