Lauren Chmara, at 15 year-old student in Bullis School’s dance program and Falls Church resident, was among the winners of BalletNova’s Young Choreographer Competition. Chmara’s piece “True Friendship” was performed at the Fredgren Studio Theatre at 3443 Carlin Springs Road, Falls Church on Saturday, March 21, and won fifth place in the competition.

Chelen Middlebrook was the grand prize winner of the competition for her piece “Smothered Dreams,” for which she won $500 cash prize, a dancer statuette, free tuition to BalletNova’s Summer Intensive program and the opportunity to set a new piece of choreography on the BalletNova Summer Intensive dancers. The second place winner was Emily Glaccum of Burke, who won for her piece “Vicissitude,” and the third place winner Ariel Samuels of Fairfax, who won for her piece “Mad World.”

Halley Roy from Alexandria came in her fourth place for her piece “Lost.” All of the other four winners performed their pieces at the same March 21 event as Chmara.