ENB's Emerging Dancer 2018 & Livestream Details!

[capybara]

1 hour ago, fromthebalcony said:

I would actually like to see more companies do something like this.  It gives younger dancers a chance to work intensively, and could potentially give older dancers a chance to coach or choreograph.  

 

A good point and, judging by what ENB has published about the event, there are several newly choreographed pieces and some more experienced dancers involved in the coaching.

[Saodan]

If you think the camera work for the ROH cinema screenings is bad take a look at this. Wow, just wow...

[fromthebalcony]

Yes, very bad camera work.  Very impressed with Daniel McCormack, but I didn't like his contemporary piece by Trey McIntrye.  I like a lot of Trey's work, but not that one.  

[capybara]

The 2018 Emerging Dancer Winner is Daniel McCormick  who gave a scintillating account of the pas de deux from Le Corsaire with Francesca Velicu and danced a contemporary solo entitled Leatherwing Bat.

 

The  People's Choice Award 2018 went to Alice Bellini who, although this wasn't mentioned, was cast as The Novice in The Cage among other roles this year.

 

The Corps de Ballet Award was given to Georgia Bould.

 

Congratulations to all who took part for a lovely evening of dance.

[ninamargaret]

Pleased with the result. Won't comment on the contemporary section - it was so.poorly lit that I couldn't see enough to make a sensible comment about either the Dan ers or the choreography

[Bruce Wall]

No two ways about it ..... McCormick is a STAR! ...... He possesses that magical element you simply can't buy .... Dashed out after his acceptance and ran up to the ROH to see Naghdi's last act ... There is no question she is too ... Stunning; simply STUNNING ... but I've said that before on a more appropriate strand  .  

[Quintus]

Great atmosphere in the Coli tonight, as ever for this event - good to hear dancers in the audience screaming support for their colleagues. All dancers were excellent, it seemed to me, and McCormick was a real barnstormer. Of the others,  I particularly liked both Francesca Velicu's performances. 

 

I had to laugh though at the beginning - I'm pretty sure that the judges were expecting to be seated at the front centre of the dress circle as usual - but those seats had been sold. There was lots of scurrying around by ushers and ENB staff before the judges appeared and were parked a couple of rows back over on the right-hand section.

[Springbourne3]

On 07/06/2018 at 20:58, Richard LH said:

Putting the merits or otherwise of the event to one side for  a moment, does anyone know if it will remain available online after the live streaming?

 

7 hours ago, Quintus said:

Great atmosphere in the Coli tonight, as ever for this event - good to hear dancers in the audience screaming support for their colleagues. All dancers were excellent, it seemed to me, and McCormick was a real barnstormer. Of the others,  I particularly liked both Francesca Velicu's performances. 

 

I had to laugh though at the beginning - I'm pretty sure that the judges were expecting to be seated at the front centre of the dress circle as usual - but those seats had been sold. There was lots of scurrying around by ushers and ENB staff before the judges appeared and were parked a couple of rows back over on the right-hand section.

 

On 07/06/2018 at 20:58, Richard LH said:

Putting the merits or otherwise of the event to one side for  a moment, does anyone know if it will remain available online after the live streaming?

Yes - it’s available for 24 hours only according to the ENB Facebook page

[Geoff]

I'm being thick and can't find the link to the recording. Can someone help?

[Jan McNulty]

Try this:  

 

[Geoff]

Many thanks Jan (I don't have Facebook). Is the first half of the show up as well?

[Quintus]

5 minutes ago, Geoff said:

Many thanks Jan (I don't have Facebook). Is the first half of the show up as well?

It's here:  https://www.facebook.com/EnglishNationalBallet/videos/vl.388096708341817/10155907638741028/?type=1

[Sim]

So many congratulations to Daniel McCormick and all the nominees.  I will say that as far as the filming and lighting are concerned, they deserve much better, and so do we.  Please sort this out for next year ENB.  It's great that you live stream this to those who can't attend, but if you are doing so we should at least be able to see it!!  And perhaps get someone who understands ballet to film it....

[zxDaveM]

 

think the hint is in the title - the dancers 'emerge' out of the gloom, the most effective emergence wins (what? they were dancing too?)

[Blossom]

It was obvious McCormick was being set up to win with the choice of pdd and the contemporary piece. It was a bit of a flashback to 2 years ago which anointed Corrales a star and although not quite as striking a performance, he will fill the virtuoso gap quite nicely I’m sure. 

 

I really enjoyed Vowles and Garrett’s pdd from William Tell. Garrett has a wonderful sense of humour on stage which was shown in both his pieces and he is definitely one to watch. Vowles is such a pretty dancer and makes the little beats look like a breeze and loved her contemporary performance. 

 

Wasnt keen on Harlequinade at all for these dancers as a classical piece but Adams’ talent is evident. Her contemporary piece was not my cup of tea  but she was incredible. 

 

I do do like this event as a chance to get to know the dancers- shame there are no filmed insights as with the Royal Ballet which really help to build a connection to the company. I love this event but felt that despite being a wonderful piece of PR, especially with the dancers dotted around in the audience, it just wasn’t as exhilirating as in previous years, potentially due to the choices made in terms of choreography.

 

 

[fromthebalcony]

28 minutes ago, Blossom said:

It was obvious McCormick was being set up to win with the choice of pdd and the contemporary piece. It was a bit of a flashback to 2 years ago which anointed Corrales a star and although not quite as striking a performance, he will fill the virtuoso gap quite nicely I’m sure. 

 

I really enjoyed Vowles and Garrett’s pdd from William Tell. Garrett has a wonderful sense of humour on stage which was shown in both his pieces and he is definitely one to watch. Vowles is such a pretty dancer and makes the little beats look like a breeze and loved her contemporary performance. 

 

Wasnt keen on Harlequinade at all for these dancers as a classical piece but Adams’ talent is evident. Her contemporary piece was not my cup of tea  but she was incredible. 

 

I do do like this event as a chance to get to know the dancers- shame there are no filmed insights as with the Royal Ballet which really help to build a connection to the company. I love this event but felt that despite being a wonderful piece of PR, especially with the dancers dotted around in the audience, it just wasn’t as exhilirating as in previous years, potentially due to the choices made in terms of choreography.

 

 

I agree with you that choreographic choices need to be more equal.  It is difficult to compare a male dancing Ali to a male dancing the role in William Tell.  I liked Garrett also, but I just do not think he was well-suited to that role and did not really show his capability.  Perhaps it would be better if they were to all do a Bournonville pas or all do a more virtuoso pas in order to do a better comparison.  Also agree on Precious Adams.  Harlequinade was not a good choice for her. 

[Jan McNulty]

And the official press release:

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

English National Ballet Announces Winners of Emerging Dancer 2018

 

English National Ballet is pleased to announce the winner of the 2018 Emerging Dancer Award is Daniel McCormick.  

Winner of the 2018 Emerging Dancer Award, Daniel McCormick © Laurent Liotardo

Having performed a pas de deux from Le Corsaire with partner Francesca Velicu and Leatherwing Bat, a solo by Trey McIntyre, McCormick was announced as winner on stage at the London Coliseum and livestreamed to audiences across the world last night (Monday 11 June 2018) by Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo. 

 

Of winning the 2018 Emerging Dancer Award, Daniel McCormick said: “Winning this award was completely unexpected, my colleagues on stage with me tonight are so immensely talented. It’s a dream to perform on the stage of the London Coliseum – a place with such history and beauty – and it’s an honour to come to London and perform for this fantastic audience. I’m now ready to work harder than ever to prove why I won this prize.”

 

The evening also saw Georgia Bould named as the recipient of the Corps de Ballet Award, acknowledging her exceptional work over the last year, while Alice Bellini was awarded the People’s Choice Award, as voted for by members of the public. 

 

Emerging Dancer allows English National Ballet to recognise the excellence of its artists. Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet was joined on the judging panel by Julio Bocca, Lauren Cuthbertson, Johan Kobborg and Kerry Nicholls. 

 

Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet said: “It’s wonderful to have Emerging Dancer as a platform to celebrate the talent of English National Ballet’s young dancers. The standard we saw on stage tonight has been extraordinary. It was incredibly hard to pick a winner but the judges felt that Daniel had that little bit extra. He’s special, he has a hunger to continue to learn, an openness to all the different styles English National Ballet has, and such courage as a young dancer to put himself out there.” 

 

The other finalists this year were Precious Adams, Fernando Carratalá Coloma, Francesca Velicu, Connie Vowles and Giorgio Garrett. 
 

Previous winners of the Emerging Dancer Award include Shiori Kase (2011), and Junor Souza (2014), who have since been promoted to Principal and First Soloist respectively, Alison Mcwhinney (2014) who went on to be promoted to First Soloist, and last year’s joint winners, Aitor Arrieta and Rina Kanehara who have been promoted to Soloist and Junior Soloist respectively. 

 

Ends 

 

For further information about English National Ballet and to book tickets visit www.ballet.org.uk. Please note performance details are subject to change. 

 

[Xandra Newman]

20 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

No two ways about it ..... McCormick is a STAR! ...... He possesses that magical element you simply can't buy .... Dashed out after his acceptance and ran up to the ROH to see Naghdi's last act ... There is no question she is too ... Stunning; simply STUNNING ... but I've said that before on a more appropriate strand  .  

 

Goodness me, I admire your passion for ballet, running between two venues  in order to catch Naghdi's last act (great shame you missed her Black Swan!... but one can't have it all)

[Erica]

19 hours ago, Blossom said:

It was obvious McCormick was being set up to win with the choice of pdd and the contemporary piece. It was a bit of a flashback to 2 years ago which anointed Corrales a star and although not quite as striking a performance, he will fill the virtuoso gap quite nicely I’m sure. 

 

I really enjoyed Vowles and Garrett’s pdd from William Tell. Garrett has a wonderful sense of humour on stage which was shown in both his pieces and he is definitely one to watch. Vowles is such a pretty dancer and makes the little beats look like a breeze and loved her contemporary performance. 

 

Wasnt keen on Harlequinade at all for these dancers as a classical piece but Adams’ talent is evident. Her contemporary piece was not my cup of tea  but she was incredible. 

 

I do do like this event as a chance to get to know the dancers- shame there are no filmed insights as with the Royal Ballet which really help to build a connection to the company. I love this event but felt that despite being a wonderful piece of PR, especially with the dancers dotted around in the audience, it just wasn’t as exhilirating as in previous years, potentially due to the choices made in terms of choreography.

 

 

Such a mean comment about McCormick! Can you prove what you are saying? I don’t understand how a ballet forum allows such vile assertions

[Anna C]

I may be missing something but I saw nothing "mean" or "vile".  My teenage daughter said precisely the same thing; she also thought the competition would be much more effective and more equal were all the men to dance the same variation (and likewise the women).  Precious Adams is a fantastic dancer but that variation wasn't ideal for her.  

 

When certain dancers are given a much showier and more exciting variation than others, it can appear (rightly or wrongly) to the audience that one dancer is being set up to win.  

 

That's a comment on the way the competition is set up, not a reflection on the dancers.  

[Lizbie1]

Do we know how the pieces are chosen/allocated? Does the dancer have any say?

[LinMM]

Hee hee Xandra Newman when I first read Bruce Walls post I somehow read it that it was Daniel McCormick who had dashed out after his acceptance speech to see  Naghdi!! So was initially surprised by you congratulating Bruce on his devotion to ballet ( which goes without saying anyway) until I re read and realised it was Bruce who had done the dashing!!

[MAB]

I think the problem with Harlequinade is that it hasn't any real performance history in Britain even though John Gilpin used to dance it decades ago,  The piece works best when it goes beyond archness into outright camp, anyone who ever saw the Panovs dance it will know what I mean.  In some ways, like the William Tell pas de deux, it is a good choice as it isn't standard gala fare and gives the audience something a bit different, but sadly so difficult for younger dancers to pull off.  Although Precious Adams wasn't ideal in it, I loved her modern solo and thought it one of the highlights of the evening.  I also loved Giorgio Garrett, what a personality, a very unique asset to the company in my view,

[LinMM]

Just to say I have also felt before both in this competition and also  in Young Dancer of the Year that the pieces chosen make it really hard to judge dancers against one another. Corrales was absolutely stunning in his win two years ago and did deserve it in the end but I didn't think any of the other male dance pieces were on the virtuoso level of his piece ...in the ballet at any rate. 

Not all dancers are bravura types though so would not necessarily choose to dance certain roles in a competition.

It could be ( I don't know) that as in gymnastics and ice skating certain moves have a higher score rating but you have to perform them very well if not to lose marks etc.

ive not seen McCormick yet but if he is anything like Corrales he probably deserved to win it in his own right and was not exactly set up to win it!!

[annamk]

9 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Hee hee Xandra Newman when I first read Bruce Walls post I somehow read it that it was Daniel McCormick who had dashed out after his acceptance speech to see  Naghdi!! So was initially surprised by you congratulating Bruce on his devotion to ballet ( which goes without saying anyway) until I re read and realised it was Bruce who had done the dashing!!

 

How funny, I also read it that DM had dashed out to see Naghdi !  

[fromthebalcony]

30 minutes ago, MAB said:

I think the problem with Harlequinade is that it hasn't any real performance history in Britain even though John Gilpin used to dance it decades ago,  The piece works best when it goes beyond archness into outright camp, anyone who ever saw the Panovs dance it will know what I mean.  In some ways, like the William Tell pas de deux, it is a good choice as it isn't standard gala fare and gives the audience something a bit different, but sadly so difficult for younger dancers to pull off.  Although Precious Adams wasn't ideal in it, I loved her modern solo and thought it one of the highlights of the evening.  I also loved Giorgio Garrett, what a personality, a very unique asset to the company in my view,

Interestingly, Harlequinade is used quite often at competition for younger dancers.  I think of Simkin performing the variation at Varna.  It appears at YAGP quite a bit also.  MAB, I agree with you about Adams' contemporary work and about Garrett. I am hoping to get back to London this fall, and I hope to see some of these dancers once again.  I will certainly be asking for performance suggestions in terms of both London companies.  

[Blossom]

7 hours ago, Erica said:

Such a mean comment about McCormick! Can you prove what you are saying? I don’t understand how a ballet forum allows such vile assertions

 

It’s an opinion based on the selection of pdd’s presented and of course, it’s only my personal opinion. I think it’s pretty unfair to call it out as vile - others are welcome to disagree but the joy of having this forum is that we are able to discuss and debate. It would be a pretty dull place if we all agreed with one another.

 

 In previous years, there has been more of a balance in terms of what has been presented - more dancers had an opportunity to deliver on award winning virtuosity. That isn’t to say that we wasn’t a worthy winner- my personal preference for the contemporary in terms of individual presentation was his performance.

 

I do, however, believe, based on my huge admiration for Corrales since seeing him stand so hugely apart from his competition at Emerging Dancer 2 years ago that when he leaves at the end of the season, it was going to be hard to find another up and coming star to fill his shoes. I think that McCormick just might be able to step into that gap. 

 

Definitely no mean spirited intentions but I don’t think that each of the pieces danced gave an opportunity to be equally objective, different choreographers and different skills were being presented by each of the dancers. While I would have chosen McCormick as my winner, I wonder whether Adams and Garrett were given the best opportunity.