Nina G.

I certainly don't think of Naghdi and Hayward, two uniquely talented British dancers, in terms of competition and it is totally unnecessary to even contemplate hairsplitting differences. They are great artists in their own right. They each dance differently and have their trademarks, both are very musical but in different ways. Hayward has her own unique musical style of dancing, with beautiful epaulement; Naghdi on the other hand has purity of classical line and the physical abilities necessary to dance highly classical ballets, she does 6 o'clock penchees, high attitude arabesques etc. etc. Each of these two ballerinas are very special in their own right. Some may prefer Hayward's style, others may prefer Naghdi's style (that's a matter of personal taste) but these two RB female British star dancers must be appreciated each for their own uniqueness in representing the trademark Royal Ballet style of dancing. The Royal Ballet is, as someone said, entering Golden Years, with so many talented male and female dancers coming through the ranks, the great majority all British trained.

I have yet to come back down to earth after seeing the glorious Yasmine Naghdi as "Aurora" this afternoon. I am honestly lost for words and I cannot begin to describe the heights she reached this afternoon. Was this really her debut? She danced with such ease as if she'd done it all before. Having seeing her stunning debut as the Sugar Plum Fairy I expected a beautiful Aurora but I did not expect Miss Naghdi would surpass herself again. I'd say a true Royal classical ballerina was born this afternoon: her great self-confidence, those assured Rose Adagio balances, her oh so clean footwork, her strength when executing every balance, never a wobble in sight, pure perfection, all helped by her beautiful classical line (love those sway-back legs!), her arms expressing every note in the music, her ease when performing the most demanding of steps, her three perfect portrayals of Aurora in the various acts, she was stunning and brought tears to my eyes on various occasions. She has the capacity to dance for the whole audience, not only those in the front row but also for those high up in the Amphitheatre. Matthew Ball, was a true Prince, still very young but he danced beautifully. He did not have a stumble at the beginning of Act 3 but he had a very unfortunate slip as he ran on but he picked himself up with real grace. Naghdi and Ball look wonderful together and I have no doubt once Ball will have got himself up to the level of Naghdi's technic and experience they will be a true star couple at the RB. Anna Rose O'Sullivan was a wonderful Princess Florine and together with Sambe they were a joy to watch too. I thought the Corps danced beautifully as well. The afternoon belonged to Naghdi & Ball who made Sleeping Beauty oh so exciting to watch. I agree with others, the RB now has two young female star dancers in Hayward and Naghdi, each one very different in look and in style of dancing, and like Capybara said I kind of expected Mr O'Hare to jump onto the stage and promote Naghdi to Principal right there (as they do in Paris and other companies).

Well what a STAR cast is lined up for the Matinee!

I attended this afternoon's performance but I shall refrain from commenting until after I have seen the debut of Miss Yasmine Naghdi on Saturday. Miss Francesca Hayward was lovely, her usual lovely self I'd say, no surprises, but Mr Alexander Campbell was outstanding as the Prince.

I would not have booked any tickets to see Sleeping Beauty were it not for the two debutantes Yasmine Naghdi and Francesca Hayward; having seen the wonderful Marianela Nunez several times... it's really the young upcoming talent I am now excited to see!

I saw both casts and they are equally impressive (except we get the big name "Ferri" in the "1st" cast) but the other "I now, I then" cast (my fav part of Woolf Works) - with Mara Galeazzi and Yasmine Naghdi as "Clarissa", Matthew Ball and Calvin Richardson, was absolutely gorgeous! All in all a stunning work of art featuring great artists.

The current one: February http://www.danceeurope.net

If there was one it was quickly snapped up and now gone The Naghdi/Ball shows are completely sold out. For Hayward/Campbell there are still tickets left for both shows. PS. I came across the Dance Europe magazine last week and they published an interview with both Naghdi and Hayward about their upcoming debut as Aurora - Naghdi's an especially lengthy and informative interview.

I received my copy of Dancing Times and there is a lovely interview with three Auroras: Lauren Culbertson, Yasmine Naghdi and Francesca Hayward. As The Royal Ballet celebrate 70 years of their landmark production, it's quite an achievement for these three former RBS/White Lodgers to all dance "Aurora" (Naghdi/Hayward debuts) on this grand occasion. Jonathan Gray also reviews the Nutcracker and roles danced by various dancers, incl. the Sugar Plum Fairy performances of Naghdi, Calvert, Stix-Brunell and their respective partners.

I have no doubt Naghdi/Ball and Campbell/Hayward will each bring something very very special to SB! Can't wait.

I can't comment about what's going on at School level but the RB and BRB are certainly bursting with talent coming out of the Royal Ballet School. Just look at former White Lodgers Francesca Hayward, Yasmine Naghdi, Claire Calvert, James Hay, Reece Clark, Matthew Ball, Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Olivia Cowley, Emma Maguire, Romany Pajdak, ... followed by those who trained at the Upper School such as Marcelino Sambe, Zucchetti, Dyer, Magri, Stock, Heap, Ella,... not to forget Lauren Culbertson, Edward Watson, Bennet Gartside and Gary Avis. The RB now also has the Aud Jebsen Scheme giving young graduates the chance to dance with the Company for a year in order to give them more performance experience before they become fully professional. I don't know the % but British trained dancers represent a very high % in the Company. I think Ninette de Valois would have been very proud of all those British trained dancers.

It is indeed a great shame it stopped! I saw Lauren Cuthbertson, Sergey Polunin, Yasmine Naghdi, Reece Clarke, William Bracewell, Francesca Hayward and James Hay winning the Young British Dancer of the Year competition. It was such a glorious event to see those youngsters perform in public, and the competition gave them a great opportunity to shine. The winners of that competition all became highly successful dancers and I take great pleasure in following their career.

Naghdi/Ball in The Dream is but a dream this Season...(sigh), but at least we'll get to see her with Zuchetti in Balanchine's Tarantella, a "dazzling display virtuoso piece full of speed", and hopefully again in "Symphonic Variations" with Nunez and Muntagirov. The Summer casting looks interesting indeed.

"Least said soonest mended" as Bruce Wall said...(but can I just add one last thought please ) I once saw a short film in which Naghdi and Hayward were being coached by Darcy Bussell in Swan Lake (can't remember where or when I saw this) so I believe they must have trained side by side at the RBS, and were in the same class (?). I can't see any reason why there would be any "rivalry" between them: they are very different dancers, each one outstanding in their own repertoire and each one with their particular talents: Miss Hayward makes for a great Lise, Miss Naghdi makes for a great SPF. If I remember correctly I haven't seen Hayward in any major classical tutu role besides Bluebird and only recently as SPF (she was made a Principal before having danced in any full-length Classical role). In an interview Hayward stated: “If it’s Frankie in a tutu, rather than Frankie being another person, then I get a bit more nervous because you haven’t got anything else to hide behind.” http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/francesca-hayward-a-sugar-plum-life-a3213211.html Naghdi on the other hand said: "I really do love dancing complex, psychological roles but I also look forward to being challenged in ultra technical, classical roles". http://www.freedoflondon.com/Web/Blog/Post.aspx?id=31 It is my impression that Naghdi is being groomed to dance the great Classical roles in the RB repertoire: her classical physique and superb fascilities are so well suited to dancing all the great Classics (I have seen her dancing Mathilde Kschessinska, Rose Fairy, Bluebird, Sugar Plum Fairy, as well as her Juliet, amongst others). Miss Hayward on the other hand is being groomed to dance roles in the Ashton repertoire as well as in MacMillan works and she was superb in those roles; but having seen Naghdi also in Ashton's Symphonic Variations, Monotones I, The Invitation, and in Cranko's "Onegin"... it illustrates her great versatility. I attended the performance of both dancers dancing SPF and Bluebird and I feel Naghdi is very much in her element and at ease dancing those roles whilst Hayward is more in her element dancing roles such as Clara, Lise, Manon, Rhapsody. Just as much as I loved watching Cojocaru as well as Rojo or Nunez... (they all gave me great pleasure with their beautiful dancing) so do Naghdi and Hayward, each in their own unique way. I wish them both a long and successful dancing career, alongside the many other talented and beautiful RB dancers I enjoy watching too! Now back to "Best and Worse of 2016?" (sorry Mr Bruce Wall)

I am most looking forward to seeing "The Sleeping Beauty" with Yasmine Naghdi as Aurora too (and her partner Matthew Ball of course), as well as Laura Morera in "Mayerling", "Symphonic Variations" (same cast as last time please: Nunez/Naghdi/Choe & Muntagirov), and quietly dreaming of seeing Naghdi in "The Dream" as Titania, as well as Hayward.

Yes sorry, and thank you for correcting. I also forgot Miss Naghdi's refined Rose Fairy in "Nutcracker" deserves to be added to my list!

As I can't commute easily anylonger I am restricted to mainly attending the RB performances (and the wonderful BRB when they are at Sadler's Wells, occasionally also ENB) so I can only comment on the RB. My 2016 highlights are very similar to what others have already highlighted. The RB is awash with young talented dancers and I very much enjoy watching their individual progress whenever I can. However there are dancers who do stand out and rise high above others for various reasons: their perfected technic, their ability to project and transmit emotions to the audience, their ability to make me shed a tear (or two or three), or because of their classical physical beauty and line combined with a strong stage presence and acting talent. The Best of 2016: Performances and/or dancers I have enjoyed the most: Marianella Nunez, Natalia Osipova and Akane Takada in "Giselle" The corps de ballet in Giselle and Nutcracker: sublime and stars in their own right. Vadim Muntagirov and Alexander Campbell in anything they dance (no further comment needed! ) Zenaida Yanowsky as Elisabeth I Beatriz Stix-Brunell/Matthew Ball in "Two Pigeons", Stix-Brunell/ Ryoichi Hirano in "Raven Girl" Marcelino Sambe/Francesca Hayward in "The Winter's Tale", Hayward/Hay in "Rhapsody" Yasmine Naghdi in anything she dances. Her performance in "Anastasia" as Mathilde Kschessinska - said to be the hardest pd2 in the ballet repertoire, danced on a two day's notice replacing the injured Takada - was breathtaking and considered by many as the best in this run. Equally impressive was her psychological portrayal of The Girl in "The Invitation" (spin chilling), and her recent outstanding debut as Sugar Plum Fairy proofed to me she is one of the RB's most versatile ballerinas. I can't wait to see her Aurora with the gorgeous and very talented Matthew Ball (they are one of the RB's most stunning couples). Ryoichi Hirano in "Carmen" as the Matador, Laura Morera and Fumi Kaneko as "Gypsy Girl". Other dancers I have seen deserving a mention: Reece Clark (another male RB treasure!), Olivia Cowley (in "Anastasia"), O'Sullivan, Magri, Heap, Luca Acri, Claire Calvert (as Hermione in " The Winter's Tale"), Valentino Zucchetti (partnership with Naghdi in "Sleeping Beauty", Bluebird Variation) and Calvin Richardson. ENB: all the dancers in Khan's "Giselle" were impressive, they gave it their all despite an average choreography. The Worst of 2016: Wheeldon's "Strapless" Acosta's "Carmen" McGregor's "Multiverse" Scarlett's "Frankenstein"

Thank you Floss for your (as always) erudite and very balanced view on things, and you are absolutely right. IF my post felt as "criticism" it wasn't meant to be, just to highlight the different approaches and I assume only now is the current Director in a position to do what perhaps the previous Director had hoped of doing but circumstances prevented it. It is indeed easier to "remark" upon certain issues, but it is a totally different ball game when one is in a decision making position.

It has baffled me too how very uneven RB and little Press exposure said dancer is being given (besides Country Life...). Why? She is a dancer many, including myself, have come to greatly admire for her classical beauty, equally for her interpretative and dramatic talent as seen in roles such as Olga, Juliet, the Invitation, and most recently in "Anastasia" as Mathilde K., to name just a few. I hope what Sim said is not self-fulfilling prophecy

It has been said before and was reinforced in my mind when watching the Nutcracker (Naghdi/Ball). Since Mr O'Hare took over the reins of The Royal Ballet company it has gone from strength to strength. The corps de ballet, since Samantha Raine took over from the previous ballet mistress, has improved beyond recognition! On numerous occasions I have found the corps dancers to be exceptional; they used to be a mixed bag but now they look beautifully unified. They were a dream to watch and most gorgeous as Snowflakes! Under previous management the company was too top heavy, with a generally unexciting soloist and first soloist rank, followed by an unremarkable corps de ballet. One would go to the ballet only to see Rojo, Benjamin, Acosta, Cojocaru, Nunez but that was it. Mr O'Hare changed all that and he gave contracts to the very best coming out of the School... He no longer bought in foreign dancers and quickly developed his young dancers from the bottom upwards. We can all witness the result. The very best of British trained dancers are now carrying the flag and turning the RB into a truly national company, and a showcase for outstanding British ballet training. The Company has never looked that good and is so very exciting to watch. When two young dancers (Naghdi/Ball), not even Principals (yet) already have both their SB performances sold out says enough. A whole new and exciting generation of British trained dancers are shaping the Company, from the gorgeous Reece Clark and Matthew Ball to the exquisitely classical Yasmine Naghdi and very charming Francesca Hayward, each one of them outstanding in their own right. Bravo Mr. O'Hare for putting so much faith in your young dancers. Imagine the Company in a few years time when all that talent has come to maturity. ...and let's also not forget ALL the wonderful British dancers at BRB!!!

Just back from tonight's Nutcracker and I am left speechless and totally bowled over by Yasmine Naghdi's Sugar Plum Fairy and her most charming Prince, Matthew Ball. What a pair these two dancers are! Miss Naghdi's performance tonight turned her into a fully fletched ballerina: her lyrical style and elegance so beautiful to watch, she was in total control of every step and movement and she looked so relaxed. She really commanded the stage. Was this really her debut? They last danced it at a School's Matinee in November; such a shame the audience only gets to see them once. Matthew Ball was every inch the Prince, great execution of his solo and the Grand pas de deux was simply stunning! The couple looked as if they had danced it all before. Such a beautiful pair they are and I can't wait to see them together again in SB. The applause they received after their first pas de deux seemed to go on forever. I can only imagine what these two young dancers will be capable of in a few years time. Marcelino Sambe was also superb as The Nutcracker and Lukas Bkorneboe Braendsrod a strong Mouse King. I also loved Paul Kay in the Russian Dance but tonight certainly belonged to Naghdi/Ball!

Well I hope that will never be the case It would be such a shame if she were to be lured away, we don't need another Ferri or Durante repeat. After all Mr. O'Hare did select her to take over the role of Mathilde Kschessinska in "Anastasia", apparently with only 2 days notice. I'd like to think this shows Mr. O'Hare's great faith in her.

I have a big soft spot too for Miss Naghdi who imo is a true Classical ballerina-in-the-making, possessing stunning lines, great facilities, and for that matter star quality too. Hayward and Naghdi are obviously two different dancers. Hayward is a warm and charming dancer, easy to the eye, I do love watching her but when it comes to the great classical tutu ballets it is Naghdi I'll go for: she radiates on the stage (her Rose Fairy is one of many that spring to my mind), her dancing is so regal, her technique very precise and clean, and I do hope for her sake she isn't kept forever in Hayward's shadow. Just like Sim I feel she deserves equal coverage as a British ballerina. I'd say Hayward is the new RB Collier, but she and Naghdi also remind me of the Cojocaru-Nunez era.

It was a typical post-Christmas lunch BBC documentary, showing Francesca Hayward, her grand-parents and their cat, children and students taking part in the Nutcracker, corps members chatting in the dressing room, some dancing, etc. To me it was not really a "behind the scenes" documentary and I agree with Sim, the title of the documentary should read "Francesca Hayward Makes Her Debut as the SPF", but so do three First Soloists and two of them, Yasmine Naghdi and Claire Calvert also trained at the Royal Ballet School. One would think it appropriate and respectful to dancers of such high rank to be included "if" it was indeed meant to be a "behind the scenes" documentary. Those responsible for the script of this doc. could have given the viewers at least a few glimpses of Naghdi and Calvert - be it in a rehearsal or them talking about their upcoming SPF debut. I would have found it far more fascinating to watch this programme if a variety of dancers had been included. The documentary needs another title

Would be great indeed if ROH could announce the Bluebird casting!