Bleaden94

I think the last principal to be promoted through the ranks was Sergei Polunin, but out of the current ranks it is Steven McRae, who was made Principal in 2009.

I think height really matters ..... When I look at the First Soloists, Soloists and First Artists I can't see a single man who seems to have both the physique and the technique to make him a serious contender for Principal which I find really quite shocking. 

What about Matthew Ball or Nicol Edmund? They are both tall, and impressed many in their role as Lensky, and in other works such as Untouchable and Connectome.

  Fumi Kaneko is another stunning dancer with a beautiful technique and lovely expressive qualities, sadly she's suffered badly from her injury in Don Q. so she has not been able to fully show us what she is capable of. Emma Maguire is also really lovely.

Gosh, what happened to kaneko? It must have been a terrible injury to be out this long!

Which article is that?

 http://www.roh.org.uk/news/what-do-cricket-and-ballet-have-in-common

it was a weird and random article to be honest!! 

With Acosta due to retire and rumours swirling around Yanowsky and Cervera being taken out of Colas cracks seem to be showing in the hierarchy. The long term future of Morera and Watson, neither of whom has much of a presence in the classics (particularly Watson) cannot be guaranteed either surely, and I'm not sure that there's much left for Marquez either.

 

As others have pointed out, Hamilton rarely convinces in the classics, Crawford had one go at Lise which hasn't been repeated, Kobayashi has danced Nikiya and Aurora which I didn't see but seems to have been in nothing all this season until the approaching In the Night (and I was not convinced by her Myrtha),

 

Does anybody else feel that the current situation shows a loss of managerial foresight and even control? 

in fairness to Kobayashi, she has just had a baby

Also it would be a huge loss when Zenaida and Morera retire, but it is inevitable, so surely O'Hare has got plans in place?

The first soloists seem to be cast in more productions than Marquez too! 

Praise to Nunez too, for filling in for all the injuries this season, I think she is finally being fully appreciated!!

Campbell I like very much indeed. Hasn't he danced Beaity, Don Q and Nutcracker male leads ahead of his Colas debut? His relatively compact stature shouldn't necessarily be a problem (as it hasn't been for McRae)

yeah I like Campbell too! Yeah he has been Basilio and the Prince in the Nutcracker, and I'm looking forward to his debut as Colas. Plus the new article on the Royal Opera House on Campbell alone shows something I suppose.

Though my main hope is to see Cuthbertson back on stage soon!

I see what some of you mean when you say that some first soloists are not quite ready for principal roles, but I do think a new principal is needed, if not just to give Steven McRae a regular partner!

But sadly it does seem that Choe is not to be promoted, as much as audiences love her! 

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/may/05/particle-velocity-la-bayadere-dance-review

She was opposite Lamb and Soares according to this article

Just wondering what people's predictions for promotions at the Royal Ballet might be?

Carlos Acosta is about to retire soon, which leaves a gap in the principal ranks and Deirdre Chapman also retired this season, leaving a gap in the first soloists too! 

I personally think Matthew Ball, Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambe will promoted up the ranks. 

Also Akane Takada, seems a firm favourite at the Royal Ballet after her debut in Swan Lake, so she might be promoted to Principal alongside Alexander Campbell maybe?

What are people's thoughts?

I would love to see La Bayadere, Sylvia and Cinderella on stage again! 

Yet hopefully they will use more of their First Soloists and Soloists, rather than keep using guest principals! Claire Calvert for instance, was apparently amazing as Gamzatti.

Also, I've always liked Elite Syncopations!