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Jose Martin


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I haven't seen this noted elsewhere, so in case it hasn't been ... Jose Martin had a solo curtain call on Tuesday evening after his Gurn, and was applauded by the other dancers on stage, which I take to mean that he is leaving the Royal and that he has now danced his final show.

 

I've enjoyed many of his performances - Puck and Lescaut stand out, as well as Gurn - and will miss him.

 

Justin

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He confirmed he is leaving.

It was said that Tuesday Sylphide was his last "dancing" show, so I assume he could be on stage in less relevant roles again before the end of season.

If I understood well, he is starting a career as Ballet Master.

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It was said that Tuesday Sylphide was his last "dancing" show, so I assume he could be on stage in less relevant roles again before the end of season.

 

Presumably holding up a doddery Emperor in the rest of the run of Pagodas. Not what you'd expect for a First Soloist.

 

Justin, I'd assumed the same.

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It saddens us greatly to learn that we will no longer be able to enjoy Jose's amazing technique and stage charisma at Covent Garden anymore. In addition to the many roles he brilliantly performed as noted in prior posts, we will add his breathtaking (both for him and for the audience) performance as the Bronze Idol in La Bayadere. We certainly understand that an Artistic Director's casting decisions embrace many factors and reflect her subjective assessment of who is "right" or "wrong" for each part. But, in recent years, we have searched high and low for a rational reason to explain Jose's absence in many, many roles that he could have performed very well (and, in our opinion, often mcuh better than those who were actually casted). In the end, we audience members were deprived of magical moments that Jose could have contributed to our cultural appreciation.

 

We join others in wishing him every success in his future endeavours. He will be an outstanding Balletmaster and, unquestionably, a valued member of Tamara's artistic team at ENB!!

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I would also like to wish Jose Martin all the best. I have been lucky to see him a few times at the ROH and enjoyed not only his dancing skill but his very likeable personality. He also took time to speak to me at the stage door after a superb performance of Giselle last year. He was charming and interested in my opinion, which was much appreciated by me,as I havn't been to the stage door for a while,considering myself too old!

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ENB has an exceptionally strong ballet staff that has wrought wonders since Wayne Eagling assembled them, hopefully Mr Martin is an addition to that team and not a replacement.

 

Perhaps Mr Zee could enlighten us as to exactly what previous experience JM has had as a ballet master, I sincerely hope it is more than his new boss has had as an artistic director.

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Thanks, Janet, for sharing that the news about Jose's new position was relatively widespread before my post. I was mererly repeating what is common knowledge among some (many?) who're interested in ballet developments at Covent Garden and its environs. As for MAB's invitation to comment on Jose's experience, I prefer not to take the bait. My earlier post on Jose was meant strictly as a tribute to his dancing talents, as well as to express my disappointment that he was so under-utilised in recent years at the RB. It is quite disappointed that my well-intended sentiments have seemingingly been hijacked to repeat a debate on the ENB Board's decision to change artistic leadership at that company.

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It is a fact of life that whenever there is a change at the top of an organisation there are usually changes in management as well as in the more junior staff. It is not uncommon for a new appointee to bring with him/her people who s/he has worked with before and who share his/her vision for the organisation. I appreciate that, whilst many members of ENB welcome Tamara's appointment, some will be feeling apprehensive, particularly the coaching staff. I assume that those who are actually employed by ENB will have the usual employment rights.

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ENB has an exceptionally strong ballet staff that has wrought wonders since Wayne Eagling assembled them, hopefully Mr Martin is an addition to that team and not a replacement.

 

Looking at the staff listed on the website, I though most of them dated back to Derek Deane's time?

 

Incidentally, can anyone explain why, when I don't bother with the "www." I get a web design company's site and not ENB's?

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Looking at the staff listed on the website, I though most of them dated back to Derek Deane's time?

 

Incidentally, can anyone explain why, when I don't bother with the "www." I get a web design company's site and not ENB's?

 

I've also occasionally got the web design company site by mistake. However the addresses are different.

 

ENB is www.ballet.org.uk. The web design company doesn't have the 'uk' at the end.

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We saw Jose's 'farewell' performance on 12 June and regret his departure - another first soloist who has been scarcely used by the RB of late. We find it equally regrettable that news of his appointment at ENB has been promulgated informally via Twitter and in other ways. Unless, as MAB hopes, Jose's appointment in an additional one, the problems with information management which seem to beset ENB can only cause hurt to the existing Ballet Staff who deserve nothing but praise. [incidentally, Anthony Dowson (a former RB Principal) joined during Wayne's tenure some 5 years ago.]

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We understood Anthony to have moved from the ENB School in 2007 to replace David Wall on the Ballet Staff of the Company.

 

We once had the privilege of watching him coach Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks in the Nutcracker Pdd. Together, they dismantled and built up almost every move in order to strive for perfection and the respect the two stars showed for Anthony's input and opinion is illustrative of the asset he is to ENB.

 

The same applies to Ros Whitten who surely has no equal as a Ballet Mistress for the female corps.

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