emma-cann Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 (edited) MEDIA RELEASE: Monday 4 July 2016 BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ANNOUNCEMENTS 2016 At the end of the 2015/2016 season, Birmingham Royal Ballet is able to announce the following: Samara Downs is promoted from First Soloist to Principal. Céline Gittens is promoted from First Soloist to Principal. Delia Mathews is promoted from Soloist to First Soloist. Yijing Zhang is promoted from First Artist to Soloist. Feargus Campbell is promoted from First Artist to Soloist. Brandon Lawrence is promoted from First Artist to Soloist. Valentin Olovyannikov is promoted from First Artist to Soloist. Yaoqian Shang is promoted from Artist to Soloist. Reina Fuchigami is promoted from Artist to First Artist. Jade Heusen is promoted from Artist to First Artist. Max Maslen is promoted from Artist to First Artist. Lachlan Monaghan is promoted from Artist to First Artist. The following dancers will join the company: Gabriel Anderson, graduate of the Royal Ballet School, will join as an Artist. Tim Dutson, graduate of English National Ballet School, will join as an Artist. Aitor Galende, graduate of the Royal Ballet School, will join as an Artist. The following dancers leave the company: Elisha Willis leaves Birmingham Royal Ballet after thirteen years with the Company, twelve of those years as a Principal. Elisha is retiring from ballet and is going to pursue a career in costume making. Jonathan Caguioa leaves Birmingham Royal Ballet after fourteen years with the Company, four of those years as a Soloist. Jonathan is returning to London to undertake a Pilates teaching course. Steven Monteith left Birmingham Royal Ballet earlier this season after eighteen years with the Company, six of those years as a Soloist. Steven is currently studying for the Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma at the Royal Academy of Dance. Oliver Till leaves Birmingham Royal Ballet after nine years with the Company. Oliver was promoted to Soloist earlier this season. He is now moving to the United States to pursue different opportunities. Leticia Dias Domingues leaves Birmingham Royal Ballet after a year with the Company. Leticia is joining the Royal Ballet as an Artist. Luke Schaufuss leaves Birmingham Royal Ballet after three years with the Company. Luke is joining Scottish Ballet as a Soloist. Edited July 4, 2016 by emma-cann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Leticia Dias Domingues leaves Birmingham Royal Ballet after a year with the Company. Leticia is joining the Royal Ballet as an Artist. Hmmm. She isn't mentioned on the RB Joiners press release... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I think this is great and I am really pleased for both new principals. Will Bracewell seems to have lost out this time round but I am sure he will be rewarded next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Hmmm. She isn't mentioned on the RB Joiners press release... May have been agreed after that PR came out (and don't forget it came out earlier than usual). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Great set of promotions there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emma-cann Posted July 4, 2016 Author Share Posted July 4, 2016 I am so pleased with the majority of these - especially Delia Matthews and Yaoqian Shang. However, my personal favourite Laura Day has been overlooked again which disappointing - but we can't have everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I think our (Laura) Day will come... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emma-cann Posted July 4, 2016 Author Share Posted July 4, 2016 I know, just hoped it would be this year! Especially with a promotion for Reina this time around. Great pun by the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Congratulations to all the promoters. Of course there are other dancers I would like to have seen on the list, but these are all so well deserved. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Leticia doesn't surprise me. Lovely dancer. She won the Prix de Lausanne a couple of years ago.... chose the RBS for further training .....and looked lovely at last year's graduate performances with RBS. Wishing her every success with the main Company. I don't really know the BRB that well only when they come down to London but Brandon Lawrence and Delia Matthews (among others not mentioned here) have stood out in particular for me when I've seen them. But am sure all promotions are well deserved!! Again Yaoquian Shang's fastish promotion is no surprise.....another RBS student who stood out a couple of years ago at school performance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Hmmm. She isn't mentioned on the RB Joiners press release... Maybe the protocol is for the company a dancer is leaving to declare first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marg S Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Wishing her every success with the main Company. Think those of us devoted to B.R.B regard it as the sister Company 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Think those of us devoted to B.R.B regard it as the sister Company Or even a totally separate company! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Okay maybe I should have said London Company I was not making any value judgement whatsoever so don't appreciate the insinuation that I was!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Or even a totally separate company! Given the companies share the same founders, I think "sister company" is historically and stylistically accurate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 (edited) Thanks emma-cann for posting this. Excited to see Gittens promoted to principal, I've been extremely impressed by her when I've seen her live (when I saw her first as a soloist as the Rose Fairy in Nutcracker a couple of years ago I thought by the quality of her dancing she already was a principal!) Sad to see Willis leave, she's irreplaceable. Two Pigeons I have also felt there is something exceptional about Bracewell and hope to see him advance in major roles in future. Edited July 5, 2016 by northstar 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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