Press Release: English National Ballet's Emerging Dancer 2019 finalists

[Jan McNulty]

English National Ballet 
Emerging Dancer
Sadler’s Wells, London
Tuesday 7 May 2019
Performance at 7.30pm 
Tickets: £12- £30
Box office: 020 7845 9300 and ballet.org.uk/emerging

 

Celebrating its tenth year, English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition will be held at Sadler’s Wells on Tuesday 7 May 2019. 

 

Through this ‘highly anticipated annual event’ [Pointe Magazine], English National Ballet recognises the excellence of its artists. Selected by their peers, six of the company's most promising dancers perform in front of an eminent panel of expert judges, before one receives the 2019 Emerging Dancer Award.

 

The recipients of the People's Choice Award, selected by members of the public, and the Corps de Ballet Award, acknowledging the work on and off-stage of a member of the Corps de Ballet, will also be revealed.

 

Emerging Dancer is a key part of English National Ballet’s commitment to developing and nurturing talent within the Company. Last year’s Emerging Dancer Award winner, Daniel McCormick has since performed the role of Nutcracker in the Christmas favourite, the Pas de Trois and Spanish dance in Swan Lake and Lescaut in Manon. 

 

The 2019 finalists are: 

Alice Bellini

Bellini trained at La Scala Ballet School and Royal Ballet Upper School before joining English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company in 2017. One of her career highlights to date was dancing the pas de deux in Aszure Barton’s Fantastic Beings. Bellini was voted the 2018 People’s Choice Award winner at last year’s Emerging Dancer competition.

 

Emilia Cadorin

Cadorin has been an Artist of the Company since 2015. She trained at Il Balletto, Castelfranco Veneto and Boston Ballet Trainee. One of her favourite roles was in MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations and a career highlight has been performing Swan Lake in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall. Highlights of this season have included dancing Lead Snowflake in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker and cygnet in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake.

 

Julia Conway

London born Conway originally trained with Olga Semenova and Young Dancers Academy before further training with Magaly Suárez, Ayako Yamada, Isabelle Guérin and Royal Ballet Upper School, ahead of joining English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company in 2017. She came first place at the World Ballet Competition in 2014 and first place in Classical and Contemporary at the Youth American Grand Prix in 2015. Highlights from this season include dancing the Pas de Trois in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake and Lead Snowflake in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker. 

 

Rentaro Nakaaki 

Nakaaki graduated from English National Ballet School in 2018 and joined as an Artist of the Company. Prior to his training in England, he attended Sadamatsu Hamada Ballet School in Japan. Nakaaki was awarded first place at English National Ballet School’s 2018 Choreographic competition and second place at the Youth America Grand Prix 2015 in Japan.

 

Shale Wagman

Canadian Wagman won 1st prize and the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Prize for excellent artistry at the 2018 Prix de Lausanne, before joining English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company. This season his roles have included the Beggar Chief in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon and the Pas de Trois and Neapolitan in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake. Wagman trained in Toronto, Canada at Vlad’s Dance Company and Stepanova Ballet Company, followed by Princess Grace Academy in Monte Carlo. 

 

Rhys Antoni Yeomans

Yeomans joined as an Artist of the Company in 2017, after training with Centre Pointe, Manchester and English National Ballet School. At 12 years old he played Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End and in 2017 he was named the winner of the BBC Young Dancer Competition (Classical Ballet section). This season his roles have included the Neapolitan dance in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake.

 

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

 

Listings:

Emerging Dancer
Sadler’s Wells, London
Tuesday 7 May 2019
Box office: 020 7845 9300 or ballet.org.uk/emerging

 

About English National Ballet 
English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English Dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has played a major role in the growth and history of ballet in the UK. Today, English National Ballet is renowned for taking world-class ballet to the widest possible audience through its national and international tour programme, offsite performances at festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude, its distinguished orchestra English National Ballet Philharmonic, and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice and delivery, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s. Under the artistic directorship of Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet has gained new acclaim as it introduces innovative new works to the Company’s repertoire while continuing to honour and reinvigorate traditional ballet.

[LinMM]

I will probably go again this year then....missed last year... I have  a pretty good idea who I think I would vote for but have to see what the performances are like to be fair!!

[capybara]

5 hours ago, LinMM said:

I will probably go again this year then....missed last year... I have  a pretty good idea who I think I would vote for but have to see what the performances are like to be fair!!

 

You have to vote for The People’s Choice well ahead of the night LinMM and that voting option includes all members of the Company below Principal level, not just the six nominees.

[LinMM]

Yes forgot that voting form ....much more difficult if choosing from more than the six nominees above of course...perhaps certain people haven't been in the Company quite long enough yet!! 

I guess to rephrase the above ...of the six nominees I think I know who I would like to win...but depending on their performances on the night of course...to be fair!! 

 

[Sabine0308]

I will hop over the channel, who is in as well?😍

[LinMM]

We'll have got tickets for this now and the She Persisted show in April. 

The annoying thing is that as a Friend of ENB I should have been able to claim a 20 percent reduction but I just keep forgetting at the time of buying and I got them direct from Sadlers Wells Theatre! 

 

Am also looking forward to the masterclass rehearsal this week at Markova House......probably  the last time these will be held there before the Company move to the new site on City Island ....so the end of an era and the last time to see this historic studio which luckily though I believe now belongs to the Royal College of Music. 

Mind you only a few weeks ago you still couldn't walk across the red bridge at Canning Town straight into the new Square where the ENB building is and it wasn't looking wonderfully completed!! 

 

 

[Sabine0308]

The promo video has been released today:

 

[Sabine0308]

Reminder: online voting ends on Saturday April 13...

 https://www.ballet.org.uk/production/emerging-dancer-2019/

Please vote for...😀❤

[LinMM]

We know who Sabine!! 

I spotted him in Broken Wings ( quite difficult to do because of the costumes) but he was in red and to me stood out....at least I'm pretty sure it was him!!

 

[Sabine0308]

4 hours ago, LinMM said:

We know who Sabine!! 

I spotted him in Broken Wings ( quite difficult to do because of the costumes) but he was in red and to me stood out....at least I'm pretty sure it was him!!

 

Yes red Frida looked pretty😀

[capybara]

There have been online campaigns and circular e-mails in previous years which have urged people to vote for a particular artist even if they have not been to a show. It  should surely be the case that votes are a response to a dancer seen in performance.

And let's not forget that everyone in the Company, except the Principals, is eligible to be voted for by 'the people', not just the 6 finalists.

[LinMM]

To be honest I do think it's slightly confusing. There are really two things going on .....the actual competition of dancers already chosen to take part....and a sort of general vote for who you think deserves to be recognised in the Company. The two are not linked it seems to me.

The very first time I came across this list of dancers on the back of a cast list sheet a few years back I thought the public were voting for who should be short listed to go into the competition!! So it wasn't clear to dumb old me back then!

So now as it is called "Emerging Dancer" and they have already been chosen by the Company it makes sense to me to at least vote for one of them. 

Every Year It is always difficult to choose. I love Corrales ( who won it.....and he was terrific on the night) but in his year I chose Isabella Brouwers who I still like very much as a dancer. If for example this year Rebecca Blenkinsop had been chosen to take part....as a new joinee to the Company like Shale Wagman ...I would have voted for her as I think she us super talented ...but as it happens she hasn't so am very happy to vote for him. 

Perhaps these two votes should not be part of the same thing. I don't know. 

If it was different and the public's votes were counted with the Company's votes .......on who should actually take part....then this may make me favour a slightly more established artist but surely not one above soloist level.

 

 

 

 

[bangorballetboy]

They are completely different things.  The Emerging Dancer competition is judged by a jury on the basis of an evening's competition (and the dancers competing in that are chosen by their peers); the Audience Choice award is voted for by the public and covers all the dancers on the list on the back of the cast sheets.

[capybara]

32 minutes ago, LinMM said:

If for example this year Rebecca Blenkinsop had been chosen to take part....as a new joinee to the Company ...I would have voted for her as I think she us super talented ...

 

But you can vote for Rebecca, LinMM. That is why all the Company members, except the Principals, are listed on the back of the cast sheets.

[It was only in the first year of the Emerging Dancer initiative that public voting was restricted to the 6 nominees.]

[LinMM]

But it does seem to be an Audience choice for the Emerging Dancer Competition.

I have the sheet from Tuesday's performance in front of me.

There is a big overall heading "Emerging Dancer 2019: Peoples Choice Award

There is then some info on the actual Competition....now in its 10 th year etc etc 

It is still difficult to understand that the Choice Award has absolutely nothing to do with the Competition!! 

Also the list of dancers on that is too long and too mixed in terms of how long have been in Company etc.

How can you have people who have just joined with people who have been in the Company for possibly up to ten years!!

Perhaps there should be a Promising Newcomer award ( people up to two years in Company) 

And an "Emerging Artist" award for longer standing members.

To me it's impossible to choose from that long  list .....so in the end I will always choose somebody who is actually dancing in the Competition. 

Normally an audience choice is given to the live audience actually attending a Competition or Event.

It is a misnomer in my view!

 

[bangorballetboy]

The audience choice award is announced at the emerging dancer, but that's the only real connection.  If it were limited to the six emerging dancer finalists (who were announced months ago), why would the cast sheet for the current production still list all of those other dancers for whom the audience can vote in the audience choice award?

 

Why should length of service have a bearing on whether an audience member thinks a dancer should win an award?  The audience choose who has impressed them. 

 

 

[Sabine0308]

I am just glad that even long time experts and native speakers have a hard time understanding the process.😀 It seems it is an additional burden to highlight this competition and recognition for the rising ENB stars. I mean look on the ENB website and try to find the event without knowing anything about it. Good luck. Also, the 1 min promo video they released recently cannot be found there, just an even shorter "header" clip. Plus, the individual videos for each finalist are not published yet but voting ends on Saturday. That's all a bit weird, but maybe the marketing for the current shows plus the upcoming move to the new place take their tolls already.

Edit:

Ehm OK the finalists have nothing to do with the audience award and the voting. Got it just now.😐

Edited April 11, 2019 by Sabine0308

[capybara]

54 minutes ago, LinMM said:

But it does seem to be an Audience choice for the Emerging Dancer Competition.

I have the sheet from Tuesday's performance in front of me.

 

I have the sheet from last night and it clearly asks people to pick their choice from the list of dancers below. That list includes every dancer in the ENB Company except Principals and Lead Principals.

My problem at Sadlers Wells was locating the well-hidden ballot box which is on the floor behind the shop. The people at the shop will take your votes from you if you ask them. Voting closes on Saturday.

 

[bridiem]

The problem is linking the 'Emerging Dancer' concept with the 'People's Choice' concept, which this scheme does. If the People's Choice element includes everyone except principals, it's clearly not exclusively for an emerging dancer, it's just for a favourite dancer who isn't yet a principal. (Not yet being a principal doesn't count as being 'emerging' in my book; most dancers will after all never make principal.) It would be nonsensical, and indeed pretty insulting, to vote for (say) James Streeter as my choice for an 'emerging' dancer, whereas I would happily vote for him as simply my choice for recognition as a dancer. If they really want to have one 'emerging' dancer nominated by the company and voted for by judges, and another (or possibly the same?) 'emerging' dancer' voted for by the public, they obviously need to restrict the number/rank of dancers for whom the public can vote. (Though quite why they want to pitch the company and judges against the public in this way I don't know. If the public chooses someone other than the company's selected 'finalists' - assuming they actually vote for an 'emerging' dancer rather than an established one, which is where all the confusion lies - doesn't that imply that the company and the public are out of kilter with each other in terms of what they see/value? Which might be interesting, but would be a bit worrying for the company I would have thought.)

[LinMM]

I've already voted online anyway a few weeks back. 

Ive voted for Shale Wagman as he is in the Competition which I'm going to attend .....and I followed him a bit at the Prix before he joined the Company and have seen him in class a couple of times but only in live performance twice ......if he was in red on Tuesday night and danced alone with Katja ...albeit briefly ...as one of the men in the colourful skirts!! And in Swan Lake. 

I think this should be called "Emerging Artist Competition" and include a vote for promising newcomer ...which should be listed for the audience choice!!

OR .....even both .....as now for the final competitors....chosen by peers etc..... but just separate the list out a bit on the audience choice so you can choose from two lists.....and get two votes ....one for promising newcomer and one for more established artist....who will obviously have had more exposure anyway. 

I don't like it as it is now! 

How can you put Shale Wagman who has just joined the Company in the same category as Katja Khaniukova or Alison McWhinney or Stina Quagebeur Jia Zhang.....(who was fab on Tuesday) etc etc etc and lots of the other male dancers on the list!! 

He is at the VERY promising newcomer stage as is Rebecca. 

As emerging artist I'd probably vote for Stina. 

Anyway I shall enjoy having a "vested interest" in Shale Wagman on the night!! It will be a lovely evening and am looking forward to it.

 

[Sabine0308]

It is confusing  but I look forward to this evening as well and am very curious about the event. @LinMM And you know we both agree on Shale Wagman. If you were able to spot him under this heavy makeup, this is also proof that your vote is solid.😉 as is mine. He performed Monday and Tuesday and is on stage again tonight. Can't wait for his video and FINALLY seeing him live💪💪

[Dawnstar]

5 hours ago, LinMM said:

How can you put Shale Wagman who has just joined the Company in the same category as Katja Khaniukova or Alison McWhinney or Stina Quagebeur Jia Zhang.....(who was fab on Tuesday) etc etc etc and lots of the other male dancers on the list!!

 

I thought that when I saw the list on the back of the cast sheet at Manon in January. Shale Wagman, dancing the Beggar Chief, yes an Emerging Artist but Alison McWhinney, dancing the title role, surely "Emerged" some time ago! I would consider Emerging Artists to be dancers who are in the corps de ballet and starting to dance a few solo roles.

[Sabine0308]

The solo videos for 4 of the 6 dancers have been released so far and are worth a check out. I'm not sure why they don't release all of them simultaneously but maybe it's only to keep the tension up 😊. Hope Shale makes it back in time from St. Petersburg for Tuesday night 😀

[Mandy Kent]

4 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

. Hope Shale makes it back in time from St. Petersburg for Tuesday night 😀

 

Don’t even joke about it Sabine0308 !

😍😍😍 

[Sim]

Am really looking forward to being there on the night, but I too have always been a bit bemused by how they are describing an emerging dancer.  Surely someone at the top echelons has already emerged, and shown themselves in their full artistic splendour??  Maybe they should think of re-naming this competition.  

 

In any case, it's always a great evening and my how it's changed since the very first one, which I attended in Jay Mews all those years ago.  Just a rehearsal studio then, now big London theatres!  

[Sabine0308]

7 hours ago, Mandy Kent said:

 

Don’t even joke about it Sabine0308 !

😍😍😍 

No worries, he's back.❤

[Sabine0308]

A bit off topic but I would be grateful for your input: I got an email from Sadler's Wells about their new service re interval drinks which can be ordered online already now. I understand that this is good service to avoid long queues during interval but does this really work? I am more a spontaneous person when it comes to order drinks, but if interval is very short, this service sounds interesting. Thanks.

[Sim]

I would definitely try it, Sabine.  Of course, as you say, you might order a G&T now and then on the night prefer a glass of wine....but I guess it's a risk you take.  It's like when you go to a wedding and have to choose your food way in advance....you might not feel like eating what you've ordered on the night, but you are stuck with it!  

[Sabine0308]

Thanks @Sim I am just not sure if the queues are really that long. I haven't been to Sadler's before. Here in Berlin, it really depends on the venue, e.g. at Deutsche Oper it takes ages to get your drink.😉

[Jan McNulty]

Press Release from ENB: 

 

English National Ballet

Emerging Dancer

Sadler’s Wells, London

Tuesday 7 May 2019

Performance at 7.30pm

Tickets: £12 - £23

 Box office: 020 7863 8000 or  www.ballet.org.uk/emergingdancer

 

Photo caption: The Emerging Dancer 2019 finalists (c) Laurent Liotardo, post production by Nik Pate

 

Celebrating 10 years, English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition, hosted by former Principal of The Royal Ballet Adam Cooper, will return to Sadler’s Wells on Tuesday 7 May 2019 and will be live streamed worldwide.

 

Through this annual event, English National Ballet recognises the excellence of its artists. Selected by their peers, six of the company's most promising dancers perform in front of an eminent panel of expert judges, before one receives the 2019 Emerging Dancer Award.

 

Also revealed on the night will be the recipients of the People's Choice Award as selected by members of the public, and the Corps de Ballet Award, acknowledging the work on and off-stage of a member of the company’s Corps de Ballet.

 

Joining Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, on the judging panel this year is Guest Character Artist at English National Ballet and former Principal of The Royal Ballet Michael Coleman; dance writer Gerald Dowler; performer, choreographer and director Carrie-Anne Ingrouille; founder of mavinkhooDance and rehearsal director to Akram Khan Company Mavin Khoo; and former Principal of The Royal Ballet Sarah Wildor.

 

Each finalist will first perform a classical pas de deux, followed by a contemporary solo. This year will see Rhys Antoni Yeomans and Emilia Cadorin dance a pas de deux from Coppelia, Shale Wagman andAlice Bellini will perform the Grand Pas Classique and Rentaro Nakaaki and Julia Conway present Flames of Paris.

 

Rhys Antoni Yeomans will then dance a solo from William Forsythe‘s In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Rentaro Nakaaki will dance Own created by choreographer Nuno Campos and Shale Wagman will perform Peculiar Mind choreographed by Nürnberg Ballet dancer Sofie Vervaecke.  Alice Bellini performs Danish choreographer Sebastian Kloborg’s CLAN B, Julia Conway has worked with Rambert dancer Miguel Altunaga who has created a piece for Julia's solo, Untitled Code, and Emilia Cadorin will dance BAM! choreographed by English National Ballet First Soloist Fabian Reimair, who has also composed the music to accompany the piece. 

The evening will also see a special performance from last year’s Emerging Dancer Award winner Daniel McCormick, who will perform a pas de deux from Don Quixote with First Artist Francesca Velicu.

 

As is tradition, this year’s finalists have been mentored by their peers in the Company. Pedro Lapetra has worked with Julia Conway and Rentaro Nakaaki; Julia has also worked with Shiori Kase during the process. Alice Bellini has been supported by Junor Souza and Fernanda Oliveira, as well as Jeffrey Cirio for her solo; Erina Takahashi and Adela Ramírez have coached Emilia Cadorin; Shale Wagman has been mentored by Fernando Bufalá and Rhys Antonio Yeomans has been working with James Forbat and Barry Drummond. 

 

The evening will be live streamed via Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Emerging Dancer LIVE follows the success of last year’s live stream which achieved over 100,000 views worldwide.

 

Casting and repertoire are subject to change. Please see www.ballet.org.uk for up-to-date details. 

 

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

-ENDS- 

 

English National Ballet is a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England. 

.

Notes to Editors

 

About English National Ballet 
English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English Dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has played a major role in the growth and history of ballet in the UK. Today, English National Ballet is renowned for taking world-class ballet to the widest possible audience through its national and international tour programme, offsite performances at festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude, its distinguished orchestra English National Ballet Philharmonic, and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice and delivery, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s. Under the artistic directorship of Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet has gained new acclaim as it introduces innovative new works to the Company’s repertoire while continuing to honour and reinvigorate traditional ballet.
www.ballet.org.uk 

 

About Arts Council England

Arts Council England is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to visual art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2018 and 2022, we will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk

 

Notes to Editors: 

 

The 2019 Emerging Dancer finalists:

Alice Bellini

Bellini trained at La Scala Ballet School and Royal Ballet Upper School before joining English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company in 2017. Her career highlights to date include dancing the pas de deux in Aszure Barton’s Fantastic Beings and The Novice in The Cage. Bellini was voted the 2018 People’s Choice Award winner at last year’s Emerging Dancer competition.

 

Emilia Cadorin

Cadorin has been an Artist of the Company since 2015. She trained at Il Balletto, Castelfranco Veneto and Boston Ballet Trainee. Highlights of this season have included dancing Dust by Akram Khan, Lead Snowflake in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker and cygnet in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake.

 

Julia Conway

London born Conway originally trained with Olga Semenova and Young Dancers Academy before further training with Magaly Suárez, Ayako Yamada, Isabelle Guérin and Royal Ballet Upper School, ahead of joining English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company in 2017. She came first place at the World Ballet Competition in 2014 and first place in Classical and Contemporary at the Youth American Grand Prix Paris in 2015. Highlights from this season include dancing in the Pas de Trois in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake and the roles of Louise, Lead Flower and Lead Snowflake in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker.

 

Rentaro Nakaaki

Nakaaki graduated from English National Ballet School in 2018 and joined as an Artist of the Company. Prior to his training in England, he attended Sadamatsu Hamada Ballet School in Japan. Nakaaki was awarded first place at English National Ballet School’s 2018 Choreographic competition and second place at the Youth America Grand Prix 2015 in Japan.

 

Shale Wagman

Canadian Wagman won 1st prize and the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Prize for excellent artistry at the 2018 Prix de Lausanne, before joining English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company. This season his roles have included the Beggar Chief in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon and the Pas de Trois and Neapolitan in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake. Wagman trained in Toronto, Canada at Vlad’s Dance Company and Stepanova Ballet Company, followed by Princess Grace Academy in Monte Carlo.

 

Rhys Antoni Yeomans

Yeomans joined as an Artist of the Company in 2017, after training with Centre Pointe, Manchester and English National Ballet School. At 12 years old he played Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End and in 2017 he was named the winner of the BBC Young Dancer Competition (Classical Ballet section). This season his roles have included the Neapolitan dance in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake.

 

The Judging Panel for Emerging Dancer 2019:

Michael Coleman

Born in London, Michael trained at the Royal Ballet School before joining The Royal Ballet touring company and then The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden. Michael first danced with English National Ballet as a Guest Artist in 1995 and has regularly appeared as Dr Coppelius in Ronald Hynd’s Coppélia; The Tutor and Master of Ceremonies in Derek Deane’s productions of Swan Lake and Swan Lake in-the-round and as Friar Lawrence and Escalus, Prince of Verona, in Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet and most recently Deane’s in-the-round production at the Royal Albert Hall. He is currently a Guest Character Artist at English National Ballet.

 

Gerald Dowler

Gerald Dowler has reviewed and written on dance for several publications and websites including the Financial Times, The Dancing Times, Ballet 2000 (English/French/Italian editions), Ballet Review (New York) and www.classicalsource.com.  He is also a presiding magistrate and teaches at the City of London School.

 

Carrie-Anne Ingrouille

Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is a performer, choreographer and director and was recently nominated for an Olivier award for SIX The Musical. She has been a core member of the award-winning ZooNation Dance Company (who specialise in narrative hip hop theatre) since 2005. Carrie wears many different hats within ZooNation and her various roles include associate director, resident director, choreographer, performer and teacher.

 

Carrie-Anne’s other performing and choreography theatre credits include: Blaze, The Street Dance Sensation (Peacock Theatre and European tour), Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense (Duke of York’s and UK tour), The Suicide (NT), I Can’t Sing! The X Factor Musical (London Palladium), The International Olympic Committee Heads of State Performance 2012 (Royal Opera House), The Realness and Polatrix (Hackney Down Studios), R&D (Hampstead Theatre), Back to the Lab, Sum of Parts and Breakin’ Convention (Sadler’s Wells), The Catherine Tate Show Live (UK tour) and Whydentity (Royal Festival Hall). 

 

Carrie also engages in work in the commercial industry and has choreographed various music videos/live performances, corporate engagements and campaigns such as, Change4Life Summer Campaign 2015, StreetDance 3D (Vertigo Films), Sony ‘Dance Star Party’ (Playstation 3 Games), Esmee Denters T4 On the Beach (live performance), Elderbrook ‘Good Times’ music video, Google ‘Engage EMEA’ Corporate Dublin, F&F Children’s Autumn Campaign 2015 (internet advertisement), Sassoon at Salon International (gala dinner and presentation).

 

As well as performing and choreographing, Carrie-Anne is extremely passionate about training and education and teaches at some of the UK’s leading dance establishments. She regularly tutors at the ZooNation Academy of Dance – and works closely with ZooNation Youth Company and other companies such as Boadicea and Woodside Dance Retreat. Carrie is also a regular adjudicator both nationally and internationally at various dance festivals and competitions around the world.

Carrie is currently resident choreographer on Hamilton, London.

 

Mavin Khoo

Mavin Khoo is internationally recognised as a dance artist, teacher, choreographer and artist scholar. His initial training was at the Temple of Fine Arts, Sutra Dance Theatre and Sri Wilayah Ballet School in Malaysia. He the pursued his training in Bharata Natyam intensively under the legendary dance maestro, Padma Shri Adyar K.Lakshman in India, Cunningham technique at the Cunningham studios in New York and Classical Ballet under Marian St. Claire, Michael Beare, Nancy Kilgour, Paul Lewis, Ayumi Hikasa, Raymond Chai and Tory Jestyn. As a contemporary dance artist he has worked with Wayne McGregor, Akram Khan, Shobana Jeyasingh and many others. His commissioned works include creations for the Venice Biennale and Canada Dance Festival to name a few. ‘Images in Varnam’ (2001) was commissioned by the Royal Ballet Artists Development Initiative and was followed by another ROH2 commission ‘Let me…with’ Royal Ballet dancer Kristen McNally.

 

Khoo is considered one of the few Bharata Natyam male soloists to have carved a niche for himself as an international touring solo artist, whilst still regularly dancing at all major venues in India, including the Music Academy and Kalakshetra in Chennai.

 

Sarah Wildor

Sarah Wildor studied at the Royal Ballet School, She joined the Royal Ballet Company and rose through the ranks to become a Principal dancer. Roles included Juliet, Giselle, Manon, Anastasia, Cinderella, Sugar Plum Fairy, Ondine, Swanhilda (Coppelia), Titania (The Dream), Lise (La Fille Mal Gardée), Ballerina (The Concert), Chloe (Daphnis and Chloe), Desdemona (Othello), Push comes to shove, The Invitation, Enigma variations, Rhapsody, Symphonic Variations, Vera (A month in the Country),Young Girl (Two Pigeons), Irina (Winter Dreams) Gloria and Jeux. She created the Tightrope Walker (Sawdust and Tinsel) and roles in Fanfare, Dream of Angels, The Crucible and Mr Worldly Wise. She represented the Company at the Erik Bruhn Competition. 

 

Sarah also created the title role in Matthew Bourne’s production of Cinderella, which she has performed during sell out seasons in London’s West End and Los Angeles. Sarah starred in Susan Stroman's Contact at the Queens Theatre London for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She also starred in On Your Toes at the Royal Festival Hall London and on tour in Japan. Other acting roles include Elizabeth in Frankenstein, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peg in Wallflowering and Essie in You Can’t Take It with You.

 

Other dancing roles include creating the role of Madame de Tourvel in Les Liaisons Dangereuses which she performed on tour in Japan and at Sadler’s Wells Theatre London, starring in A Tribute to Sir Kenneth MacMillan for Star Dancers in Japan and the Exeter Festival and starring in Shall We Dance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre London.

 

TV and Film work includes Jonathan Toomey directed by Bill Clark for 7 Productions, The Da Vinci Code directed by Ron Howard for Sony Pictures and Holby for BBC.

 

Sarah is also a qualified Pilates instructor and has attained The Royal Ballet School PDTC Diploma and Trinity Laban’s Diploma in Dance Teaching and Learning. 

[Mandy Kent]

On 30/04/2019 at 21:29, Sabine0308 said:

No worries, he's back.❤

Phew 😍👍

[ToThePointe]

Tuesday 7th May sees the return of English National Ballet's Emerging Dancer Awards 2019. I caught up with the finalists to find out what they are most looking forward to at the awards and what it means to be named a finalist...

 

https://tothepointemagazine.wixsite.com/tothepointemagazine/single-post/2019/05/03/ENBs-Emerging-Dancer-Awards-The-Finalists-Have-Their-Say

[Sim]

Thanks TTP....so interesting to hear what the finalists have to say. Good luck to them all!