capybara Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 A series of 'knock-out' performances by Marcelino Sambe combined with yesterday's stunning Medusa from Fumi Kaneko (on top of her knock-out Kitri) have prompted me to start thinking about RB promotions this year. There seem to be so many 'candidates' at all levels. More in due course but I thought that it was time to open a thread. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Highly speculative, of course. There are so many talents that deserve recognition. I would imagine that Sambe, O'Sullivan and Sissens must be high on any promotion list. It will be interesting to see what the situation with Corrales is. Were it not for his unfortunate injury I would have definitely added Bracewell to the list. He has done stellar work this season. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 I’ve given up on hoping Choe will be promoted but I hope Stix-Brunell will be considered for promotion to Principal. I’d like to see Reece Clarke and Anna Rose O’Sullivan promoted to First Soloist too. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Assuming spaces are available, I would say Sambe, O’Sullivan for sure, and maybe Sissens. Fumi Kaneko is definitely Principal-bound, but perhaps in a year’s time when she has been given a chance to lead SB and SL and other three-acters. Sadly Corrales will probably have to wait (although I would promote him just on the basis of his Solor and his Romeo!). Same goes for Bracewell. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAX Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Fumi Kaneko is at the right position as a first soloist with The Royal Ballet. I don't see her as a principal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Sim said: Assuming spaces are available, I would say Sambe, O’Sullivan for sure, and maybe Sissens. Fumi Kaneko is definitely Principal-bound, but perhaps in a year’s time when she has been given a chance to lead SB and SL and other three-acters. Sadly Corrales will probably have to wait (although I would promote him just on the basis of his Solor and his Romeo!). Same goes for Bracewell. I agree with your picks Sim and Mayara Magri is also a possibility when there is a vacancy although like Fumi Kaneko maybe she needs another three-acter ? I guess Reece Clarke will have to wait because of missed opportunities due to injury. Lower down, definitely Leo Dixon, possibly Harry Churches and Sae Maeda. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 (edited) Promotions can surely only occur if vacancies arise. That raises the risk of speculations that none of us would feel comfortable making on a public forum.... Edited May 19, 2019 by Jamesrhblack Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Slightly diverging from topic so apologies if this isn't the right place but I'm curious regarding promotions - is there a 'limit' to the number of principles in the sense of a 'one in one out' system? Or is it purely at the discretion of Kevin O'Hare? I presume there have been years where no-one has bene promoted to principal? My thoughts are that I think Fumi Kaneko is a wonderful dancer and would love to see her as principal, though agree with Sim that perhaps she needs a few more principal roles next year under her belt before a promotion. Agree that Anna-Rose should be promoted to first soloist. But to link into my first point, whilst every dancer is unique I wouldn't want to necessarily see a 'top heavy' RB (which is difficult when you want to reward talent!). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 3 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said: Promotions can surely only occur if vacancies arise. That raises the risk of speculations that none of us would feel comfortable making on a public forum.... We already know there are some vacancies: Soares has left, Kobayashi has retired ........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 8 minutes ago, annamk said: We already know there are some vacancies: Soares has left, Kobayashi has retired ........ I'm working from memory, but doesn't the Soares retirement just take the number of male principals back to the usual eight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAX Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 and Edward Watson is almost retired no ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 6 minutes ago, MAX said: and Edward Watson is almost retired no ? Like others I’m sticking to official announcements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted May 19, 2019 Author Share Posted May 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Jamesrhblack said: Promotions can surely only occur if vacancies arise. That raises the risk of speculations that none of us would feel comfortable making on a public forum.... Since when has there been a quota system? Noone left when Ball was promoted. 1 hour ago, JNC said: My thoughts are that I think Fumi Kaneko is a wonderful dancer and would love to see her as principal, though agree with Sim that perhaps she needs a few more principal roles next year under her belt before a promotion. I take the point and I'm not mounting a campaign for Kaneko (or anyone) but Francesca Hayward was promoted before she danced the lead in one of the classics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 2 hours ago, Jamesrhblack said: Promotions can surely only occur if vacancies arise. That raises the risk of speculations that none of us would feel comfortable making on a public forum.... I said on my post "assuming there are vacancies". But as has been pointed out, there doesn't necessarily have to be one in order to promote a deserving candidate! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 (edited) Sissens, Sambe and O'Sullivan for me. Even if there were a vacancy for a female principal, I'd feel that all potential contenders should be given more lead roles before any choices are made. Edited May 19, 2019 by Coated 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Isabella Gasperini, who lights up the stage every time she walks on! 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thalia Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Is anyone ever promoted up two levels or is it just one rung at a time? My candidates for promotion would be Sambé, Dixon, Dubreuil, Sissens, Edmonds, O’Sullivan, Dias, Gasparini and Storm-Jensen. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thalia Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 11 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Isabella Gasperini, who lights up the stage every time she walks on! Completely agree! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 2 hours ago, MAX said: and Edward Watson is almost retired no ? What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted May 19, 2019 Author Share Posted May 19, 2019 52 minutes ago, Thalia said: Is anyone ever promoted up two levels or is it just one rung at a time? My candidates for promotion would be Sambé, Dixon, Dubreuil, Sissens, Edmonds, O’Sullivan, Dias, Gasparini and Storm-Jensen. Yuhui Choe went from First Artist to First Soloist but that was a long time ago. The dancers on your list who I have 'bolded' have certainly been given significant opportunities/prominence during the 2018/19 season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candleque Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 7 hours ago, Anna C said: I hope Stix-Brunell will be considered for promotion to Principal Me too. She has an energy all her own. I surely hope it doesn't depend on vacancies, as the RB has so so many amazing women. Also, like many, rooting for Sambé and O’Sullivan. Debuts in R&J seem to be a rite of passage for careers on the way up 3 hours ago, capybara said: Francesca Hayward was promoted before she danced the lead in one of the classics. I guess Manon isn't a classic in the ballet sense. What about Juliet? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 I think Corrales may have been promoted if he hadn't had such a long time out with injury but it will be difficult to promote him this year on such few performances. He was a Principal with ENB so was probably originally heading in that direction. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 4 hours ago, capybara said: I take the point and I'm not mounting a campaign for Kaneko (or anyone) but Francesca Hayward was promoted before she danced the lead in one of the classics. Hayward's promotion, before she danced any lead role in any of the RB's tutu classics, came about when the company went on tour to Japan in 2016 and Salenko (partner of McRae) was injured: the Japanese Tour organisers contractually demand principals dance the lead roles so McRae had Hayward as a replacement partner. Not that she didn't deserve it after her Manon and Rhapsody... but no she did not dance any tutu classics before she was promoted to principal (except Sugar Plum). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 24 minutes ago, LinMM said: I think Corrales may have been promoted if he hadn't had such a long time out with injury but it will be difficult to promote him this year on such few performances. He was a Principal with ENB so was probably originally heading in that direction. I was once told by dancers if a dancer does not dance out a full season (due to injury or else) they cannot be considered for promotion. I like to believe Corrales or Bracewell would have been up for promotion to principal had they not been injured. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 40 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said: I was once told by dancers if a dancer does not dance out a full season (due to injury or else) they cannot be considered for promotion. I like to believe Corrales or Bracewell would have been up for promotion to principal had they not been injured. That knocks out almost all the current male first soloists though! Isn't Sambe the only one who has danced all his scheduled perormances so far this season? I've seen Bracewell, Corrales, Hay & Zuchetti all replaced, though Zuchetti's may have only been illness or something minor as he was back before long. The other 3 have certainly all had lengthy periods out though. Given Zuchetti's roles this season don't really indicate that he's likely to get promotion, that seems to make Sambe the only likely promotion to principal among the men. I did wonder if there would be 2 new male principals, given Kish's move towards character roles as well as Soares' leaving, but maybe there won't be due to lack of contenders. Given the shortage of uninjured male principals for much of this season it does feel as if they could do with a couple more going forward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Wasn't Sambe injured up until...November/December/January? I seem to recall he was injured at the start of the Season (??) and absent for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 He was present in December/January as he was in the Nutcracker cinecast & then I saw him as a replacement for Hay in the same role on 9th January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, JNC said: Slightly diverging from topic so apologies if this isn't the right place but I'm curious regarding promotions - is there a 'limit' to the number of principles in the sense of a 'one in one out' system? Or is it purely at the discretion of Kevin O'Hare? I presume there have been years where no-one has bene promoted to principal? 3 There were eight years of no female Principal promotion at all between Lauren Cuthbertson (2008) and Takada/Hayward (2016)/Naghdi (2017). For the males: Muntagirov in 2014, Hirano/Campbell 2016, Ball 2018 Edited May 19, 2019 by Xandra Newman . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 3 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: He was present in December/January as he was in the Nutcracker cinecast & then I saw him as a replacement for Hay in the same role on 9th January. So Sambe was off at the start of the Season up until December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 8 hours ago, Jamesrhblack said: Promotions can surely only occur if vacancies arise. I don't remember 4 principals leaving a few years ago ... 4 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Isabella Gasperini, who lights up the stage every time she walks on! Most definitely needs to go up a step. 4 hours ago, Thalia said: Is anyone ever promoted up two levels or is it just one rung at a time? Ivan Putrov. (Didn't he go from Soloist to Principal? Not that I think the jump was beneficial to him). I have a feeling there have also been a few larger jumps lower down the ranks, but can't remember who. 2 hours ago, LinMM said: I think Corrales may have been promoted if he hadn't had such a long time out with injury but it will be difficult to promote him this year on such few performances. He was a Principal with ENB so was probably originally heading in that direction. He'd only just been made principal at ENB when he left. He might possibly have had to wait a year, I suppose. 1 hour ago, Xandra Newman said: Hayward's promotion, before she danced any lead role in any of the RB's tutu classics, came about when the company went on tour to Japan in 2016 and Salenko (partner of McRae) was injured: the Japanese Tour organisers contractually demand principals dance the lead roles so McRae had Hayward as a replacement partner. Not that she didn't deserve it after her Manon and Rhapsody... but no she did not dance any tutu classics before she was promoted to principal (except Sugar Plum). She was one of the four I referred to above, wasn't she? (Hirano/Takada/Campbell being the other three?) 1 hour ago, Xandra Newman said: I was once told by dancers if a dancer does not dance out a full season (due to injury or else) they cannot be considered for promotion. I like to believe Corrales or Bracewell would have been up for promotion to principal had they not been injured. Arguably, yes. But am I imagining it, or did Steven McRae get promoted in a year when he'd been off with an injury? It must be really annoying (and maybe a bit unfair) if you lose a couple of weeks to injury each year but spend the rest of it doing excellent work which would otherwise deserve promotion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 3 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said: There were eight years of no female Principal promotion at all between Lauren Cuthbertson (2008) and Takada/Hayward (2016)/Naghdi (2017). You've left out Osipova being imported, of course. (And for that matter Matthew Golding on the male side) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 True, Osipova became a Principal in 2013 after she guested with the Company, she was imported from Russia. I was thinking of dancers who all came up through the ranks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAX Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Nunez and Cojocaru from artists to first soloists ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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