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ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET: Emerging Dancer Event 19th May 2022


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This year's 'candidates' are: 

Matthew Astley; Ashley Coupal; Noam Durand; Chloe Keneally; Eric Snyder and Angela Wood.

Several of these dancers are very new to the Company whereas Angela Wood joined in 2010. Congratulations to them all!

 

The evening itself will be live-streamed from the production studio at ENB's HQ.

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And the press release:

 

ENB_Large_Symbol_Logotype_Locked_Colour.jpg

English National Ballet

Emerging Dancer 2022

Livestream

Thursday 19 May, 7.30pm

www.ballet.org.uk/emerging-dancer-2022

 

English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition returns to screens around the globe next month, broadcast live from the Company’s east London home, the Mulryan Centre for Dance, on Thursday 19 May

 

The annual competition recognises the excellence of English National Ballet’s 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 is named the winner of the Emerging Dancer Award. 

 

Emerging Dancer 2022 is supported by CHANEL, extending the House’s 100-year legacy of cultural engagement to imagine the next.

 

The finalists are: 

 

Matthew Astley

Ashley Coupal

Noam Durand

Chloe Keneally

Eric Snyder

Angela Wood

 

Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, said: “I am proud that as a Company we come together each year to nominate some of our most talented colleagues and give them a fantastic opportunity to develop, collaborate with choreographers, learn new repertoire, and shine on stage. This event celebrates the bright future of ballet, and it is always a joy and a privilege to watch. I wish all six of the finalists the best of luck and hope they enjoy the process over the coming weeks.” 

 

Hosted by presenter Jordan Lee, the acclaimed judging panel for this year’s competition comprises: Dana Fouras, former dancer with the Royal Ballet and Russell Maliphant Dance Company; Céline Gittens, Principal dancer at Birmingham Royal Ballet; Kamara Gray, the Founder and Artistic Director of Artistry Youth Dance; Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet; Sir Alistair Spalding CBE, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells and Joseph Toonga, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Just Us Dance Theatre. 

 

The nominees will each perform a contemporary and classical pas de deux. Inspired by the theme of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, three new contemporary works will be created for the event by Ceyda Tanc, founder of Ceyda Tanc Dance; Hamish Longley, freelance dancer/choreographer and former English National Ballet School student and Rentaro Nakaaki, English National Ballet dancer and previous Emerging Dancer finalist. 

 

The recipients of the People’s Choice Award, voted for by audiences throughout the Season, and the Corps de Ballet Award, which acknowledges the work on and off-stage of an Artist of the Company, will also be revealed. There will be special performances by the reigning Emerging Dancer winner Ivana Bueno and the 2020 People’s Choice Award winner Victor Prigent. English National Ballet Philharmonic will perform live as part of the evening’s proceedings, conducted by Timothy Henty, and ENB First Soloist Fabian Reimair will create a piece of music to accompany one of the contemporary pieces. 

 

The finalists will be mentored by senior Company dancers including Lead Principals Erina Takahashi, Francesco Gabriele Frola and Shiori Kase, First Soloists James Streeter and Junor Souza and First Artist Sarah Kundi. 

 

The livestream of the Emerging Dancer competition will be available to watch for free on YouTube at 7.30pm (GMT) on Thursday 19 May 2022. 

 

Further information on repertoire will be announced shortly. 

 

English National Ballet is grateful for the generous grant it has been awarded through the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, which allows it to continue to create, perform and serve its audiences.

 

Notes to Editors

 

Emerging Dancer supported by CHANEL.

 

The People's Choice Award is supported by Alexis and Frances Prenn.

 

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

 

Ballymore is Principal Building Partner of English National Ballet.

 

Listings:

 

English National Ballet

Emerging Dancer 2022

Livestream

Thursday 19 May, 7.30pm

www.youtube.com/englishnationalballet

 

Further information about the Emerging Dancer 2022 finalists:

 

Angela Wood

Angela Wood joined English National Ballet in 2010. She trained at the Colorado Ballet Society in the USA before moving to England and studying at the Royal Ballet School. Highlights of her career at ENB to date include dancing a principal couple in Liam Scarlett’s No Man’s Land. She has also performed Lead Flower in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, been through the creation process for two new works by Stina Quagebeur, Nora and Take Five Blues, and performed in Location as part of William Forsythe’s Playlist (EP).

 

Ashley Coupal 

Ashley Coupal joined the Company this Season following training at Goh Ballet Academy in her home city of Vancouver, Canada, and performing with Orlando Ballet Second Company. Since joining the Company Ashley has performed in the World Premiere of Tamara Rojo’s Raymonda and the international premiere of Creature by Akram Khan. 

 

Chloe Keneally

Chloe Keneally joined English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company from English National Ballet School in 2019. That same year she was crowned the winner of the ballet category in the BBC Young Dancer Competition. Before joining the Company she had previously performed with English National Ballet in Nutcracker and as Odette in My First Ballet: Swan Lake in 2018.

 

Eric Snyder

Eric Snyder started dancing at the age of nine, training at the Yuma Ballet Academy in his home state of Arizona, USA, before joining English National Ballet School (ENBS) in 2018, the same year that he was a finalist in the Prix de Lausanne. He had previously performed with English National Ballet in Nutcracker and as Prince Désiré in My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty. He graduated from ENBS in 2020 and joined the Company that same year.  

 

Matthew Astley 

Originally from Wolverhampton, Matthew Astley joined ENB in 2017. He had previously performed in The Nutcracker with Birmingham Royal Ballet and danced as Demi Soloist at Ballet du Capitole in Toulouse for five years before joining the Company. Matthew has danced several standout roles in ENB productions in his time with the Company including Nutcracker and Freddie in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, in Christopher Bruce’s Swansong as part of ENB’s 70th anniversary Gala and in Stina Quagebeur’s Take Five Blues 

 

Noam Durand

Noam Durand, from Grenoble, France, joined ENB in 2017 following his training in Paris and a trainee program with San Francisco Ballet School. Created roles include William Forsythe’s Playlist (Track 1, 2) and he was part of the core dancers who took part in the R&D for Creature by Akram Khan. Noam has appeared as the Beggar Chief in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, Freddie and Russian in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker and featured in solos in both William Forsythe’s Blake Works I and Playlist (EP) during his time in the Company. 

 

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 been at the forefront of ballet's growth and evolution ever since.

English National Ballet brings world-class ballet to the widest possible audience through live performances across the UK and on eminent international stages; its digital platforms Ballet on Demand and BalletActive; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet's Dance for Parkinson's.

 

Under the artistic directorship of Tamara Rojo CBE, English National Ballet has introduced ground-breaking new works to the Company's repertoire whilst continuing to honour the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw English National Ballet enter a new chapter in its history when it moved into a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in east London, Mulryan Centre for Dance, bringing a renewed commitment to, and freedom for, creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before. www.ballet.org.uk 

 

About Arts Council England 
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let's Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. 
www.artscouncil.org.uk

 

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of several bodies administering the Government's Culture Recovery Fund and unprecedented support package of £1.57 billion for the culture and heritage sector. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19  

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On 13/04/2022 at 22:03, FionaE said:

Congratulations to them all … and Angela’s inclusion after 11 years with the company just goes to show that anything can happen in a dancer’s career at any time.  Bravo to her.

I am happy for her but after ELEVEN years being with the company...she's hardly an "emerging" dancer. Whereas for example Ashley Coupal is. Shame on ENB for choosing Angela so late.

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1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said:


The dancers nominate the candidates, not management.


Every Company member, whether they be dancer, administrator, or ballet staff etc has one vote.

However, choices are inevitably affected by the opportunities afforded dancers to shine, especially during the period when people are considering their vote.

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  • 1 month later...

Reminder press release about the streaming this week:

 

 

ENB_Large_Symbol_Logotype_Locked_Colour.jpg

English National Ballet 
Emerging Dancer 2022

Livestream  
Thursday 19th May, 7.30pm

www.ballet.org.uk/emerging-dancer-2022

 

English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer returns next week, showcasing the bright future of ballet with a global livestream broadcast from the Company’s east London home, the Mulryan Centre for Dance. 

 

Emerging Dancer 2022 © Photography by Laurent Liotardo, Post-production by Nik Pate.jpg

Photo caption: The 2022 Emerging Dancer finalists © Photography by Laurent Liotardo, Post-production by Nik Pate

 

The annual event recognises the excellence of English National Ballet’s dancers. Six of the Company’s most promising dancers, selected and mentored by their peers, will perform in front of an eminent panel of expert judges, before one is named the 2022 Emerging Dancer. 

 

This year’s finalists will each perform a brand-new contemporary piece and a classical pas de deux in their pairings. Ashley Coupal and Noam Durand will perform a segment from Coppélia, Eric Snyder and Chloe Keneally will perform a pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty and Angela Wood and Matthew Astley a piece from Paquita.

 

British-Turkish contemporary choreographer Ceyda Tanc’s work NEFES will be performed by Ashley Coupal and Noam Durand and accompanied by an original score created by English National Ballet First Soloist Fabian Reimair. Ceyda said: “NEFES is a contemporary duet which takes inspiration from virtuoso male movements of Turkish folk dance. In this work I reference traditional movements of the Zeybek style, created by warriors to simulate the motion and form of eagles and hawks. Utilising this in a contemporary setting creates a unique movement vocabulary and highlights the immense strength and power of the dancers.”

 

English National Ballet dancer Rentaro Nakaaki’s piece entitled Cha Cha and Tiara has been created for Eric Snyder and Chloe Keneally to the music of La Cumparsita by Xavier Cugat. Rentaro said: “I used to listen to La Cumparsita almost every day as my parents are ballroom dancers. This version is a jazzier take on a tango, which I fell in love with. I focused on the unexpected layers hidden in the music and the overarching theme of this piece is an abstract, joyful take on the Cha Cha (Eric) and Tiara (Chloe), showcasing the dancers’ personalities.”

 

Freelance choreographer Hamish Longley has created a new work for Angela Wood and Matthew Astley called Interlude on the Jubilee Line. Hamish said: “This piece is set on a platform at Canning Town station on the Jubilee Line, where the lives of two strangers overlap as they find ways to occupy themselves while they await the arrival of their train. I hope I can illustrate the dancer’s qualities, whilst remaining true to the essence of the music with all its vivid pattern and texture.”

 

This year’s acclaimed judging panel comprises: Dana Fouras, former dancer with the Royal Ballet and Russell Maliphant Dance Company; Céline Gittens, Principal dancer at Birmingham Royal Ballet; Kamara Gray, the Founder and Artistic Director of Artistry Youth Dance and member of English National Ballet’s Board of Trustees; Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet; Sir Alistair Spalding CBE, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells and Joseph Toonga, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Just Us Dance Theatre. 

 

The recipients of the People’s Choice Award, as voted for by audiences throughout the Season, and the Corps de Ballet Award, which acknowledges the work on and off-stage of an Artist of the Company, will also be announced. There will be a special performance from Le Corsaire by the reigning Emerging Dancer winner Ivana Bueno and the 2020 People’s Choice Award winner Victor Prigent as part of the evening, which will be hosted by presenter Jordan Lee. 

 

English National Ballet Philharmonic will perform live, conducted by Timothy Henty. 

 

Emerging Dancer 2022 is supported by CHANEL, extending the House’s 100-year legacy of cultural engagement to imagine the next.

 

The livestream of Emerging Dancer 2022 will be available to watch for free on YouTube at 7.30pm (GMT) on Thursday 19 May 2022. 

 

English National Ballet is grateful for the generous grant it has been awarded through the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, which allows it to continue to create, perform and serve its audiences.

Notes to Editors

 

Emerging Dancer supported by CHANEL.

 

The People's Choice Award is supported by Alexis and Frances Prenn.

 

The Corps de Ballet Award is supported by Sue and Graeme Sloan.

 

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

 

Ballymore is Principal Building Partner of English National Ballet.

 

Listings:

 

English National Ballet

Emerging Dancer 2022

Livestream

Thursday 19 May, 7.30pm

www.youtube.com/englishnationalballet

 

Further information about the Emerging Dancer 2022 finalists:

 

Angela Wood

Angela Wood joined English National Ballet in 2010. She trained at the Colorado Ballet Society in the USA before moving to England and studying at the Royal Ballet School. Highlights of her career at ENB to date include dancing a principal couple in Liam Scarlett’s No Man’s Land. She has also performed Lead Flower in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, been through the creation process for two new works by Stina Quagebeur, Nora and Take Five Blues, and performed in Location as part of William Forsythe’s Playlist (EP).

 

Ashley Coupal 

Ashley Coupal joined the Company this Season following training at Goh Ballet Academy in her home city of Vancouver, Canada, and performing with Orlando Ballet Second Company. Since joining the Company Ashley has performed in the World Premiere of Tamara Rojo’s Raymonda and the international premiere of Creature by Akram Khan. 

 

Chloe Keneally

Chloe Keneally joined English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company from English National Ballet School in 2019. That same year she was crowned the winner of the ballet category in the BBC Young Dancer Competition. Before joining the Company she had previously performed with English National Ballet in Nutcracker and as Odette in My First Ballet: Swan Lake in 2018.

 

Eric Snyder

Eric Snyder started dancing at the age of nine, training at the Yuma Ballet Academy in his home state of Arizona, USA, before joining English National Ballet School (ENBS) in 2018, the same year that he was a finalist in the Prix de Lausanne. He had previously performed with English National Ballet in Nutcracker and as Prince Désiré in My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty. He graduated from ENBS in 2020 and joined the Company that same year.  

 

Matthew Astley 

Originally from Wolverhampton, Matthew Astley joined ENB in 2017. He had previously performed in The Nutcracker with Birmingham Royal Ballet and danced as Demi Soloist at Ballet du Capitole in Toulouse for five years before joining the Company. Matthew has danced several standout roles in ENB productions in his time with the Company including Nutcracker and Freddie in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, in Christopher Bruce’s Swansong as part of ENB’s 70th anniversary Gala and in Stina Quagebeur’s Take Five Blues 

 

Noam Durand

Noam Durand, from Grenoble, France, joined ENB in 2017 following his training in Paris and a trainee program with San Francisco Ballet School. Created roles include William Forsythe’s Playlist (Track 1, 2) and he was part of the core dancers who took part in the R&D for Creature by Akram Khan. Noam has appeared as the Beggar Chief in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, Freddie and Russian in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker and featured in solos in both William Forsythe’s Blake Works I and Playlist (EP) during his time in the Company. 

 

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 been at the forefront of ballet's growth and evolution ever since.

English National Ballet brings world-class ballet to the widest possible audience through live performances across the UK and on eminent international stages; its digital platforms Ballet on Demand and BalletActive; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet's Dance for Parkinson's.

 

Under the artistic directorship of Tamara Rojo CBE, English National Ballet has introduced ground-breaking new works to the Company's repertoire whilst continuing to honour the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw English National Ballet enter a new chapter in its history when it moved into a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in east London, Mulryan Centre for Dance, bringing a renewed commitment to, and freedom for, creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before. www.ballet.org.uk 

 

About Arts Council England 
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let's Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. 
www.artscouncil.org.uk

 

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of several bodies administering the Government's Culture Recovery Fund and unprecedented support package of £1.57 billion for the culture and heritage sector. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19  

 

 

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Very disappointed this is not live this year especially at this point where Covid numbers are almost the lowest I’ve seen in London and South East. 
I presume it’s the booking of a theatre though which may have had to be booked at a much worse time. 

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13 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Very disappointed this is not live this year especially at this point where Covid numbers are almost the lowest I’ve seen in London and South East. 
I presume it’s the booking of a theatre though which may have had to be booked at a much worse time. 

 

But it does enable many more people to watch the competition.

 

Re Covid numbers - maybe the numbers are still high but most people are now no longer expected to test so it looks as though they are falling?

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24 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

Re Covid numbers - maybe the numbers are still high but most people are now no longer expected to test so it looks as though they are falling?

 

The ONS survey, which relies on sampling and is therefore the most reliable gauge we have, has the numbers "continuing to decrease".

 

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/13may2022#main-points

Edited by Lizbie1
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I agree that it may allow more to watch but does that mean it won’t ever  be “live” again because more can watch it when it’s online!!! They can always film it as well of course! 


No idea about  the real numbers at the moment but there definitely did seem to be a peak in numbers in Brighton about a month or so ago just from the sheer number of people we knew who had it back then ….for the first time. None of the people I know personally were that unwell including those in their 70’s. And if I have had certainly testing hasn’t caught it yet so must have been pretty mild if I did. 
In Brighton it’s now on about 100 per 100,000 about where it was in September 2020. Most London areas are even lower ….inspite of the comparatively low vaccination rates there. 
If people aren’t testing then hospital numbers can show how serious it actually is and in Brighton they are definitely falling too. 
 

Anyway I hope by next year we can see these emerging dancers for real. 
The camera would not have caught the wonderful live stage charisma of Corrales the year he won it!! 
 


 

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Also have just seen the Livestream is for free!! 
Definitely a live performance of this in a theatre would have brought in more money for ENB ….I think….not knowing how ticket sales would balance with theatre hire etc. 

Or they could charge an albeit smaller audience to see it at ENB premises I suppose and livestream for others? 

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I am also sad not to be able to see Emerging Dancer IRL. Pre-pandemic, I had a tradition to go to this every year with a couple of non-balletomane friends. The variety of the program, passion of the dancers, and the excitement of a competition made it perfect imo for the casual fan or a new to ballet audience. 

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2 hours ago, RHowarth said:

It's a shame it clashes with the Royal Ballet Swan Lake cinema stream and doesn't seem to be available to watch afterwards.

 

It is available afterwards.  From the message that comes up after you sign up for the free digital programme (my highlighting):  

"Watch Emerging Dancer 2022 on YouTube live from 7.30pm (BST) on Thursday 19 May, or on catch-up for 30 days."

 

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1 hour ago, LinMM said:

Or they could charge an albeit smaller audience to see it at ENB premises I suppose and livestream for others? 


The audience at the actual event will consist of sponsors and other special invitees.(Patrons were offered the opportunity of paying to watch the rehearsal tomorrow.)

So the streaming will have a live audience lending a bit of atmosphere as well as cheering on the dancers.

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Emerging Dancer has been streamed most years hasn’t it? I certainly remember cameras being at the theatre and the presenter speaking to the audience online. Agree it’s a shame it’s not a live event as the atmosphere is unbeatable, but the first online only Covid competition was fabulous to watch from the theatre in their building. I remember marvelling at the fact that they got their state of the art theatre studio and production facilities just at the right time given how Covid played out. 

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