FionaM Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 hour ago, Finnbarr said: The Sunday Times has a story in the early editions that William Bracewell and Reece Clarke have both been promoted to principal Hooray 👏👏👏 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorgeb Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted May 22, 2022 Author Share Posted May 22, 2022 Hooray! finally! photo from The Sunday Times 22.5.22 [photo of Reece Clarke and William Bracewell with caption confirming their promotion to principal at RB deleted by mods] 19 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellini Pointe Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Well done both !! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorgeb Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Not at all unexpected, but absolutely wonderful! (I wonder if the ST has jumped the gun? Wouldn't there normally be a press release to announce this properly first?). 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, bridiem said: Wouldn't there normally be a press release to announce this properly first?). 'Would have thought so. The Time's story is quite brief and will be in the links today, I'm sure. I wonder if this indicates someone other than Bonelli is leaving or the RB is just getting even more top heavy. Edited May 22, 2022 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art_enthusiast Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, oncnp said: I wonder if this indicates someone other than Bonelli is leaving or the RB is just getting even more top heavy. Surely none of the other male principals are at retirement age? (I hope not anyway!) I understand that they could leave for other reasons as well. Edited May 22, 2022 by art_enthusiast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 minute ago, art_enthusiast said: Surely none of the other male principals are at retirement age? (I hope not anyway!) Perhaps not but people leave for other reason (like not enough opportunities to perform) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Fantastic news and not a surprise but great to see the dancers rewarded! Congratulations and well deserved after many wonderful performances. Currently I count seven male principals (now Watson and Bonelli have retired), so with Clarke and Bracewell a total of nine. Currently there are eleven female principals so I doubt any other males are leaving anytime soon! I don’t think any others are close to retirement, with the exception of perhaps Morera (a shame and I hope she has at least another two years left in her). with nine principal couples if every one were to dance each performance twice you’d have 18 performances which is still rather a lot, not including opportunities for first soloists. However not every principal should necessarily dance every role and I’d like to see some being able to dance roles more than once or twice so feel numbers probably are right if not everyone dances everything every revival. Ultimately if the number of programmes increased every principal wouldn’t need to dance each programme (to avoid months where they might not be on the ROH stage next year I imagine nearly all probably will dance the longer runs I imagine). I’d like to see more promotions into the first soloist and soloist ranks, the first soloists in particular are now rather thin on the ground - there are only ten now so we have double the number of principals! Sissens must get promoted to first soloist surely. And I imagine/hope a lot of the artists in the Ashton triple (particularly the men who did double duty on scenes and rhapsody) should be recognised. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 So pleased to hear these richly deserved promotions . Look forward to hearing about the other levels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, JNC said: Currently I count seven male principals (now Watson and Bonelli have retired), so with Clarke and Bracewell a total of nine. Currently there are eleven female principals so I doubt any other males are leaving anytime soon! Is this historically a high number? I should know this, but don't. It does feel to me as if the company is rather top-heavy at the moment; the problem being that there are so many outstandingly talented dancers that they keep deserving promotions!! This actually applies at all levels; there are dancers who are still currently artists who are clearly already soloist material (not to mention First Artists who deserve promotion). But the company does need a corps de ballet. A nice problem to have, I realise... Edited May 22, 2022 by bridiem 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 So pleased for William Bracewell and Reece Clarke: absolutely merited. Promotions will be as hotly speculated as ever I think, especially because, as Bridiem points out, there’s a huge amount of talent in the lower ranks. I agree that Joseph Sissens should be promoted to First Soloist, but I can’t see anybody else at Soloist level that quite merits that, meaning that the First Soloist level (minus Heap, Bracewell and Clarke) will be somewhat thin. Perhaps there will be a double rank promotion: Leticia Dias and Leo Dixon have consistently caught my eye across a range of repertoire for starters… Obviously, personal observation and all opinions my own… 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, oncnp said: 'Would have thought so. The Time's story is quite brief and will be in the links today, I'm sure. I wonder if this indicates someone other than Bonelli is leaving or the RB is just getting even more top heavy. Surely Ed Watson & Fed Bonelli have both left this season so that has opened up two empty slots for William & Reece to fill? Both well deserved promotions imho. Edited May 22, 2022 by PeterS 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 11 minutes ago, bridiem said: Is this historically a high number? I should know this, but don't. It does feel to me as if the company is rather top-heavy at the moment; the problem being that there are so many outstandingly talented dancers that they keep deserving promotions!! This actually applies at all levels; there are dancers who are still currently artists who are clearly already soloist material (not to mention First Artists who deserve promotion). But the company does need a corps de ballet. A nice problem to have, I realise... I wondered this also. For comparison in Paris there are ten female etoiles (though I think one is shortly due to retire) and seven male etoiles (one is retiring this month however). At least it appears (from a small sample size!) it is more common to have more female principals? I doubt we’ll see any principal promotions for a few years now on the female side. On the male side there may be more scope perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 21 minutes ago, JNC said: I wondered this also. For comparison in Paris there are ten female etoiles (though I think one is shortly due to retire) and seven male etoiles (one is retiring this month however). At least it appears (from a small sample size!) it is more common to have more female principals? The POB lists 155 dancers on its site to the RB's approximately 95 (counting retirements and may not be apples to apples comparison admittedly). Their top rank represents ~10.6% of the total company, the RB ~20%. That's the top heavy I was referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Very pleased to see Ian MacMillan’s comment in today’s Dance Links and trust the Royal Ballet quickly issues a formal announcement. Excellent news although I wish it hadn’t been sprung in this way. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Congratulations to both Reece Clarke and William Bracewell - thoroughly deserved. As others have said it seems a bit of a shame for the news to leak out this way through an article in the Sunday Times, rather than a formal press announcement from the ROH first. Didn't this happen when Marcelino Sambe was promoted to principal? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 10 minutes ago, JohnS said: Very pleased to see Ian MacMillan’s comment in today’s Dance Links and trust the Royal Ballet quickly issues a formal announcement. Excellent news although I wish it hadn’t been sprung in this way. ' Bet someone got the date wrong and this was supposed to be/will be announced tomorrow. But it's a bit early in the year for joiners/leavers and perhaps like Marci Sambe, it is (or should have been) announced now d/t their participation in the Japan tour. Edited May 22, 2022 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) Actually feeling quite emotional about the news of Reece and William becoming Principals. It was obviously going to happen but it’s thrilling to have it confirmed. Huge congratulations to both of them! A bit of a shame that there’s been a leak, though. Edited May 22, 2022 by capybara 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmarose Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 8 hours ago, Finnbarr said: The Sunday Times has a story in the early editions that William Bracewell and Reece Clarke have both been promoted to principal About time! Both so deserving, in my mind they already were principals, just didn't have the official title. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Graham Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Wonderful news!! Very well deserved promotions for Reece and William! Both have been hindered from promotion due to injuries then the pandemic, and now thoroughly merit their elevation to Principal. They have both been giving excellent performances in Principal roles for several years. I first noticed Reece in 2014 partnering Marianela Nuñez in Symphonic Variations and his performance then, soon after coming from Royal Ballet School, was exceptional! Heartiest congratulations, Reece and William!! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnzi5 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 8 hours ago, Finnbarr said: The Sunday Times has a story in the early editions that William Bracewell and Reece Clarke have both been promoted to principal Really? That is excellent news. Reece Clarke is most deserving as well, I think. Thank you for posting this. I don't subscribe to The Sunday Times and am not able to read! Most frustrating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 I don't see why everything has to come via a press release. The Times and Sunday Times have IMO consistently given the most attention to ballet of all the national press, so the ROH Press Office might have decided to place this story with them to ensure coverage - if so, that wouldn't be a "leak". Anyway, I'm delighted they were able to promote both of them. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnzi5 Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 7 hours ago, FionaE said: Hooray! finally! photo from The Sunday Times 22.5.22 [photo of Reece Clarke and William Bracewell with caption confirming their promotion to principal at RB deleted by mods] Hooray! About time, too! Huge congratulations to both - Clarke is most deserving and I simply adore Bracewell's dancing, so am thrilled for them. I don't subscribe to the Sunday Times, so am unable to read. I'm grateful for this being posted, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 27 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: I don't see why everything has to come via a press release. The Times and Sunday Times have IMO consistently given the most attention to ballet of all the national press, so the ROH Press Office might have decided to place this story with them to ensure coverage - if so, that wouldn't be a "leak". Anyway, I'm delighted they were able to promote both of them. Well, a press release ensures that everyone who is interested finds out at the same time, and with the words of acclaim that should accompany a promotion to principal. A lot of people won't see the ST and so will now only hear of this by accident rather than with the 'fanfare' that is appropriate. (But maybe the ROH has indeed approved this - I don't know.) But yes, delighted about both promotions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) From Reece Clarke's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd2vjjxIqGt/ From William Bracewell's https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd2w-u3I0sN/ Edited May 22, 2022 by MJW 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Reece Clarke has now posted the news of both promotions on his Instagram 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnticaFiamma Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Are they promoted with immediate effect? Not that it changes anything, they've been principals de facto for the whole season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Just caught up with this wonderful news well done to both and very well deserved!! 🍾🥂🍾🥂🌟🌟 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Hearing of those Instagram announcements, do I take it that there are no female promotions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Excellent news (a surprise to anyone??) - congratulations to both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 hour ago, bridiem said: Well, a press release ensures that everyone who is interested finds out at the same time, and with the words of acclaim that should accompany a promotion to principal. A lot of people won't see the ST and so will now only hear of this by accident rather than with the 'fanfare' that is appropriate. (But maybe the ROH has indeed approved this - I don't know.) But yes, delighted about both promotions! Also everyone would be able to read a press release. I've tried to access the Sunday Times article but can only read the first few sentences, which is rather frustrating. I can only assume from the comments here that the article is only about Bracewell & Clarke and doesn't mention any other promotions but if it did then I wouldn't be able to read about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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