ENB PROMOTIONS, JOINERS AND LEAVERS

[capybara]

Post deleted as the Press Release has arrived with Jan and will be a more complete source of info.

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by capybara

[Jan McNulty]

Yes the press release came out at 1pm but I've just got in!

 

English National Ballet announces promotions and new joiners for the 2023/2024 season

 

English National Ballet today announces promotions and new joiners for the 2023/2024 season.

Aaron S. Watkin Artistic Director Designate of English National Ballet has today announced promotions within the Company and new joiners for the 2023/2024 season.

Promotions

The following promotions have been made in the Company. 

Aitor Arrieta and Emma Hawes have been promoted to Lead Principal.

Julia Conway is promoted to First Soloist. 

Lorenzo Trossello is promoted to Soloist.

Ivana Bueno, Henry Dowden, Noam Durand, Rentaro Nakaaki and Victor Prigent are promoted to Junior Soloist. 

Alice Bellini, Georgia Bould, Eireen Evrard, Giorgio Garrett, Minju Kang, Adriana Lizardi and Eric Snyder are promoted to First Artist. 

Breanna Foad is promoted to 8^th Year Artist of the Company. 

Joiners 

Currently with Semperoper Ballett Dresden, Principal Sangeun Lee and First Soloist Gareth Haw join English National Ballet this week as Lead Principal and First Soloist respectively. 

Also joining from Semperoper Ballett Dresden is Anna Nevzorova alongside Ukrainian dancer and former Coryphée of the Mariinsky Ballet Vsevolod Maievskyi, as Junior Soloists at the start of the season.

From Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Edvinas Jakonis joins as First Artist. 

Making a welcome return to English National Ballet as Guest Artist is former Principal, Laurretta Summerscales, who will perform with the Company in Nutcracker at the London Coliseum this winter and Swan Lake in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall in June. Laurretta is currently Principal Dancer with Bavarian State Ballet in Munich.

Joining the ballet staff team as Ballet Master is Carmen Piqueras from Birmingham Royal Ballet. As previously announced Cynthia Harvey, joins as Associate Guest Repetiteur working across the season, and Alessandra Ferri and Alejandro Parente join as Guest Repetiteurs.

Joining as Creative Director of ENBYouthCo is dance artist Carolyn Bolton, currently lecturer at London Contemporary Dance School and ballet instructor for Trinity Laban’s Centre for Advanced Training.

Leavers 

As previously announced, after nine years with the Company, First Artist Sarah Kundi leaves to take up a position at The Royal Ballet School. 

Also leaving at the end of the season are Artists of the Company Paige Bestington, Noah Benzie-Drayton, Poppy Frankel, Lulu Toner, Daisy Wales, and Oscar Ward.

Soloist Rina Kanehara and Artists of the Company Amber Hunt, Jade Longley and Alejandro Moreno left the Company mid-season.

Ballet Mistress Anu Sistonen also leaves the Company at the end of the season.

English National Ballet’s Board of Trustees 

English National Ballet today announces that Sir Roger Carr will step down as Chair by the end of 2023. Sir Roger joined as Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2018, succeeding the late Justin Bickle. The search for a new Chair is underway and the Company expects to announce Sir Roger’s successor later this year.

Sir Roger commented: “It has been a great privilege to serve as Chair of English National Ballet’s Board of Trustees for the past five years. I am proud to have overseen the Company’s move into its world class, purpose-built facilities in Canning Town, the refreshment of a strong board, and the successful navigation of the impact of the pandemic. As I near the end of my second term and English National Ballet enters a new chapter with the arrival of a new artistic director, I felt the time was right for the Executive team to build a long-term future in partnership with a new Chair, and collectively realise Aaron’s artistic vision for the Company. Against this background I look forward to seeing this remarkable and talented company flourish long into the future.”

In June 2023 English National Ballet welcomed Sanaz Amidi and Sandra Honess to its Board of Trustees. Sanaz is Chief Executive of Rosetta Arts and Chair of Creative Newham and Sandra is Head of Legal at the British Council.

English National Ballet’s 2023/2024 season, the first programmed by new Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin, begins with Our Voices, a new triple bill showcasing the vast possibilities of ballet, at Sadler’s Wells in September followed by a UK tour of Akram Khan’s Giselle and the Nutcracker. 

 

 

[Dawnstar]

While I'm not surprised to see dancers accompanying Aaron Watkins from Dresden, I am surprised that the only dancer coming in at Lead Principal level is female. Surely it's male top level dancers that ENB needs more than female ones? With Hawes & Arrieta's promotions they now have 6 female Lead Principals, plus one female Principal, but only 2 male Lead Principals & no male Principals.

 

At least Trossello has got a promotion but given he's danced the male lead in all 3 ballets this season I still think he should have been brought in at First Soloist level.

[LACAD]

There’s definitely a dearth of male dancers at the top, but I will say Sangeun Lee is a very special talent and I’m quite excited to see her in action on stage in the coming season!

[FionaM]

I’ve been following Vsevolod Maievsky for a while … potential to be a beautiful classical ballet prince.  Stature and looks.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cok8eqhoxwq/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[Dawnstar]

18 minutes ago, LACAD said:

There’s definitely a dearth of male dancers at the top, but I will say Sangeun Lee is a very special talent and I’m quite excited to see her in action on stage in the coming season!

 

I'm afraid I'd not heard of her before. Do you know what sort of height she is? I'm wondering who she may be partnered with.

[bridiem]

Paige Bestington won the People's Choice Award a few weeks ago - and now she's leaving!

[FionaM]

@Dawnstar My guess is Gareth Haw … here they are together 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtBKGXAIzCy/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

He has also partnered Melissa Hamilton

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj8eyc1IAOI/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Edited June 27, 2023 by FionaE

[Dawnstar]

8 minutes ago, FionaE said:

@Dawnstar My guess is Gareth Haw … here they are together 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtBKGXAIzCy/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

 

I was wondering that, having looked up all the incoming dancers up on the Semperoper Ballett Dresden website & seen a photo of them together. Basically I'm wondering if she's short enough to partner Frola, because if she's too tall for him then I probably won't be seeing a lot of her!

Edited June 27, 2023 by Dawnstar
Missed a word out.

[FionaM]

1 minute ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I was wondering that, having looked all the incoming dancers up on the Semperoper Ballett Dresden website & seen a photo of them together. Basically I'm wondering if she's short enough to partner Frola, because if she's too tall for him then I probably won't be seeing a lot of her!

I think you’ll be missing out if you only go for Frola.  She looks stunning and Gareth is only just tall enough for her. 

[Irmgard]

35 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I'm afraid I'd not heard of her before. Do you know what sort of height she is? I'm wondering who she may be partnered with.

Gareth Haw is her regular partner so no doubt he will be doing all the principal roles without the title currently of Principal, just as Ken Saruhashi has been doing for a number of years.

[Dawnstar]

2 minutes ago, FionaE said:

I think you’ll be missing out if you only go for Frola.  She looks stunning and Gareth is only just tall enough for her. 

 

I wouldn't say I only see ENB for Frola but if I can only see one cast in a production then I'll book for his cast. It's not just the cost of seeing more than one cast but that most of ENB's runs are so short that seeing more than one or at most two performances is difficult. It's actually worked out pretty well in terms of seeing a variety of ENB's female dancers over the last few years, as I've seen him with McWhinney (Manon), Hawes (Cinderella), Takahashi (Corsaire & Cinderella), Oliveira (Raymonda) and Conway (Nutcracker), plus the guesting Salenko in Swan Lake. On the subject of guesting, I wonder who Summerscales will partner when she returns. I'd be interested in seeing her, as I've not seen her dance before since she had left ENB before I first saw them in recent years.

[Emeralds]

Am surprised Ken Saruhashi still hasn’t been promoted to Principal yet. Am annoyed enough that after doing similar principal duties beautifully for several seasons they didn’t promote Junor Souza to principal  (Junor dances Ali in their Corsaire DVD and has virtuosity in that to rival Conrad in that performance with Conrad being.... you guessed it, Vadim Muntagirov) and having worked a lot and sustained injuries, he’s now dropped into corps and character parts. Are they hoping the same will happen to Saruhashi? 

[Sim]

Many congratulations to all.  I hope that next year Francesca Velicu gets a promotion to First Soloist and that Ken Saruhashi also gets up to Principal.  

[Emeralds]

Also very disappointing that there has been no send off for Amber Hunt. Although a dancer in the “unglamorous” artist section, she has been a versatile and 100% committed dancer in every role I’ve spotted her in (she’s quite easy for me to pick out) whether it’s dancing elegantly as a Swan, Snowflake or character dance performer, or taking on mime roles in Nutcracker and other classics. But her most prominent role in helping the company stay on the public’s radar is one that’s sometimes but not always credited: the Pointe Shoe Tree in the foyer every Christmas that’s now taken on a life of its own (there are crowds of people waiting patiently to photograph it every season) and even been copied by other companies in other countries, and shared and reshared countless times on social media...with company hashtag of course. (The company now also use it, cannily, as a donation generator - there is a little box near it every season nowadays, with donation details asking for contributions!) 

 

In addition, other photography and filming highlights that she has contributed include the daily “mouse king adventures” videos on social media which helped generate interest (as well as ticket and merchandise sales) last season.  I’m not saying that every single employee needs speeches and standing ovations on their departure, but I think as a creative artist who helped raise the company profile to non dance enthusiasts, a bouquet and solo bow in London and an FB post crediting her unique company contribution is appropriate. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Emeralds

[Jan McNulty]

Congratulations to all the promotees.

[Bluebird]

29 minutes ago, Sim said:

Many congratulations to all.  I hope that next year Francesca Velicu gets a promotion to First Soloist and that Ken Saruhashi also gets up to Principal.  

 

..........and what about Katja Khaniukova?  She's a supremely talented dancer who, in my opinion, is easily as good as the current principal dancers.  I will never understand why she consistently gets overlooked for principal roles.

 

Edited to agree with Sim's wishes for Francesca Velicu and KenSaruhashi.  Both deserve to be promoted.  I'd also like to congratulate all those who've been promoted

Edited June 27, 2023 by Bluebird

[Irmgard]

22 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Also very disappointing that there has been no send off for Amber Hunt. Although a dancer in the “unglamorous” artist section, she has been a versatile and 100% committed dancer in every role I’ve spotted her in (she’s quite easy for me to pick out) whether it’s dancing elegantly as a Swan, Snowflake or character dance performer, or taking on mime roles in Nutcracker and other classics. But her most prominent role in helping the company stay in the public’s radar is one that’s sometimes but not always credited: the Pointe Shoe Tree in the foyer every Christmas that’s now taken a life of its own (there are crowds of people waiting patiently to photograph it every season) and even been copied by other companies in other countries, and shared and reshared countless times on social media. (The company now also use it, cannily, as a donation generator - there is a little box near it every season nowadays, with donation details asking for contributions!) 

 

In addition, other photography and filming highlights that she has contributed include the daily “mouse king adventures” videos on social media which helped generate interest (as well as ticket and merchandise sales) last season.  I’m not saying that every single employee needs speeches and standing ovations on their departure, but I think as a creative artist who helped raise the company profile to non dance enthusiasts, a bouquet and solo bow in London and an FB post crediting her unique company contribution is appropriate. 

What a lovely tribute to Amber Hunt!  I agree she has always been the backbone of the corps de ballet and I am surprised she was never awarded the Corps de Ballet prize, started a few years ago.  If I remember correctly, she left at the very start of this season so there probably was no opportunity for a public send-off but no doubt there was some sort of celebration for her within the company.  And she is thankfully still very much present, as one half of ASH. Photography.

[Emeralds]

Congratulations to all the dancers who have received promotions! Very glad to see Ivana Bueno has received a promotion after her stellar performances in Cinderella, Nutcracker and the Forsythe ballets. A warm welcome to all the new dancers joining. 

 

@Dawnstar, Summerscales is quite tall and although I haven’t seen Lee onstage, I’m guessing she too is tall. 

 

I must say, although dancers leaving when a new director joins and dancers from the old company following the director and getting a job at his/her new company is nowadays not rare, it feels like a lot of new dancers  parachuting in at once, and a lot going, a bigger change all at once than at any time I’ve known LFB/ENB (which is since the late 80s). I hope it won’t be to the detriment of the company and their stage work.....

Edited June 27, 2023 by Emeralds

[Anna C]

17 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Also very disappointing that there has been no send off for Amber Hunt. Although a dancer in the “unglamorous” artist section, she has been a versatile and 100% committed dancer in every role I’ve spotted her in (she’s quite easy for me to pick out) whether it’s dancing elegantly as a Swan, Snowflake or character dance performer, or taking on mime roles in Nutcracker and other classics. But her most prominent role in helping the company stay in the public’s radar is one that’s sometimes but not always credited: the Pointe Shoe Tree in the foyer every Christmas that’s now taken on a life of its own (there are crowds of people waiting patiently to photograph it every season) and even been copied by other companies in other countries, and shared and reshared countless times on social media...with company hashtag of course. (The company now also use it, cannily, as a donation generator - there is a little box near it every season nowadays, with donation details asking for contributions!) 

 

In addition, other photography and filming highlights that she has contributed include the daily “mouse king adventures” videos on social media which helped generate interest (as well as ticket and merchandise sales) last season.  I’m not saying that every single employee needs speeches and standing ovations on their departure, but I think as a creative artist who helped raise the company profile to non dance enthusiasts, a bouquet and solo bow in London and an FB post crediting her unique company contribution is appropriate. 

Agreed, Emeralds.  Dd and I used to love spotting Amber; she had a very special stage presence and was a beautiful dancer, especially in Contemporary repertoire.  I always thought she deserved promotion to First Artist and was disappointed that her experience and contributions to company PR, as well as her superb photography skills, and creativity with the pointe shoe tree were not publicly acknowledged by management.

 

As one half of “Photography by ASH” she is still involved in the ballet world, which is great news.

 

ETA posting in synch with @Irmgard!

[capybara]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

........it feels like a lot of new dancers  parachuting in at once, and a lot going, a bigger change all at once than at any time I’ve known LFB/ENB (which is since the late 80s). I hope it won’t be to the detriment of the company and their stage work.....

 

I know that it feels as if a lot are joining as they are mostly from the new AD's former company. However, there was a far greater upheaval across the 2016/17 period when a very large number of dancers (?20+) left including Ksenia Ovsyanick, Laurretta Summerscales and Yonah Acosta at Principal level.

 

I might be mistaken but I think that the dancers leaving now are/were largely in their first year with ENB and could possibly have been on temporary contracts pending the new AD's arrival.

 

I don't want to detract from the achievement of those promoted - congratulations to all - but I do agree with the comments about Katja Kaniukova, Ken Saruhashi and Francesca Velicu being strong candidates for early promotion, especially on the basis of the roles in which they are cast and consistently shine. IIRC Ken (as Lankendem) partnered Laurretta (as Gulnare) in some performances of Le Corsaire way back so that is one possibility for when she returns as a guest.....

 

ENB does seem to have a lot of 'levels'. Is the Junior Soloist rank really necessary and why not just have one tier of Principals?

 

[Edited to note that Gareth Haw trained at the RBS.]

 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by capybara

[Sim]

1 hour ago, Bluebird said:

 

..........and what about Katja Khaniukova?  She's a supremely talented dancer who, in my opinion, is easily as good as the current principal dancers.  I will never understand why she consistently gets overlooked for principal roles.

 

 

Absolutely agree with you, Bluebird.  I don't get it either.  Maybe things will change with the new director...

[CCL]

2 hours ago, Bluebird said:

....and what about Katja Khaniukova?  She's a supremely talented dancer who, in my opinion, is easily as good as the current principal dancers.  I will never understand why she consistently gets overlooked for principal roles

100% agree with this, Bluebird and Sim!

Edited June 27, 2023 by CCL

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

 

I know that it feels as if a lot are joining as they are mostly from the new AD's former company. However, there was a far greater upheaval across the 2016/17 period when a very large number of dancers (?20+) left including Ksenia Ovsyanick, Laurretta Summerscales and Yonah Acosta at Principal level.

 

I might be mistaken but I think that the dancers leaving now are/were largely in their first year with ENB and could possibly have been on temporary contracts pending the new AD's arrival.

 

I don't want to detract from the achievement of those promoted - congratulations to all - but I do agree with the comments about Katja Kaniukova, Ken Saruhashi and Francesca Velicu being strong candidates for early promotion, especially on the basis of the roles in which they are cast and consistently shine. IIRC Ken (as Lankendem) partnered Laurretta (as Gulnare) in some performances of Le Corsaire way back so that is one possibility for when she returns as a guest.....

 

ENB does seem to have a lot of 'levels'. Is the Junior Soloist rank really necessary and why not just have one tier of Principals?

 

[Edited to note that Gareth Haw trained at the RBS.]

 

 

 

 

 

“I must say, although dancers leaving when a new director joins and dancers from the old company following the director and getting a job at his/her new company is nowadays not rare, it feels like a lot of new dancers  parachuting in at once, and a lot going, a bigger change at the time of a new director’s arrival  than at any time I’ve known LFB/ENB (which is since the late 80s).”

 

*Re-worded to clarify what I was actually trying to say but didn’t say clearly! Yes, I was excluding the Great Exodus of 2016-17 when Rojo was about midway through her directorship (was that the same time as Nancy Osbaldeston leaving to join Royal Ballet of Flanders and Alejandro Vireilles joining Bavarian State Ballet also?)

 

As I recall, it seemed to be the time of some principals not getting the repertoire they would like and their spouses leaving with them, plus some like Ksenia and Nancy being ready for promoting to a higher rank but those ranks already quite full, and then a higher rank coming up in another company, eg Berlin for Ksenia and Flanders for Nancy.The irony is that if the junior dancers had waited a bit for the principals to leave, then the ranks would suddenly start emptying for them (eg Laurretta going -> vacancy for Ksenia -> Ksenia promotion makes soloist spot available for Nancy) ....that was in the middle of Rojo’s directorship though, which I wasn’t including as it wasn’t at the time of her arrival. Several of the leavers were hired by Eagling, but many were hired or mentored by Rojo so it was a bit surprising. 

 

I’m just a bit worried that it feels like a new AD coming and bringing new dancers with him very prematurely, and what this may or may not mean for the existing dancers, many of whom have built up the company to be the strong ensemble it is. Also a bit unsettling to see dancers hired at quite senior status when they haven’t proven themselves yet. An international star like Cojocaru or Cirio should of course be hired at Lead Principal level. But ranks at Semperoper are not equivalent to those of ENB. Stuttgart, yes. Dresden, no. If all big and small companies were equal, Minju Kang should be a principal. Her stellar performances in the triple bill, especially Take Five Blues, made me baffled that she isn’t cast in more solo or lead roles and puzzled as to why she was effectively demoted to artist when joining ENB from NB. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Emeralds

[batmanballetshoes]

Adore Amber x

 

[Sabine0308]

6 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Congratulations to all the dancers who have received promotions! Very glad to see Ivana Bueno has received a promotion after her stellar performances in Cinderella, Nutcracker and the Forsythe ballets. A warm welcome to all the new dancers joining. 

 

@Dawnstar, Summerscales is quite tall and although I haven’t seen Lee onstage, I’m guessing she too is tall. 

 

It's not the first time that I read that L. Summerscales is quite tall. This season, she danced in COPPÉLIA alongside Shale Wagman, who isn't a very tall dancer. Here are 2 pictures from curtain call, and it seems he is taller than her 🤔

Edited June 27, 2023 by Sabine0308

[Bruce Wall]

I wonder if the new director gave any consideration to this 18 year old BRITISH dancer, Taiga Kodama-Pomfret, who you can see here in Corsaire (also in ENB's rep of late) bits from his recent Vaganova Ballet Academy Graduation Recital. 
 

 

A bit about Taiga can be found here.  

Edited June 27, 2023 by Bruce Wall

[LinMM]

I get the feeling the young man above’s ambitions may be currently more Mariinsky or Bolshoi though!! 

I think it’s the timing of new AD coming in which may have blocked certain dancers in ENB being promoted this year who may deserve it. At this particular  point he will probably be more predisposed towards the Dresden dancers he knows and wants to bring in. 
 

[Sabine0308]

6 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

I wonder if the new director gave any consideration to this 18 year old BRITISH dancer, Taiga Kodama-Pomfret, who you can see here in Corsaire (also in ENB's rep of late) bits from his recent Vaganova Ballet Academy Graduation Recital. 
 

 

A bit about Taiga can be found here.  

Oh wow, what a talent!!

[Sabine0308]

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

I get the feeling the young man above’s ambitions may be currently more Mariinsky or Bolshoi though!! 

I think it’s the timing of new AD coming in which may have blocked certain dancers in ENB being promoted this year who may deserve it. At this particular  point he will probably be more predisposed towards the Dresden dancers he knows and wants to bring in. 
 

Well, the decision may also have to do with money, I think you can only promote a dancer when there's a free "slot" and money for a higher rank. Also...in my opinion, at least Ivana Bueno has been "overseen" far too long and a promotion was overdue.  

Edited June 28, 2023 by Sabine0308

[capybara]

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

I think it’s the timing of new AD coming in which may have blocked certain dancers in ENB being promoted this year who may deserve it. 

Aaron was appointed nearly a year ago and seems to have been watching the Company  a lot. But it does appear that some dancers may have been doubly disadvantaged, firstly by the pandemic and, now, by the change of Director.

I had wondered whether a few might have been tempted to go to San Francisco, but it seems not (yet).

Regarding another comment up thread, the quality of a dancer surely can’t be measured by the company they come from. After all, ENB itself is regarded by some observers as being very much third tier. So let’s wait and see for ourselves what we think of the newcomers. Hopefully, they will win us over and help to reinforce ENB’s currently strong reputation.

 

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

2 hours ago, capybara said:

 

Regarding another comment up thread, the quality of a dancer surely can’t be measured by the company they come from. After all, ENB itself is regarded by some observers as being very much third tier. So let’s wait and see for ourselves what we think of the newcomers. Hopefully, they will win us over and help to reinforce ENB’s currently strong reputation.

 

 

 

 

 

Third tier????  I may not see the company as much as I used to but I am more than well aware of just how good the company has been and still is.  Anyone who thinks they are "third tier" must be walking around with their head in a paper bag!!

 

I believe it's reasonably common for dancers to follow their ADs around.  I can well remember the exodus to Berlin when Peter Schaufuss moved there from ENB.  David Nixon brought dancers with him when he moved to NB.  David Bintley brought dancers in when he took over at BRB (mostly from Stuttgart where he had done some work).

 

14 hours ago, Emeralds said:

 

“I must say, although dancers leaving when a new director joins and dancers from the old company following the director and getting a job at his/her new company is nowadays not rare, it feels like a lot of new dancers  parachuting in at once, and a lot going, a bigger change at the time of a new director’s arrival  than at any time I’ve known LFB/ENB (which is since the late 80s).”

 

 

You may have forgotten the exodus of dancers following Peter Schaufuss to Berlin.  The two names I can definitely remember are Leanne Benjamin and Martin James (who subsequently followed PS to Copenhagen).

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that a lot of dancers are following Christian Spuck from Zurich to Berlin, which is presumably why Cathy Marston has been hiring dancers.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Jan McNulty
to add final para re Zurich

[LinMM]

Ivana Bueno only joined the Company in 2018 and was promoted last year in 2022. So not being too much overlooked!! 

On the other hand Katja Khaniukova has been in the Company since 2014 and not promoted since 2019. 
I know length of time in the Company is not a given for promotion of course but I just think Katja deserves Principal status! 
 

I have to say I dislike the descriptions of rank in ENB I do prefer the way the Royal organises this. 
 

It does often seem to me that young dancers come to the fore and seem to be spotlighted for a while but then sink back into “oblivion” in ENB 

I suppose this does happen in all Companies to an extent but just seems more likely in ENB