English National Ballet Emerging Dancer 2024

[Irmgard]

The finalists for the Emerging Dancer award 2024 were announced this afternoon:

 

Emerging Dancer 2024 Finalists

24 May 2024, Sadler's Wells

Congratulations to our six finalists!
We look forward to the return of this special event, which celebrates the talent, artistry and individuality of our artists at every rank of the Company.

Six finalists have been selected by their peers, and will work with mentors from within the Company on classical pas de deux and contemporary works. One artist will receive the Emerging Dancer Award, chosen by esteemed judges Amanda Britton, Freddie Opoku-Addaie, Edward Watson MBE and Monica Zamora.

The event will be hosted by our Artistic Director, Aaron S. Watkin, and will take place at Sadler’s Wells on Friday 24 May, 2024. If you haven't yet booked your tickets, you can do so via the Sadler's Wells website or Ticket Office. 

The evening will feature a performance by 2022 Emerging Dancer Award winner Eric Snyder and 2022 People’s Choice Award winner Precious Adams. This year’s People’s Choice Award (voted by our audiences) and Corps de Ballet Award (chosen by the Artistic team) will also be presented.

Anna Ciriano joined the Company in 2022. Anna has danced Spanish in Eagling’s Nutcracker and appeared in repertoire including Khan’s Giselle, Rojo’s Raymonda and Deane’s Swan Lake.

Breanna Foad joined ENB in 2018. Breanna's notable roles include the Chosen One in Ek’s The Rite of Spring: she went on to dance the role of Chosen One in the world premiere of Miller’s Les Noces: Ascent to Days.

Shunhei Fuchiyama joined ENB in 2021. Roles with the Company include Freddie and Cossack in Eagling’s Nutcracker and peasant pas de deux in Skeaping’s Giselle.

Jose María Lorca Menchón joined ENB in 2022. Jose's repertoire includes Eagling’s Nutcracker, Rojo’s Raymonda, Dawson’s Four Last Songs and Quagebeur’s Take Five Blues.

Thiago Pereira joined the Company in 2022. Thiago has appeared in works such as Khan’s Giselle, Rojo’s Raymonda, Deane’s Swan Lake, and Balanchine’s Theme and Variations.

Anna-Babette Winkler joined ENB in 2018. Notable roles include Lead Winter in Wheeldon’s Cinderella in-the-round, Lead Snowflake in Eagling’s Nutcracker, and Moyna in Skeaping’s Giselle.

[Jan McNulty]

Press Release:

 

English National Ballet

Emerging Dancer 2024

Sadler’s Wells, London

Friday 24 May, 7.30pm

www.ballet.org.uk/ emerging-dancer-2024

 

Celebrating the talent of tomorrow’s stars, English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer returns to a live audience at Sadler’s Wells, London this year, on Friday 24 May. 

 

Emerging Dancer recognises the excellence of English National Ballet’s artists. Selected by their peers, six promising dancers showcase their technical accomplishments and artistry in front of an eminent panel of expert judges, before one is named the winner of the Emerging Dancer Award. 

 

The 2024 finalists are: 

 

Anna Ciriano

Breanna Foad

Shunhei Fuchiyama

Jose María Lorca Menchón

Thiago Pereira

Anna-Babette Winkler

 

Aaron S. Watkin, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, said: “I am delighted to see the Company coming together to celebrate some of our most talented colleagues. Emerging Dancer spotlights the future of ballet, and it’s always a privilege to watch the nominees shine on stage. I wish the six finalists the best of luck and I truly hope they enjoy the process of learning and growing”. 

 

This year’s event will be hosted by Aaron S. Watkin, Artistic Director of English National Ballet. The esteemed judging panel comprises: Amanda Britton MA, Chief Executive, Principal and Artistic Director of Rambert School; Monica Zamora, Former Principal Dancer of Birmingham Royal Ballet; Freddie Opoku-Addaie, Artistic Director and CEO of Dance Umbrella; and Edward Watson MBE, Former Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet.

 

The event also includes the presentation of the People’s Choice Award, a public vote decided by audience members throughout the season, and the Corps de Ballet Award, given by the Artistic team to an Artist of the Company who has gone above and beyond, both on stage and off.

 

There will be special performances by previous Emerging Dancer winner Eric Snyder and People’s Choice winner Precious Adams.

 

Emerging Dancer 2024 will be filmed and made available to stream for free on English National Ballet’s YouTube channel in the week following the event, for a limited time only.

 

Notes to Editors

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 2024

Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
Friday 24 May, 7.30pm

www.ballet.org.uk /emerging-dancer-2024

 

Further information about the Emerging Dancer 2024 finalists:

 

Anna-Babette Winkler

Anna-Babette Winkler joined English National Ballet as an Artist of the Company in 2018, following training at English National Ballet School, and performing with Birmingham Royal Ballet. Since joining the Company, notable roles include Lead Winter in Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall, Lead Snowflake in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, Moyna in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle, and a featured role in Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Laid in Earth. 

 

Anna Ciriano

Anna Ciriano joined the Company in 2022. Anna stared her training at Institut del Teatre in her home city of Barcelona, and after graduating from English National Ballet School in 2017, she performed with Orlando Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet. Since joining English National Ballet Anna has danced Spanish in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker and appeared in Akram Khan’s Giselle, Tamara Rojo’s Raymonda and Derek Deane’s Swan Lake. 

 

Breanna Foad

Breanna Foad joined ENB in 2018, following training at the Australian Ballet School and English National Ballet School. Breanna performed the leading role of Chosen One in Mats Ek’s The Rite of Spring as part of Ek/Forsythe/Quagebeur at Sadler’s Wells in 2022. She went on to dance the role of Chosen One in the world premiere of Andrea Miller’s Les Noces: Ascent to Days, as part of Our Voices at Sadler’s Wells, in September 2023.

 

Jose María Lorca Menchón

Jose María Lorca Menchón joined ENB in 2022. He trained at Conservatorio Professional de Danza de Murcia, Spain, and English National Ballet School, where he had the role of the Prince created on him for My First Ballet: Cinderella (2020). Jose’s repertoire with ENB includes Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, Tamara Rojo’s Raymonda, and William Forsythe’s Playlist (EP), David Dawson’s Four Last Songs and Stina Quagebeur’s Take Five Blues. 

 

Shunhei Fuchiyama

Shunhei Fuchiyama started dancing at the age of five, training at the Acri-Horimoto Ballet Academy and The Harid Conservatory, before joining English National Ballet in 2021, the same year that he was awarded with the 5th prize in the Prix de Lausanne, and the 1st prize Classical in NBA National ballet competition. Since joining English National Ballet, Shunhei’s notable roles include Freddie and Cossack in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker and peasant pas de deux in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle. 

 

Thiago Pereira

Thiago Pereira, from Minas Gerais, Brazil, joined English National Ballet as Artist of the Company in 2022, following his training in Vórtice escola de danças and Académie de danse Princesse Grace. Since joining the Company, Thiago has appeared in Akram Khan’s Giselle, Tamara Rojo’s Raymonda, Derek Dean’s Swan Lake, and Balanchine’s Theme and Variations as part of Our Voices at Sadler’s Wells in 2023. 

 

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 performances across the UK and on eminent international stages; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; its digital platforms Ballet on Demand and BalletActive; being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as Dance for Parkinson’s; and through talent development initiatives including Ballet Futures which looks to create a more diverse and inclusive future for the artform.

 

English National Ballet continues to add ground-breaking new works to its repertoire whilst celebrating the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw the Company enter a new chapter in its history with a move to a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in east London, allowing a renewed commitment to creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before.