Emerging Dancer 2017 Programme

EMERGING DANCER CELEBRATING THE TALENT OF TOMORROW’S STARS

THURSDAY 25 MAY 2017, 7.30PM

A WORD FROM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TAMARA ROJO As Artistic Director of English National Ballet and an Associate Company of Sadler’s Wells we are delighted to welcome you to the eighth annual Emerging Dancer, held here at Sadler’s Wells for the very first time. It is very important for English National Ballet to continue to stage this competition and for you, our audiences, to witness young talent being celebrated in this way.

We are committed to the ongoing artistic development of our dancers and to nurturing the stars of the future. They are all dedicated and exceptional individuals but only one can be awarded Emerging Dancer 2017 tonight.

We will also see the announcement of the People’s Choice Award, voted by you - our 2

audience - across the UK between September 2016 through to April 2017, and the Corps de Ballet Award, first introduced at last year’s Emerging Dancer Final which is awarded to an exceptional Artist of the Company that has gone beyond the call of duty.

Last year’s winner of both the Emerging Dancer Award and the People’s Choice Award, Cesar Corrales, will perform a pas de deux from Don Quixote with Katja Khaniukova (2015 Emerging Dancer finalist).

I hope you enjoy this evening, and that you will continue to follow and support these talented artists.

RUNNING ORDER WELCOME Arlene Phillips CBE

Guilherme Menezes Flight Mode

PAS DE DEUX

Choreography: Sebastian Kloborg Music: Ryanair Safety Announcement, recited by Gavin Sutherland

Isabelle Brouwers and Emilio Pavan Paquita grand pas Choreography: Marius Petipa Music: Édouard Deldevez and Ludwig Minkus Mentored by: Senri Kou and Daniel Kraus Madison Keesler and Guilherme Menezes La Sylphide pas de deux Choreography: August Bournonville Music: Herman Løvenskiold Mentored by: Barry Drummond and Senri Kou Rina Kanehara and Aitor Arrieta Esmeralda pas de deux Choreography: Jules Perrot Music: Cesare Pugni Mentored by: Pedro Lapetra

Rina Kanehara Blind Dreams Choreographer: Raimondo Rebeck Music: The Poet Acts from The Hours soundtrack by Philip Glass Aitor Arrieta SelF Choreography: Aleix Mañe Music: Three pieces – Flat of Angels, pt4 read by Benedict Cumberbatch; Hospital

by Max Richter; Palladio by Karl Jenkins INTERVAL Cesar Corrales and Katja Khaniukova Don Quixote pas de deux

CONTEMPORARY SOLOS

Choreography: Marius Petipa Music: Ludwig Minkus

Isabelle Brouwers a Drift

AWARDS PRESENTATION

Choreography: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui Music: Be a Drift by Woojae Park

Corps de Ballet Award Generously supported by Roger Handley

Emilio Pavan Proprioception

People’s Choice Award Emerging Dancer Award

Choreography: Kirill Burlov Music: Heaven by Depeche Mode Madison Keesler We Move Lightly

Emerging Dancer is generously supported by Sue and Graeme Sloan.

Choreography: Myles Thatcher Music: We Move Lightly

by Dustin O’Halloran 3

MEET THE FINALISTS

ISABELLE BROUWERS

AITOR ARRIETA Aitor joined English National Ballet at the start of the 2016/2017 season. In his short time with the Company he has performed as Albrecht in Akram Khan’s Giselle, as the Nutcracker, and in the Peasant pas-de-deux in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle.

He received The Professional Dancers’ Association of Gipuzkoa Discover Award in 2015, the 2015 Dancer Revelation of Gipuzkoa Prize, Gold Medal at the International Dance Contest of Biarritz, 2013 and 1st place Championship of Euskadi Aurresku, 2011.

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Having trained at English National Ballet School, Isabelle joined English National Ballet in 2014. This season, Isabelle has performed as Myrtha in Akram Khan’s Giselle, Mirliton and Lead Flowers in Nutcracker, and as Myrtha in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle. A previous Emerging Dancer finalist in 2015 and 2016, Isabelle won Silver Medal at the 2013 Genée International Ballet Competition, and came second place in Young British Dancer of the Year 2013.

MEET THE FINALISTS

RINA KANEHARA Rina trained at the Princess Grace Academy, Monaco and joined English National Ballet after being named Prize Winner at the Prix de Lausanne 2015.

In the 2016/2017 season Rina made her debut as Clara in Nutcracker, and performed as Moyna and in the Peasant pas-de-deux in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle.

Rina was a finalist in Emerging Dancer 2016 and has won Silver Medal at Varna 2016, Gold Medal at the Youth American Grand Prix 2012, Gold Medal at Nagoya Ballet Competition 2012, and Gold Medal at Nara Ballet Competition 2011.

MADISON KEESLER Madison joined English National Ballet in 2013, and was previously with The Hamburg Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.

This season she worked closely with Akram Khan on the creation of Giselle and performed in the title role, as well as performing as Lead Snowflakes and Flowers in Nutcracker, and as Bathilde in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle. Madison was a previous Emerging Dancer finalist in 2014.

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MEET THE FINALISTS

EMILIO PAVAN

GUILHERME MENEZES Guilherme joined the Company from English National Ballet School in 2011.

This season he has performed as the Nutcracker and Lead Flowers in Nutcracker, and in Akram Khan’s Giselle.

He was a finalist at Prix de Lausanne 2010 and was a finalist for the 2013 Emerging Dancer competition.

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Previously a member of Queensland Ballet, Emilio joined the company in 2015. He has performed in Akram Khan’s Giselle and made his debut as the Nephew in Nutcracker this season.

MEET THE JUDGES

TAMARA ROJO CBE

LAURA CONNOR

DMITRI GRUZDYEV

Artistic Director and Lead Principal at English National Ballet

Former Royal Ballet Principal dancer and teacher

Former English National Ballet Lead Principal dancer

MARGUERITE PORTER MBE

ALFREDA THOROGOOD

GRAHAM WATTS OBE

Former Royal Ballet Principal dancer, teacher and Guest Repetiteur for English National Ballet

Writer and chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle and of the National Dance Awards

Former Royal Ballet Senior Principal dancer, teacher and choreographer

Music performed by: English National Ballet Philharmonic Music Director and Conductor: Gavin Sutherland Orchestrations by: Gavin Sutherland Emerging Dancer videos by: Laurent Liotardo. Cover image: Photography © Laurent Liotardo, post-production by Gaëlle Löchner.

English National Ballet Company image (p 2): © Laurent Liotardo. Programme designed by Gaëlle Löchner.

The taking of photographs is not permitted. Members of the public are reminded that tape recorders or other types of recording apparatus may not be brought into the auditorium. It is forbidden to record any performance or part thereof, unless prior arrangements have been made with English National Ballet. For the benefit of all patrons, please switch off all mobile phones and alarms before the performance. English National Ballet is a registered Charity, no. 214005.

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ROMEO &JULIET SHAKESPEARE’S HEARTBREAKING TALE, NUREYEV’S BLAZING BALLET

★★★★★ “Deeply romantic” THE DAILY EXPRESS Dancers Alina Cojocaru and James Forbat. Photo © Jason Bell. Art Direction and Design: Charlotte Wilkinson Studio

Book now ballet.org.uk/romeo 1 – 5 AUGUST 2017 Registered Charity 214005