News Story
It’s been another amazing season. Right now, the Company is on tour in Japan - the final performance of The Sleeping Beauty is tomorrow - and before that we travelled to the United States with Black Sabbath - The Ballet which we performed in Norfolk Virginia and Washington DC. The audience responses have been amazing and it’s been so gratifying to see the Company once more on the world stage. I am sure everyone will be exhausted and looking forward to their summer break, so to put a full stop to the season I’m so proud to announce our supremely well-deserved promotions, excited to welcome the new dancers who are joining the Company and I want to express my sincere gratitude to those who are moving on to pastures new. I really look forward to welcoming everybody back in August when we start rehearsals for the UK tour of Black Sabbath - The Ballet.Carlos Acosta
Promotions
Congratulations to the following dancers who have been promoted this season: Yu Kurihara is promoted to Principal (watch the video above to see the moment Carlos made the announcement on stage);Enrique Bejarano Vidal is promoted to First Soloist and Javier Rojas, Ryan Felix and Yuki Sugiura are promoted to First Artist.
In addition Daria Stanciulescu becomes Principal Character Artist.
Rory Mackay and Jonathan Payn become Repetiteurs from the start of next season. They will both also continue as Principal Character Artists.
Many congratulations to them all on this well-deserved recognition of their achievements.
Leavers
Thank you and good luck in your next adventures to: Jack Easton and Shuailun Wu who are moving to Staatsballett Berlin (Shuailun as a Demi-soloist); Oscar Kempsey-Fagg is moving to Bayerisches Staatsballett, Munich; Callum Findlay-White and Tessa Hogge are moving to Oklahoma City Ballet; and Gus Payne is joining Sarasota Ballet as a First Soloist.
Also leaving to pursue other opportunities are: Yvette Knight, Regan Hutsell, Ariana Allen and Hamish Scott.
Rachele Pizzillo is taking a sabbatical and dancing with Cincinnati Ballet for the 2025/26 season.
BRB2
Congratulations to Alisa Garkavenko, Tom Hazelby and Alexandra Manuel who join the Company as Artists following completion of two years with BRB2
And welcome to Yasemin Kayabay (Royal Ballet School), Yoli Meurisse (ENB School) and John Fontanini (Princess Grace Academy) who join BRB2 from the new season. Marlo Kempsey-Fagg also joins BRB2 following his year as Elmhurst Apprentice.
Joiners
Joining the main company as First Soloist is Katherine Ochoa from Cincinnati Ballet.
Alfie-Lee Hall will be next season’s Elmhurst Apprentice.
The following dancers are also joining the Company for the 2025/26 season: Rafael Bejarano Vidal (from Washington Ballet), Amber Cook (Elmhurst Ballet School), Tobi Johnson (Kate Simmons Dance), Airi Kaboyashi (Royal Ballet School Prix de Lausanne dancer), Thomas Kujawa (Elmhurst Ballet School), Oisin Middleton (freelance), Samantha Paige (Tring Park) and Gillian Whittall (freelance).
