The previous few weeks have introduced one other thrilling spherical of profession information—try the most recent farewells, appointments, promotions, and extra on this month’s ballet roster roundup.
Promotions and Appointments
The Paris Opéra Ballet celebrates the promotions of its three latest étoiles, Hannah O’Neill, Marc Moreau, and Guillaume Diop. Diop, who was just lately named one among Dance Journal’s “25 to Watch,” makes historical past because the POB’s first Black étoile. He was promoted onstage on March 11 after dancing the function of Albrecht within the firm’s tour of Giselle in Seoul, South Korea. O’Neill and Moreau have been promoted on the Opera Garnier stage following their performances in George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial on March 2.
On April 1, New York Metropolis Ballet creative director Jonathan Stafford and affiliate creative director Wendy Whelan introduced the promotions of Olivia MacKinnon, Alexa Maxwell, and KJ Takahashi to soloist.
Following the corporate’s premiere of David Dawson’s Anima Animus on March 3, Nationwide Ballet of Canada creative director Hope Muir promoted former first soloist Spencer Hack to principal onstage.
On March 15, Muir additionally introduced the appointment of Ethan Colangelo as an NBoC choreographic affiliate, efficient July 2023.
Boston Ballet creative director has promoted 9 firm dancers for the 2023–24 season. Chisako Oga would be the firm’s latest principal; Solar Woo Lee has been promoted to soloist; Tyson Clark, Louise Hautefeuille, Sage Humphries, Sangmin Lee, and Daniel Rubin to second soloist; and Brooke Wilson and Sydney Williams to firm artist.
Ballet San Antonio introduced a slew of promotions: Michael Agudelo, Sofie Bertolini, and Brenna Mulligan have been promoted to principal; Elaine Clean, Aidan Carrasquel, Julia Davies, and Vianca Palacios to soloist; and Logan Acker, Haley Blackwelder, Ashley Onks, Mikaela Stewart, and Emma Wheeler to corps de ballet.
American Ballet Theatre creative director Susan Jaffe formally named former firm principal Stella Abrera creative director of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis College. The appointment got here seven months into Abrera’s place as the varsity’s interim creative director, which she started final August.
Kinsun Chan has been named director of the Semperoper Ballet, efficient in the beginning of the corporate’s 2024–25 season. Chan, a former Zurich Ballet soloist who at the moment directs the Theater St. Gallen dance firm, succeeds Aaron S. Watkin, who begins his place as English Nationwide Ballet creative director in August 2023. For the 2023–24 season, SB principal and ballet grasp Marcelo Gomes will act as interim creative director, and present firm supervisor Adi Luick will act as ballet operations director. Chan’s contract will lengthen for 4 seasons.
Former Royal Ballet principal Dame Darcey Bussell, DBE, chair of the UK’s Theatre Royal Plymouth board of trustees. The board’s first feminine chair, Dame Bussell succeeds Nick Buckland, OBE, who retires from the board after 13 years.
The Sarasota Ballet board of trustees voted unanimously to increase director Iain Webb’s contract one other 10 years.
Ballet Memphis College and Youth Ballet Memphis director Janet Parke will turn out to be senior creative affiliate on the finish of the present faculty time period. Virginia and Brandon Ramey will assume Parke’s place as co-directors.
Farewells and New Arrivals
Longtime Pacific Northwest Ballet principal Lesley Rausch will retire on the finish of the 2022–23 season. The corporate will rejoice her 22-year profession at its Season Encore Efficiency on June 11, at Seattle’s McCaw Corridor.
Longtime Dance Theatre of Harlem artist Christopher Charles McDaniel has introduced that he will likely be leaving the corporate on the finish of the season. McDaniel, a DTH College alum, danced with the corporate from 2008-2010 and returned in 2017.
Houston Ballet soloist Mackenzie Richter has introduced that they are going to be becoming a member of Ballett Zürich subsequent season. Richter will give their final performances with HB in Swan Lake this June.
Birmingham Royal Ballet principal Brandon Lawrence can even be a part of Ballett Zürich for its upcoming season. In his closing performances with BRB, he’ll seem because the Zebra in Sir David Bintley’s ‘Nonetheless Life’ on the Penguin Café, within the title function in Balanchine’s Apollo, and in Juliano Nunes’ Interlinked within the firm’s June program.
After 25 years with The Nationwide Ballet of Canada, first soloist Tanya Howard has retired. The corporate honored her onstage after her efficiency of the function of Stepsister in James Kudelka’s Cinderella on March 12.
Nashville Ballet firm dancer and resident choreographer Mollie Sansone will retire from the stage this month. Going ahead, Sansone will proceed her work as the corporate’s resident choreographer.
NB firm dancer Julia Eisen has additionally introduced her retirement on the finish of the 2022–23 season. Beginning in August, she’s going to be a part of Nashville’s Harpeth Corridor College as its dance program director.
Longtime Louisville Ballet artists Sanjay Saverimuttu, Kateryna Sellers and Brandon Ragland will take their closing bows this month.
Ballet Idaho will bid farewell to principals Jessica Sulikowski and Elizabeth Barreto after their closing performances with the corporate in Swan Lake this Might.
Johanna Sigurdardottir joins Boston Ballet as an organization artist this spring.
Ballet Arizona has added Hannah Christian to its firm dancer roster.
Queensland Ballet welcomes 2022 Royal Opera Home Jette Parker Younger Artist Jessica Stratton-Smith as an organization artist.
Awards and Recognitions
American Ballet Theatre principal, New York Instances bestselling creator and entrepreneur Misty Copeland has been named the 2023 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award recipient. Copeland will settle for the award, which supplies a money prize and is introduced yearly to “an artist of remarkable imaginative and prescient and achievement,” on the competition’s Season Opening Gala on June 24.
Stuttgart Ballet soloist Mackenzie Brown and Royal Ballet artist Daichi Ikarashi have gained the 2023 Erik Bruhn Prize; Stuttgart Ballet artist in residence Roman Novitzky gained the Choreographic Prize for his modern duet, A Dialog.
Freelance ballet and modern dancer, choreographer, and entrepreneur Stefanos Dimoulas has turn out to be the primary Greek dancer to be acknowledged in Forbes’ “30 Underneath 30,” within the Artwork & Tradition sector, for his founding of the nonprofit creative mentorship program Tradition Choose.
On March 27, The Royal Ballet creative director Kevin O’Hare and vp Girl Sarah Chatto introduced principal Marianela Núñez with a silver medal to rejoice 25 years with the corporate. Núñez accepted the medal onstage following the corporate’s efficiency of Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella.
