Ondine

I suspect he's another who will come into his own now he's stopped growing! It takes time for tall men to gain control of those long limbs and continue building up strength? ? However, what an asset they can be.

I thought I'd add this here too. Artist Braydon Gallucci, Australia, at age 16 he was a Prix de Lausanne finalist, here he is at 17 winning a silver medal at the 2016 Genée International Ballet Competition in Sydney. Another to watch, a gifted young man whose progress will have been impacted by the pandemic. Australian dancer Brayden Gallucci was born in Newcastle, NSW and began dancing locally at the age of three. Before joining The Royal Ballet Upper School he trained full time with Hilary Kaplan and Archibald McKenzie at The Alegria School of Ballet. After completing three years at the Royal Ballet School, Brayden graduated into The Royal Ballet’s Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme from the start of the 2019/20 Season. During his first season with the company he was given the opportunity to join The Royal Ballet as a full company member... Awards and competitions include the final of the 2016 Prix de Lausanne, silver medal at the 2016 Genée International Ballet Competition (now Fonteyn International Ballet Competition), and the Gailene Stock Award for Most Promising Student while at The Royal Ballet School in 2018.

Osipova said that she couldn't always jump (or not so high) and when she first began dancing at company level she worked at developing it. This from US dancer Kathryn Morgan new on YT (embedded link) is fascinating, analysing her technique, how she does it. I think there's also magic involved however.

Five minutes. Rehearsal clips and explanation Why The Sleeping Beauty is a classic for The Royal Ballet

New on the ROH YT, three minutes (with Monica Mason) Mayara Magri (Lilac Fairy) and Kristen McNally (Carabosse) showcase the intricacies of miming in The Royal Ballet's production of The Sleeping Beauty.

He's actually 32! Nunez is 41. Muntigirov is 33. It's not quite Fonteyn & Nureyev really.

Yes Ashley Dean. I notice both she and Julia Roscoe are being given more opportunities... Ashley also did Rose Fairy in Nutcracker, too, recently, Julia Dancing Mistress and also was Lilac Fairy. I'm sure they have danced in a great many other ballets but those are off the top of my head. Here they both were interviewed in 2016. https://balletassociation.co.uk/pages/reports-2016-ashley-dean Ashley also was in Crystal Pite's The Statement, which I loved. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=495991548519482

Yes, but still very young, at 18, only 17 when he won his PdL prize, and possibly needing more experience. He's an apprentice not a company member. Partnering, for example, requires a great deal of strength and expertise & young men need to build that up. Some are still not quite finished growing when they are finishing vocational training, and are slightly built. Far better to give them time to learn, to mature, and not force them. I'm sure he's being given all the help he needs as an apprentice to develop his skills. Being onstage in a classical ballet in a world famous theatre in a world class company with world class dancers working right beside you is a good beginning. He's learning to act, for one thing. There are many very very good young men (and of course young women) in the company. Look at Artist and First Artist list on the ROH site, which has been updated. All of them terrific dancers.

Those photos are so good I can even read what it says on the card with the flowers! I do always look forward to seeing these, thank you. BTW, hard to tell under the wig but is that Darrian Sellman behind Yuhui Choe? He was just 17 when he won his PdL prize, so he's only 18 now. Actually a number of dancers in the company have been PdL finalists, YAGP too. Great showcases and lovely experiences, though these comps are not the end of training but a stepping stone, funding help and showcase for talented young people to be noticed.

The RB doesn't 'hire' into the company from the PdL though does it? As a partner company, it offers a dancer a placement as the 'Prix de Lausanne' dancer, which I believe is initially for a year, a form of apprenticeship, as with the AJ dancers. It's more about further training & experience, really. After that the dancer may be offered an Artist contract with the company. It's not actually a certainty is it? BTW a search shows Marco Mascari, who only properly joined the company as an Artist in 2022, danced both Harlequin and Chinese Dance in the same performance https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/40/the-nutcracker-by-peter-wright/cast-list/51258 I believe he also may have danced the Russian Dance? He's doing very well for a newcomer! As an Artist, he also should expect to be doing 'crowd scenes', though I'm sure he'll be promoted before too long. We are way off track from SB now! Just to add: Darrion Selmann, as this year's RB Prix de Lausanne dancer, has an apprenticeship. He's not joined the company, though at the end of his year of further training / experience he may well be offered a place as an Artist, though he may not or he may choose to move elsewhere. https://www.prixdelausanne.org/prize-winners/darrion-sellman/ This is why the RBS doesn't enter students for the PdL. It's considered they already are training at one of the best places, and have opportunities to appear on stage and work as members of the corps.

Not always in the UK post Brexit, and I doubt the RB required a couple. 😏

I don't think it was that. I believe he had many discussions with the AD, but he wanted his partner Margarita Fernandes to be with him, and there were visa difficulties etc?

A Prix de Lausanne winner is still relatively young and joins the RB as an apprentice, for further training, which I think means building up strength & stamina, refining technique, learning repertoire, partnering, acting and the rest. Some may even also have to carry on with academic study, depending from which country they originate. They will have had to move country, with all that entails. It's a big step from student being nurtured at a vocational school to apprentice in a world class company and I suspect the RB is working on a programme to enhance skills (alongside the AJ trainees) and give experience when ready. Marco had two years (his PdL was 2020, he was 17) as his time was interrupted by Covid. I think he danced the Chinese dance in Nutcracker, too, I suspect he's well aware he still has some spear carrying to do when required. Being on stage and learning to act and be able to watch the principals is all part of the learning curve! I think he joined the company as artist in 2022. And remember, these relatively young people have only just stopped growing, with all the adjustments that requires.

Glass of Pimms and enjoy!

Yes I too remember those days. Such excitement!

What a load of old softies we all are aren't we? And nothing wrong with that!

Quite why Florestan and his sisters are in some strange balletic Tudorbethan garb is a mystery. Pas de trois introduced by Diaghilev into Aurora's Wedding (1923) using the Act III music from Sleeping Beauty which originally accompanied the Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Sapphire Fairy variations. I'm sure I've delved into who they are in the past but have no recollection. It's a lovely opportunity for three dancers to shine, there are only so many fairies you can take in one ballet really. Update. I've read all this in ther past and it appears I'm not alone in my puzzlement. Reality is, nobody knows? https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12775839/1/Florestan-and-His-Two-Sisters

Gorgeous photo shoot here. It's amazing what RB dancers get up to in the little spare time they have! https://boysbygirls.co.uk/conversations/harris-bell

His feet... he and Joe Sissons, both have feet you can't stop looking at! 🤩 (I think I have a foot fetish.)

We discussed Joonhyuk Jun earlier in this thread. Here is a link to a short film in which he features (official site) if you scroll down. He comes across as a delightful and thoughtful young man as well as a gravity defying dancer. https://www.andrewedgecumbe.com/joonhyuk-jun

In a strange co-incidence I had been going to add Harrison Lee to this thread, and lo before I could he was mentioned in the Sleeping Beauty thread! He's dancing Florestan and his sisters tonight. Hopefully he's now fully recovered from his jaw operation, what a worrying time it must have been. https://www.tlbc.org.uk/resources/prix-de-lausanne-winners-in-conversation- Here he is with his Prix de Lausanne winning performance in 2015, aged only 15. Lovely. Enjoy. Such talent.

Yes! Recentish interview with him here. https://www.tlbc.org.uk/resources/prix-de-lausanne-winners-in-conversation-

And here previously! On a small group of RB dancers for a gala in Valencia (see photo) "I had a real blast performing Le Corsaire grand pas de trois and Short Stories with Sibelius, choreographed on seven dancers by dancer and work colleague, Benjamin Ella. After the show, we could feel the audience’ love and appreciation as they came to congratulate us. I had felt so at home, I gave them my all on stage, with no fear, no pressure, and nothing to lose. I was there for the experience and had gained so much more. Seeing young dancers of the company perform challenging pas de deuxs with such confidence and skill was truly inspiring. What a talented bunch! They grasped the moment and danced beautifully in a joyful and supportive atmosphere." From Isabella Gasparini's fascinating blog. Highly recommended reading! https://www.isabellagasparini.com/post/seizing-the-moment

Though as we have said Principal level is 'top heavy' is there room for James Hay? He's certainly more than ready!

Is it not the problem right now that the RB has exceptionally good dancers at all levels from Artist (so many of those missed out because of the pandemic and are now 'marking time' when they have the talents to do so much more while young and keen enough) to Principal and not enough performances to give them opportunities which they very much deserve? Perhaps what is needed is a touring company... oh. Ben Ella is also choreographing I believe, which is good.