Royal Ballet - principal promotion speculation

[AnticaFiamma]

1 minute ago, Ian Macmillan said:

 And he will leave a male promotion opportunity now at the RB?

 

Clarke and Bracewell will very likely be promoted to replace him and Watson

[Lizbie1]

5 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

Or (puts helmet on) the ROH which is screaming poverty and dire predictions of needing £10M over the next 2 years to stave off bankruptcy could show some understanding of fiscal reality and promote only one or not at all.  No - not holding my breath. 

 

I agree - 8 men and 8 women seemed to be the magic number for a while. Currently they're at 8 men and 11 women, with Bonelli's departure taking that to 7 and 11.

 

I think most people would agree that Clarke and Bracewell both deserve promotion, but as with any workplace there has to be the budget available. I think we often forget that here.

[FionaM]

11 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

I agree - 8 men and 8 women seemed to be the magic number for a while. Currently they're at 8 men and 11 women, with Bonelli's departure taking that to 7 and 11.

 

I think most people would agree that Clarke and Bracewell both deserve promotion, but as with any workplace there has to be the budget available. I think we often forget that here.

I think any dancer would take the rank without a salary change 

[alison]

1 hour ago, FionaE said:

I think any dancer would take the rank without a salary change 

 

I have wondered before if that's an option.  Especially in these days of social media and other opportunities, merely holding the position of principal dancer of the Royal Ballet must surely be economically beneficial, shall we say.

[emmarose]

28 minutes ago, alison said:

 

I have wondered before if that's an option.  Especially in these days of social media and other opportunities, merely holding the position of principal dancer of the Royal Ballet must surely be economically beneficial, shall we say.

 

I was wondering this too, but I also wonder if there's possibly a legal issue in doing so, if they were to promote them and call them equal to all other principals could they then not increase their salary and it be OK legally?

[FionaM]

1 minute ago, emmarose said:

 

I was wondering this too, but I also wonder if there's possibly a legal issue in doing so, if they were to promote them and call them equal to all other principals could they then not increase their salary and it be OK legally?

Principals have different salaries to each other.  

[Lizbie1]

Would the unions have something to say about promotion without a pay increase? I know it's fairly common in the private sector to do something similar, but where a workforce is more unionised it might be more complicated.

[Guest oncnp]

6 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

Would the unions have something to say about promotion without a pay increase? I know it's fairly common in the private sector to do something similar, but where a workforce is more unionised it might be more complicated.

 

According to the Equity website (last data 2018 (annual report, page 50) admittedly) the Principals at the RB are not covered by the union. 

Edited January 31, 2022 by oncnp

[Lizbie1]

Having thought about this, I really dislike the idea of promoting someone to principal rank and not rewarding them accordingly. It sounds like exploitation to me.

[Dawnstar]

I was really hoping Bonelli would do one more season, especially as he's still dancing so well, but sadly not. Oh well, I suppose leaving while still on top form & the audience wanting more is better than hanging on too long.

 

In terms of money for possible replacement Principals, I can't help feeling that if the RB were that worried about their salary budget then they needn't have promoted 3 new female Principals this season when none of the existing ones left/were about to leave. I know Morera is clearly winding down but that would still leaves 10 women vs 7 men so I hope either/both of Bracewell & Clarke get promoted. Given Clarke in particular is dancing more Principal roles this season than some of the actual Principals, it seems rather unfair not to promote him.

[Eleena]

15 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I know Morera is clearly winding down but that would still leaves 10 women vs 7 men so I hope either/both of Bracewell & Clarke get promoted. Given Clarke in particular is dancing more Principal roles this season than some of the actual Principals, it seems rather unfair not to promote him.

Yes, but Bracewell is dancing more Siegfried than anyone else in the company, with Hayward in March and Cuthbertson in May (including the cinema relay). He’s also been First Soloist longer.

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Eleena and welcome to the Forum!

[Dawnstar]

Though Clarke's been with the company longer, given he joined in 2013 & Bracewell joined in 2017 (and then missed nearly a year due to injury). It's swings & roundabouts! If it were up to me I'd promote them both! For all we know Kevin O'Hare could have already promised one of them the next available vacancy. Who knows what criteria he uses to try to differentiate between dancers. I didn't expect there to be 3 new female Principals this season. I was expecting one or two out of Kaneko, Magri & O'Sullivan, not all three at once, so maybe he couldn't choose between them!

[capybara]

I don’t know for sure but I think there have been instances (outside the RB) of dancers in lower ranks being promoted with very little by way of a salary increase. That feels wrong, however much promotion may mean to a dancer and however cash-strapped a company might be.

[Eleena]

17 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

Though Clarke's been with the company longer, given he joined in 2013 & Bracewell joined in 2017 (and then missed nearly a year due to injury). It's swings & roundabouts! If it were up to me I'd promote them both! For all we know Kevin O'Hare could have already promised one of them the next available vacancy. Who knows what criteria he uses to try to differentiate between dancers. I didn't expect there to be 3 new female Principals this season. I was expecting one or two out of Kaneko, Magri & O'Sullivan, not all three at once, so maybe he couldn't choose between them!

It would be interesting to know how seniority works in cases like this when one dancer comes from BRB (having danced there for seven years) and joins the RB as a Soloist. Campbell did that as well, though that was quite many years ago. Or does seniority matter in promotion decisions at all? Also, it would be interesting to know how much the ”other” dancing they do for the company counts - Bracewell had a prominent role in Dante and did the wonderful Hamlet and Ophelia revival with Hayward (while also rehearsing R&J), whereas Clarke wasn’t in Dante at all and has danced relatively little all in all so far this season (his other dancing has been just one Arabian dance in The Nutcracker I think?). It will be interesting to see what the casting for Like Water for Chocolate will be! But as you said, promotions might have been already planned, and both certainly deserve promotion.

Edited February 1, 2022 by Eleena
Unclear sentence

[Lizbie1]

5 minutes ago, Eleena said:

whereas Clarke wasn’t in Dante at all and has danced relatively little all in all so far this season (just one Arabian dance in The Nutcracker I think?).

 

You forget Giselle. Being the favoured partner of Osipova presumably also counts for something.

 

 

Maybe we're over-thinking this. I don't think the grounds for promotion to principal are something you can quantify.

 

[John Graham]

With all respect, Eleena, I think you need to check your facts! Reece Clarke also did two Albrechts in Giselle, three Princes in Nutcracker (and another was cancelled due to Covid. Then this week he did Romeo, another on 10th January having been re-cast due to Covid contacts.

 

In past seasons he has also done many excellent Principal roles in Manon, Winters Tale, Symphonic Dances, Two Pigeons, etc 

[AnticaFiamma]

Yeah Clarke definitely has the Osipova factor that will surely help. I feel Bracewell might have more momentum at the moment: they made him play Romeo in the movie, then danced the role wonderfully on stage last October (better than RC imho) and they're making him play Siegfried a lot in the imminent run of Swan Lake.

 

Obviously not to principal, but surely Leo Dixon must be getting a promotion too, he's been rising to prominence this season.

Edited February 1, 2022 by AnticaFiamma

[capybara]

It’s a draw 😊 Both Bracewell and Clarke must surely be promoted this year.

[Eleena]

17 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

You forget Giselle. Being the favoured partner of Osipova presumably also counts for something.

 

 

Maybe we're over-thinking this. I don't think the grounds for promotion to principal are something you can quantify.

 

 

9 minutes ago, John Graham said:

With all respect, Eleena, I think you need to check your facts! Reece Clarke also did two Albrechts in Giselle, three Princes in Nutcracker (and another was cancelled due to Covid. Then this week he did Romeo, another on 10th January having been re-cast due to Covid contacts.

 

In past seasons he has also done many excellent Principal roles in Manon, Winters Tale, Symphonic Dances, Two Pigeons, etc 

I was talking about their ”other dancing” this season beyond the principal roles. It was simply a question about how much these other smaller/soloist roles count in these decisions. But as Lizbie1 you say, what makes one a Principal really can’t be quantified, and different directors would probably make different decisions.

[emmarose]

21 minutes ago, capybara said:

It’s a draw 😊 Both Bracewell and Clarke must surely be promoted this year.

 

This is how I feel. There are arguments to be made for both, but at the moment both could be considered Principal dancers, it's only the title that is missing from both as they have been used more than other principal men and for both it is only a matter of when they will be promoted not if. They'll both be there in the not too distant future.

[Eleena]

1 hour ago, Eleena said:

Also, it would be interesting to know how much the ”other” dancing they do for the company counts - Bracewell had a prominent role in Dante and did the wonderful Hamlet and Ophelia revival with Hayward (while also rehearsing R&J), whereas Clarke wasn’t in Dante at all and has danced relatively little all in all so far this season (his other dancing has been just one Arabian dance in The Nutcracker I think?).

Re-reading my comment I realize I might have been a bit unclear. The phrase ”relatively little” was in reference to Clarke’s non-principal dancing this season, not to his performances in principal roles in full-length ballets. Apologies if I offended anyone! I know they both have done wonderful work in principal roles. Let’s hope for two promotions soon.

 

And I totally agree about Leo Dixon.

[LACAD]

While Clark may well have the Osipova partnership going for him, what will that mean when she retires? I certainly don’t think being the preferred partner of one principal means that you should also be a principal. 
 

I personally think Bracewell deserves a promotion. And with no disrespect to Clark, there are some soloists and dancers in the corps who I’d rather see be promoted sooner than him.

[bangorballetboy]

At the Royal Ballet, Mr. Clark is the head of music whilst Mr. Clarke is a first soloist.

 

Let's respect people by getting their names correct.

[alison]

Steven McRae and Joseph Sissens included

[FionaM]

A vote from me for Clarke (with an e) and Bracewell to both be promoted to principal … both having performed (or been due to perform) the lead roles in three of the the full length classics this season … R&J, Nutcracker, Swan Lake.   That’s surely enough evidence of principal range.
 

In addition Reece has performed the lead roles in Giselle, Onegin, Manon (with Lauren Cuthberston), Two Pigeons (Bea Stix-Brunell), Sleeping Beauty (Natalia, Fumi and Lauren) and Sylvia (Lauren).  Plus Polixenes in Winter’s Tale, as has William.  And other lead roles in one acts.  
 

To be fair to Reece that is an impressive list of lead roles and it would have been with a wider set of partners if Natalia did not seem to have him as her choice, … since her previous preferred partner David Hallberg left to run the Australian Ballet at the start of the pandemic.  
 

I seem to have talked myself into promoting Reece before William!  That was not my intention.  
 

To my eye, William is better, both dramatically and technically.  Why didn’t he get to do Albrecht this last season ?  Surely an oversight. (Or not enough performances).  I’m sure he will fill the gap in the company (if not the title) that Bonelli leaves. 

[capybara]

Both Bracewell and Clarke will have done far more leading roles prior to their (hopefully inevitable) promotion than many (most?) of the promotees to Principal  since 2016.