Royal Ballet Promotions, New Joiners and Leavers, Summer 2024

[Bruce]

News Announcement 28 June 2024 The Royal Ballet announces Company promotions, new joiners and leavers      Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare today announces promotions, new joiners and leavers for The Royal Ballet’s 2024/25 Season.   Kevin O’Hare says, ‘It has been immensely rewarding to watch the dancers display their extraordinary artistry and versatility on stage during the 2023/24 Season. Each artist makes a fantastic contribution to the Company’s artistic life and I am pleased to thank them all and detail the changes for next Season.’   The following promotions have been made:  Calvin Richardson and Joseph Sissens are promoted to Principal. Annette Buvoli, Leticia Dias, Sae Maeda, Mariko Sasaki, Lukas B. Brændsrød, Leo Dixon and Joonhyuk Jun are promoted to First Soloist.  Sophie Allnatt, Chisato Katsura, Liam Boswell, Daichi Ikarashi, Joshua Junker and Francisco Serrano are promoted to Soloist.  Madison Bailey, Viola Pantuso, Sumina Sasaki, Marianna Tsembenhoi and Brayden Gallucci are promoted to First Artist.  The Aud Jebsen Young Dancer programme was established in 2014 and provides recently graduated dancers a year’s contract to be nurtured and perform alongside the corps de ballet of The Royal Ballet. The Company is indebted to the most generous philanthropic support of Aud Jebsen for this life changing opportunity for graduates of The Royal Ballet School. By the beginning of next Season, 61 contracts will have been made available for dancers at the first stage of their careers since the programme’s inception. From the 23/24 Season’s intake, Bethany Bartlett, Sierra Glasheen, Isabella Shaker, Caspar Lench and Blake Smith become Artists.   For the 2024/25 Season, six graduates from The Royal Ballet School join the Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme: Francesca Lloyd, Katie Robertson, Rebecca Myles Stewart, Ravi Connier-Watson, Emile Gooding and Alejandro Muñoz. Airi Kobayashi from the Deparc Ballet School in Japan joins as the Prix de Lausanne dancer for the 2024/25 Season. As previously announced, Principal dancer Alexander Campbell left The Royal Ballet earlier this year to take up a new role as Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance. After 11 years with The Royal Ballet, and with the last year spent as a guest dancer in Norway, Soloist Gina Storm Jensen will now become a permanent member of The Norwegian National Ballet. Soloist David Yudes also departs the Company after 10 years to become the director of the Escola de Dansa Marisa Yudes in Barcelona. Artist Stanislaw Węgrzyn leaves The Royal Ballet to take up a soloist contract at the Semperoper Dresden. Seunghee Han from the 2023/24 Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme leaves to join the National Ballet of Canada RBC Apprentice Programme. The Company’s current Prix de Lausanne dancer, Julie-Ann Joyner, joins Norwegian National Ballet 2.   ENDS

Edited Friday at 14:37 by Bruce

[oncnp]

Thank you for posting. More Principals sitting on their hands/dancing elsewhere

 

Edit: Partnering skills (Sissons) obviously no longer neccesay for Principal (if it ever was) 

Edited Friday at 15:18 by oncnp

[Dawnstar]

I'm surprised there are quite so many promotions to First Soloist, especially as it feels as though some of the existing First Soloists have been rather under used this season, but other than that it mostly seems pretty much as people were predicting. No mention of whether the two dancers who were taken on as (temporary?) Artists part-way through the season, Poppy Frankel and Grace Reid, are staying with the company or not.

Edited Friday at 15:05 by Dawnstar

[FionaM]

Wonderful news for the two new male principals who have both been performing principal roles for some time now. 
 

Congratulations to all … and to the company for having the funds to support more dancers at higher levels 👏👏👏

 

 

[lady emily]

Feel rather smug to have been right about Sissens... (I still don't think he was quite ready, but congratulations nonetheless!) 

 

The glut of first soloists is a bit of a surprise to me. But I'm glad especially they are preparing some women to become principals. 

 

Pleased with so many of these, but especially Joonhyuk Jun,  Joshua Junker, Marianna Tsembenhoi, and Viola Pantuso after this season!

[Sophoife]

33 minutes ago, oncnp said:

Edit: Partnering skills (Sissons) obviously no longer neccesay for Principal (if it ever was) 

 

Examples from AusBallet given here.

 

OMG @oncnp you should have seen Ty King-Wall when he was promoted principal. Or perhaps not. Absolutely terrible partner, although after several years he did develop.

 

Adam Bull, promoted principal in 2008 after just six months as a senior artist (severe lack of principal men at the time, i.e. only two), my mother apostrophised as a daddy-long-legs for years. It took rehearsing the bedroom pdd from Manon with Julie Kent for a gala in 2012 to squeeze him into partner/performance mode.

 

I still don't rate Guo Chengwu as a partner, and he's been a principal since 2013. His dancing though can reach the sublime.

 

Congratulations to all Royal Ballet dancers, promoted or not, and the best of luck to those retiring/going elsewhere for their futures.

[Legseleven]

 Congratulations to all! I’m disappointed that Tianie-Finn Grainger isn’t joining the Aud Jebsen programme, as I thought her  stage presence and ‘watchability’ magnetic, but perhaps she may be back on the Covent Garden stage as a graduate at some point soon. 

Edited Friday at 15:57 by Legseleven

[OnePigeon]

There are some very well deserved promotions there and I’m particularly pleased to see the progress of Lukas BB and Leo Dixon who have really been standing out this past season.  I hate to sound churlish, but I’m not sure about the principal promotions.  Sissens was clearly being pushed towards this, but I still maintain if we need any more male principals - and I feel the ones we already have are being woefully under-utilised - we need someone from outside the company to shake things up and offer something different.  They feel like premature principal promotions to me, but time will tell I suppose.  Congratulations to all concerned though, they all work so hard and deliver such joy to us, hopefully more experience and chances will generate some wonderful performances.  

[MaddieRose]

Lots more promotions to First Soloist than I thought there would be, but particularly happy to see Joonhyuk Jun promoted. Also for Sae Maeda, and for Sophie Allnatt and Liam Boswell at the Soloist level. 
 

I remember seeing Emile Gooding as Billy Elliot years ago so happy to see him joining as an Aud Jebsen dancer. 

[lady emily]

4 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

They feel like premature principal promotions to me, but time will tell I suppose. 

 

To be honest I almost always feel like the principal promotions are premature. The only recent one I can remember that I didn't feel premature was Bracewell. 

[HelenHelen]

Justice for Julia Roscoe! How is she not a soloist already...

 

Lots of good news in this announcement. Particularly delighted for all those first soloist promotions, didn't think there would be so many and they feel well deserved. 

[OnePigeon]

4 minutes ago, lady emily said:

 

To be honest I almost always feel like the principal promotions are premature. The only recent one I can remember that I didn't feel premature was Bracewell. 

That’s interesting, do you think you were correct in feeling that way and that they needed a bit more time and experience before promotion, or did you change your mind and realise they were ready?  Perhaps it depends on the dancer though.....

 

This puts the cat amongst the pigeons now regarding potential partnerships for Onegin and R&J.

[MildConcern]

I like both of the new principals as individuals but don't feel particularly that they are 'principal ready'. On the evidence of their performances in principal roles this season, I won't be inclined to book for their dates unless they are opposite someone more exciting. 

 

Sissens' Siegfried got a lot of praise on here but apart from his solos, I was quietly disappointed. The partnering is not just 'not principal level' but very, very weak. 

 

There's others in the company who are equally unready to be principals, but who I would love to see championed through instead. The likes of Lukas BB and Leo Dixon spring to mind. But with these promotions, the timing may now be unfavourable to them. 

[Don Q Fan]

Chuffed for Joonhyuk Jun. 

[Rachelm]

Fantastic to see so many promotions! I think the sheer number surprises me more than any of the dancers promoted! I’m disappointed that Melissa Hamilton hasn’t been promoted to principal (though not necessarily surprised). I was also hoping Harrison Lee would be promoted as I’ve really enjoyed watching him this season. I’m sure he’ll have his time. Taisuke Nakao would have been on my promotion possibility list too.

Edited Friday at 16:33 by Rachelm

[JNC]

I have to say I agree with some comments on here. Sissens has buckets of potential but I don’t think he’s ready for principal (yet). I think if there was a real gap in principals I could see why he could be promoted earlier to fill that gap but with the current number I don’t think it was necessary. Personal opinion only but Richardson hasn’t ever done it for me, he doesn’t have that “special something” I think a principal needs to really distinguish them from technically secure first soloists.

 

despite the large number of promotions to first soloist I think this makes more sense. Many of those dancers are already frequently dancing at that level and I would say with injuries and maternity leave and generally that aside sheer numbers it’s the smallest rank (prior to these promotions). How that’s squared with a few of them coming back from maternity leave and recovering injuries I’m not sure but to be honest I don’t think not promoting them would have led to Hamilton dancing more (for example). 
 

Not so familiar with RB as a company anymore as I attend less but generally the names seem to make sense further down as well. 
 

And yes, I can certainly think of some promotions to principal that have been a bit of a let down at that level and I miss them as first soloists. (Not Kaneko or Bracewell!) It was already looking quite top heavy and this exacerbates it and I’m afraid RB doesn’t have the range of repetoire for this number of principals to be honest. 

[lady emily]

8 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

That’s interesting, do you think you were correct in feeling that way and that they needed a bit more time and experience before promotion, or did you change your mind and realise they were ready?  Perhaps it depends on the dancer though.....

 

This puts the cat amongst the pigeons now regarding potential partnerships for Onegin and R&J.

 

I think it depends on the dancer! 

[lady emily]

1 minute ago, JNC said:

Personal opinion only but Richardson hasn’t ever done it for me, he doesn’t have that “special something” I think a principal needs to really distinguish them from technically secure first soloists.

 

I have to agree; he had never really stood out to me before but with all the discussion of an imminent promotion on here, I watched him closely in The Dream. I wasn't unimpressed, but I definitely wasn't blown away thinking 'here is principal material' either.  

[MAB]

2 minutes ago, lady emily said:

I have to agree; he had never really stood out to me before but with all the discussion of an imminent promotion on here, I watched him closely in The Dream. I wasn't unimpressed, 

 

I agree, but then I wasn't impressed by Bracewell either.

[Dawnstar]

21 minutes ago, lady emily said:

 

To be honest I almost always feel like the principal promotions are premature. The only recent one I can remember that I didn't feel premature was Bracewell. 

 

Clarke? He'd already been partnering Osipova for a couple of seasons (admittedly covid interrupted ones) before his promotion to Principal. On the recent female side, I didn't think Kaneko was premature at all. Magri & O'Sullivan perhaps a bit more debateable.

 

2 minutes ago, JNC said:

Personal opinion only but Richardson hasn’t ever done it for me, he doesn’t have that “special something” I think a principal needs to really distinguish them from technically secure first soloists.

 

For me it's the opposite, it's Sissens who I have yet to see give a performance that has really wowed me. Richardson has, not least as both Romeo & Des Grieux, though admittedly more on the acting front than sheer technique (which for me is absolutely fine as the acting is my priority). I would still have preferred him to have another year as First Soloist though, and Sissens equally if not more so.

[lady emily]

4 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Clarke? He'd already been partnering Osipova for a couple of seasons (admittedly covid interrupted ones) before his promotion to Principal. On the recent female side, I didn't think Kaneko was premature at all. Magri & O'Sullivan perhaps a bit more debateable.

 

When Clarke was promoted I saw him more as 'Osipova's Partner' than anything else... that has definitely changed for me though! 

 

Yes, about Kaneko: I suppose I had forgotten she was promoted so recently! 

[Rachelm]

12 minutes ago, lady emily said:

 

I have to agree; he had never really stood out to me before but with all the discussion of an imminent promotion on here, I watched him closely in The Dream. I wasn't unimpressed, but I definitely wasn't blown away thinking 'here is principal material' either.  

I had the same feeling when I saw him in the role.

[FionaM]

I saw Richardson’s Des Grieux and Romeo which were both really good debuts.  He has also led McGregor pieces like Yugen, Crystal Pite’s Statement, plus had the Ulysses role in Dante in which he was outstanding.  I was actually pleasantly surprised by his Oberon as I wasn’t sure in advance.  He was my pick for principal before Sissens due to his wider range.  
 

I expect both will get a go at Romeo and Lensky this season. 

Edited Friday at 16:38 by FionaM

[Rachelm]

3 minutes ago, FionaM said:

I saw Richardson’s Des Grieux and Romeo which were both really good debuts.  He has also led McGregor pieces like Yugen, Crystal Pite’s Statement, plus had the Ulysses role in Dante.  I was actually pleasantly surprised by his Oberon as I wasn’t sure in advance.  He was my pick for principal before Sissens due to his wider range.  
 

I expect both will get a go at Romeo and Lensky this season. 

I believe Sissens has danced Lensky before. I recall seeing a rehearsal for the role with Kevin O’Hare on You Tube. Unless he was learning the solo to be performed elsewhere?

Edited Friday at 16:35 by Rachelm

[SLH]

I am really pleased about Calvin Richardson. I think he’s an outstanding dancer and I can’t wait to see him (hopefully) as Romeo again next season. 

[Silke H]

8 minutes ago, Rachelm said:

I believe Sissens has danced Lensky before. 

He did, in 2020 with Anna Rose O’Sullivan as Olga 

 

Photos

[Dawnstar]

It will be interesting to see if there are actually many Principals cast as Lensky this time round since last time only one of the four cast was a Principal, Ball. I saw Sissens last time & wasn't that impressed by him on the acting front. I thought Donnelly was better & Ball better still (I didn't see Edmonds). Given Sissens has now made it to Principal while Donnelly is still a Soloist I evidently have a very different view on Lenskys to the powers that be! I therefore suspect that few or none of the dancers who I'd like to see as Lensky this time around will actually get cast.

[LinMM]

Am not surprised at Sissens at all he’s a wonderful dancer. 
Richardson definitely shows flashes of brilliance and what he CAN do …for example recently as Oberon. I wonder if it’s a confidence thing with him and the promotion will make him. 
Im so pleased with all the Aud Jebsen places. Francesca Lloyd isn’t a surprise though she was much more evident last year in end of term show and definitely caught my eye when in class last year. Not at all surprised by Katie Robertson and Rebecca ….Katie just gorgeous but not showy and Rebecca has choreographic talent as well! 
It pretty much looks as though the three best men from the school have got in so that’s good though I liked Jules Chastre will be interesting to see where he’s gone. 
I also think Tianie Finn Grainger is a lovely dancer but had an idea she wasn’t just into ballet? 
 

All other promotions well deserved ( sometimes think some dancers have already been promoted to their new rank!) and pleased to see Sumina Sasaki making progress. Already thought Marianna was at this level!! 

Edited Friday at 17:20 by LinMM

[BeauxArts]

I think Jun, Leo and Lukas are individually and collectively much more interesting dancers than Calvin and Joseph. I completely agree with the comment above that the repertoire does not support so many principals. These principal promotions now replicate the situation with the female principals: too many competing for too few performances. Congratulations all the same  (must not be too curmudgeonly!) to all concerned - and a special shout-out to Jun, the brightest star of all. 

Edited Friday at 17:05 by BeauxArts

[LACAD]

Doing a little dance for Joy seeing Sissens’ promotion, he still has room to grow, but I truly believe he’s deserving of this rank and has something unique to offer. I mostly attend mixed/neo classical rep, an arena in which Richardson and Sissens are exemplary.

 

Also delighted for M Sasaki, Tsembenhoi, Maeda, and Boswell. I’m also pleased to see Rebecca Myles Stewart joining, her performance at the black history month insight was very commanding.

[Sim]

No surprises there for me…except that Julia Roscoe was not promoted to Soloist. That I fail to understand.  

[Anna C]

15 minutes ago, Rachelm said:

I believe Sissens has danced Lensky before. I recall seeing a rehearsal for the role with Kevin O’Hare on You Tube. Unless he was learning the solo to be performed elsewhere?

He has; I saw him in the role.  Nicely danced, not such good acting.  

[Loulabelle]

9 minutes ago, Sim said:

No surprises there for me…except that Julia Roscoe was not promoted to Soloist. That I fail to understand.  

I agree and Isabel Lubach!