Dance Europe Dancer of the Year 2024- audience votes

[Emeralds]

Dance Europe, the ballet and dance periodical, has announced its Dancer of the Year nominations for this year, and all dancegoers are invited to vote for the dancer whom they think most deserving of the title this year. 

 

The nine nominees are (in first name alphabetical order): 

 

Antoine Kirscher (Paris Opera Ballet)

António Casalinho (Bavarian State Ballet)

Aya Okumura (Czech National Ballet)

Brandon Lawrence (Zurich Ballet)

Francesca Hayward (Royal Ballet)

Kanji Segawa (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater)

Mira Nadon (New York City Ballet)

Riho Sakamoto (Dutch National Ballet)

Yu Kurihara (Birmingham Royal Ballet)

 

You can see the beautiful video compilation of performances in one or more roles by the nominees (Casalinho as Lensky in Onegin, Sakamoto as Giselle, Okumura as Swanilda, Hayward as the female lead in  Rhapsody, Nadon in Liebeslieder Walzer, Kurihara in rehearsal and demonstration clips, and also in Nutcracker, Lawrence in Atonement, Segawa in Revelations and Kirscher in Bejart's The Firebird) and vote for your candidate in the link  here: 

https://danceeurope.net/ 

(This is the home page of Dance Europe and will change after November) The closing date for votes is 30 November 2024.

 

When the voting is finished, or the video has been taken down, you can still see the video (some beautifully filmed excerpts and solos- the ones of Rhapsody and Onegin for example, are wonderful) on their company YouTube channel: 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Da6EeBLBuWbw&ved=2ahUKEwiE1fLL1PKIAxXiX0EAHTLcM3UQo7QBegQIDRAG&usg=AOvVaw2kbSgaM3sq7VLuEyB7T-Jy

 

So many wonderful performances to enjoy. The winner of the title will be announced by Dance Europe in due course, and celebrated with a feature article. 

Edited Thursday at 17:27 by Emeralds

[Sabine0308]

I already replied on their YouTube channel. I am appalled about their strange scene selection for Brandon Lawrence. I don't know him and have never seen him dance. In the video we cannot see him dance at all! I really hope that wasn't intentionally, but it's hard to believe.

 

My vote goes to former Berlin ballerina Aya Okumura, she's just wonderful.

[Jan McNulty]

32 minutes ago, Sabine0308 said:

I already replied on their YouTube channel. I am appalled about their strange scene selection for Brandon Lawrence. I don't know him and have never seen him dance. In the video we cannot see him dance at all! I really hope that wasn't intentionally, but it's hard to believe.

 

My vote goes to former Berlin ballerina Aya Okumura, she's just wonderful.

Brandon is the most wonderful of dancers.  He was a principal at BRB before he moved to Zurich and has already created roles for  Cathy Marston.

 

His nomination is surely well deserved.

 

I’ve not heard of Aya Okumura!

[Tony Newcombe]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

Brandon is the most wonderful of dancers.  He was a principal at BRB before he moved to Zurich and has already created roles for  Cathy Marston.

 

His nomination is surely well deserved.

 

I’ve not heard of Aya Okumura!

Brava Janet

[Emeralds]

2 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I already replied on their YouTube channel. I am appalled about their strange scene selection for Brandon Lawrence. I don't know him and have never seen him dance. In the video we cannot see him dance at all! I really hope that wasn't intentionally, but it's hard to believe.

 

My vote goes to former Berlin ballerina Aya Okumura, she's just wonderful.

Do you mean that Brandon is mostly partnering his two costars and doesn't have any solos in the video? I must admit that I actually thought he came across as s very strong actor and an excellent partner in these dramatic scenes. I haven't seen Cathy Marston's version of Atonement yet, but I recognised it straightaway (from the movie!) and the three characters because of their costumes and interactions. He was incredible as Basilio and as Siegfried in Birmingham Royal Ballet's Don Quixote and Swan Lake respectively before he went to join Ballett Zürich. A pity they didn't have a video of those performances! I'll see if I can find a video with more dancing....

 

OK sorry this is lit so dark- Brandon in Liebestod (to Wagner's music, choreography by Valery Panov) which he danced in a mixed bill as well as at Carlos Acosta's 50th birthday gala performances. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/LT2JXfDFQ4ZoM2MZ/

 

I've seen Aya Okumura in her performances on tv and on tour with Dutch National Ballet, but I guess you know her best from her time as soloist in Staatsballett Berlin? A very talented ballerina. 

Edited Thursday at 23:12 by Emeralds

[Sabine0308]

7 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Do you mean that Brandon is mostly partnering his two costars and doesn't have any solos in the video? I must admit that I actually thought he came across as s very strong actor and an excellent partner in these dramatic scenes. ..

Yes, that's what I mean. It's hard to believe that they don't have ANY other videoclips of him, dancing a solo.

[Sim]

This is the email address to which nominations should be sent:

 

media@danceeurope.net