Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, announced promotions within the Company and new joiners for the 2018/2019 season.
The following promotions have been made within the Company.
- James Streeter is promoted to First Soloist
- Rina Kanehara is promoted to Soloist
- Henry Dowden, Sarah Kundi, and Jia Zhang are promoted to First Artist
- Fernando Carratalá Coloma is promoted to 4th Year Artist of the Company
Following his recent guest performances with the Company in Song of the Earth, La Sylphide, Romeo & Juliet, Nutcracker and Akram Khan’s Giselle, Jeffrey Cirio, currently Principal at American Ballet Theater, joins English National Ballet as Lead Principal.
From The National Ballet of Canada, Francesco Gabriele Frola and Emma Hawes join the Company as Principal and First Soloist respectively, while remaining as members of The National Ballet of Canada.
English National Ballet welcomes three Prix de Lausanne prize winners as Artists of the Company this year, Shale Wagman joins from Princess Grace Academy, Miguel Angel Maidana joins from Brussels International Ballet School, and Carolyne Galval joins from Itego in Artes Basileu Franca. Joining as Artists of the Company from English National Ballet School are Breanna Foad, Josue Moreno Lagarda, Rentaro Nakaaki, and Maria Del Mar Bonet Sans.
Also joining as Artists of the Company are Rebecca Blenkinsopp from the Royal Ballet School, and Ivana Bueno from Academy Princess Grace.
Following her sabbatical last season Laurretta Summerscales leaves English National Ballet, remaining Principal at Bayerisches Staatsballett.
Junior Soloist Guilherme Menezes leaves to join Royal Danish Ballet following his twin brother, Vitor Menezes, who joined last year.
Artist of the Company, Laurent Liotardo, retires at the end of the current season after 15 years with the Company. Laurent will continue to work at English National Ballet as the Company’s Staff Photographer and Filmmaker, and will train as a Pilates teacher.
As previously announced Principal Cesar Corrales leaves to join The Royal Ballet.