The Corps de Ballet News

Last year's festive period didn’t feel like Christmas in so many ways, especially for those who return year after year to see the English National Ballet’s production of Nutcracker. The charming adventures of Clara and her beloved Nutcracker follow their journey through fantasy lands to defeat the evil Mouse King and meet the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Kingdom Of The Sweets. The show has a perennial appeal, but this year’s production appears to have lost some of its sparkle.

It's been two years of ups and downs for the world and for the small venue entertainment scene. Everyone is grateful for the return to some kind of new version of 'Normal' - especially one writer who probably spends more nights in the clubs than, even, the average cabaret performer.

The 2022 Season of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo is dedicated to the thirty years since the Mafia massacres, and it's scheduled to open on 20 January with Giuseppe Verdi's Les Vêpres Siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers), conducted by the theatre's musical director Omer Meir Wellber and staged by Palermo-born director Emma Dante.

International Prima Ballerina and Principal Dancer for The New York City Ballet, Tiler Peck joined The Rockettes for their Kickline Challenge ahead of their holiday season to spread some much needed cheer.

Cape Town City Ballet has entered its Spring season with a vibrant trio of performances in ALCHEMY - THREE DANCES. Honouring three of the world's most celebrate male choreographers from the 20th century, ALCHEMY stands as a programme dominated by accomplishments of athleticism.

Kathryn Roszak, artistic director of the Bay Area's Danse Lumiere, and founder of 'Women Directors, Choreographer, and Composers Award'  honored WENDY WHELAN with an award to recognize and highlight women leaders in dance and their contributions. 

New York City Ballet announced today the promotion of three of the Company’s dancers. Soloists Unity Phelan and Indiana Woodward have been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer, and corps de ballet member Roman Mejia has been promoted to Soloist.

After 20 months of darkened theaters and digital performances, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dancers make their long-awaited return to the Benedum Center stage Oct. 22-24 for the company's 2021-2022 “Season Premiere” with the PBT Orchestra. 

This October, the North East of England’s touring dance company, Fertile Ground, presents Myths & Dreams at Dance City, Newcastle (14 Oct), The Arts Academy, Sunderland (21 October) and The Maltings, Berwick (29 Oct), with more dates in 2022 to be announced shortly.

In the shadow of the pandemic, West Australian Ballet has made a bold move to invigorate the Australian dance industry by creating seven new full-time positions within its Company, an unprecedented gesture of faith in the face of COVID-19, and a critical investment for the future of the arts in Australia.

New York City Ballet will open its 2021-22 season on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 with a four-week Fall Season, presenting its first full-company, live performance in more than 19 months. 

Amar Ramasar will retire from City Ballet in May after 20 years with the company. Ramasar has previously 'accused of sending inappropriate texts and photos of other City Ballet dancers.' His final performance will be Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Betsy McBride, Simon Wexler, and Daniel Saez, will be members of the faculty for the Shreveport Dance Academy’s Summer Intensive which will be taking place from July 26 – August 6, 2021.

Artists from Victoria's diverse arts community have joined forces with some of Melbourne's leading arts organisations to create an awareness campaign encouraging Victorians to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Royal Ballet is continuing its commitment to create opportunities for the next generation of dance professionals and today announced joiners for the 2021/22 Season. This year they welcome four dancers to the Company from The Royal Ballet School: Olivia Findley, Ava May Llewellyn, Viola Pantuso and Alix Van Tiggelen. 

The Clive & Valerie Barnes Foundation has announced their Innovation Awards in Dance and Theatre.  Unlike previous years, the Foundation chose to honor one  winner in each category that demonstrated outstanding innovation during the past year.  Each awardee will receive a $5,000 gift.   

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the promotions for the 2021/22 season: Koto Ishihara, Siphesihle November, Tina Pereira, and Ben Rudisin to Principal Dancer, Jeannine Haller and Calley Skalnik to First Soloist and Brenna Flaherty, Noah Parets and Genevieve Penn Nabity to Second Soloist.

Miami City Ballet (MCB) welcomes nine new dancers to the company, bringing this season's roster to 53. Under the artistic leadership of Lourdes Lopez and with a growing repertoire of over 130 works that honor the masters while opening pathways for emerging choreographers, MCB is one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed ballet companies in the country.

Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen announces the return to live, in-person performances for the 2021–2022 season. Live performances return in November with Nissinen's The Nutcracker.

San Francisco Ballet brings its extremely successful 2021 Digital Season to a close by revisiting that all-time classic, Swan Lake, in a production choreographed by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson back in 2009, and captured on video in 2016. Swan Lake is a particular favorite of mine, so I was sincerely looking forward to seeing it again and would love to be able to report that SFB was ending their season on a high note. Alas, that isn’t quite the case here. Instead, it was a little like re-encountering a long-lost friend who is going through a bit of a rough patch. It’s still lovely to see them, but they do seem to be missing some of the spring in their step.