Ones to Watch in 2020
What an incredible year 2019 was for ballet and dance, but rather than looking too much into the past, here’s to the future! Below is my list of dancers you need to keep an eye on in 2020…
The Royal Ballet
What a year it’s been at The Royal Ballet. My friends often wonder why I spend so much time at the Royal Opera House, but when ballet is this good, isn’t it obvious?! It’s far too difficult for me to name my highlights but some of the big hitters for me have to be Cesar Corrales and Francesca Hayward as Romeo and Juliet (an unforgettable show that moved me to tears), pretty much everything that Fumi Kaneko danced in, especially her debuts as Kitri and Aurora and finally the exquisite artistry of Yasmine Naghdi, who I was yet again bowled over by whilst watching her Aurora - there’s nothing else like it.
Anna-Rose O’Sullivan
There has been no greater joy than watching Anna-Rose O’Sullivan make her debuts as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty and Swanhilda in Coppelia towards the end of 2019. O’Sullivan has proven that she is ready for Principal status, with her incredible confidence and technical ability being consistently demonstrated in all that she does. Her Aurora put a lump in my throat – I think because it was just one of those moments where you knew you were watching the beginnings of stardom. Her performance in Coppelia, in particular during Act 2, was perfect with every detail of the character shining bright for the audience to see. I can’t wait for her to be given more opportunities in the coming year and we don’t have to wait too long. She will make her debut as Olga in Onegin soon alongside Joseph Sissens as her Lensky.
David Donnelly
“Finally!” I shouted aloud to no one at all when it was announced that David Donnelly would be given Lensky in Onegin. The run starts in January and I can’t wait to see how he interprets the role. For me, he looks like a natural choice for the role. His cute doughy face, tall build and joyous smile seem perfect for the sweetness of Lensky. I thought Donnelly excelled when he danced in The Invitation a few years ago. He hasn’t been given too many opportunities since so I hope he makes his mark during Onegin as I would like to see much more given to this dancer.
Stanislaw Wegrzyn
I first noticed Stanislaw in Liam Scarlett’s new production of Swan Lake, where he stood out at the back of the corps de ballet. Since then, he is a dancer who I think holds real stage presence and a lot of potential so I always try to keep an eye out for when he is dancing on stage. He has such elegant posture and lines, that he always stands out for me when dancing a group piece with the rest of the corps. Take Sleeping Beauty for example, the garland dance, where his tall stature and graceful arms really flowed with Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score. To me, he has the makings of a great Danseur Noble, destined for Albrecht and Siegfried. He also looks dark and moody – perfect for Onegin and Crown Prince Rudolf. It’s safe to say that the future’s bright for this one.
Giacomo Rovero and Charlotte Tonkinson
Can anyone name me brighter smiles than that of Giacomo Rovero and Charlotte Tonkinson. I first noticed Charlotte when she was in the corps de ballet in Sleeping Beauty during the last run a few years ago. I nicknamed her ‘smiley’ because her beautiful beaming smile lit up the corps dances. In the current run of Coppelia she is dancing a lot with Rovero and the two just exude joy and happiness. They look like they’re having a great time and they really light up the stage. Rovero is an interesting one to keep your eye on, he’s tall, handsome and dimple faced - perhaps a perfect Romeo when the time is right? Watch this space...
Hannah Grennell
For those of you who use binoculars, start focusing them on Hannah Grennell. For those who don’t own a pair, it’s worth buying them just to catch Grennell on the side of the stage. She’s currently an artist with The Royal Ballet but she might as well be their in house comedienne. Whatever role it is, a peasant or a gyspy girl, a courtier even, she is always making the most hilarious facial expressions, having a real laugh on stage and encouraging everyone else around her to do the same. I often find myself watching her, laughing along with her characterisation of every role she is given. She hasn’t been tested too much yet technically, but if you’re in need of a good smile then she’s who you need to be watching next year!
Birmingham Royal Ballet
The highlight of watching Birmingham Royal Ballet this past year has to be their run of Giselle. What an incredible production! I completely fell in love with it and even more so with Birmingham Royal Ballet – if that’s possible. It will be interesting to see what happens when Carlos Acosta takes over as Artistic Director this year – who knows what other tricks are up this company’s sleeves!
Yijing Zhang
I saw Zhang twice last year dance the role of Myrtha in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of Giselle. She was tall, ethereal and fierce and had all the makings of a haunting Myrtha. I really enjoyed her interpretation and I felt she understood the depth of the character. I could really imagine her dancing a role like Gamzatti thanks to her regal presence on stage. With the company preparing to debut Acosta’s Don Quixote later this year, maybe they have a perfect dancer in Zhang for the role of Mercedes…here’s hoping!
English National Ballet
ENB had another great year in 2019. The main highlight for me was the She Persisted triple bill, curated by Tamara Rojo to showcase an all-female choreographed programme of dance. Katja Khaniukova shone in Broken Wings and Stina Quagebeur demonstrated her promising career as a choreographer with her premiere of A Doll’s House. It was also great to see the company reprise their production of Akram Khan’s Giselle which is always a huge highlight for me.
Francesca Velicu
Francesca Velicu has been on the rise for a few years now, but if you haven’t had a chance to see her in a leading role then make sure you catch her next time as the Chosen One in Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring. She is incredible to watch and perfectly conveys the terror and shaking fear she is experiencing during the sacrificial dance. She is quite remarkable in this work and I would recommend everyone see her do it. She has also proved herself in more classical works and earlier last year, she danced the pas de deux from Don Quixote at the Emerging Dancer Awards alongside Daniel McCormick. She looked very comfortable and confidently breezed through the difficult pirouettes. Velicu is a talent and will hopefully be given some more opportunities this year – I’m excited to see where her career will take her…
Alice Bellini
Although Bellini didn’t win the Emerging Dancer Award last year, she really stood out for me when she danced with Shale Wagman in the Grand Pas Classique. She is tall and statuesque, with lovely lines perfect for classical roles. Bellini was confident on stage and held her own throughout the Awards. Having studied at the Royal Ballet Upper School and now having joined a prestigious company such as English National Ballet, it will be interesting to see what she gets up to over the next couple of years.