At our first meeting of 2025, it was a pleasure to welcome PrincipalAnna Rose O’Sullivanas our guest. Anna Rose started by talking about Olga and Juliet, roles that she was currently rehearsing, before speaking about her performances ofCinderellawith Marcelino Sambé. She then talked briefly about London Children’s Ballet and her West Endperformances inChitty Chitty Bang BangandLes Miserables.Anna Rose then spoke about working with Pam Tanowitz with William Bracewell which she had loved as it was so different. Last season, Anna Rose had been injured and spoke warmly of the support given to aid recovery. She then spoke about other roles last season, including inRhapsodyandDon Quixoteand at Jacob’s Pillow at the end of the season.After speaking about roles in the classics and about working with various choreographers, Anna Rose went on to look back on highlights of her training. It was a very entertaining evening.
At our next meeting in January, it was a great pleasure to welcome our PresidentIain Mackay,the Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet School, and our 2024 RBS Ballet Association Award winnersYasemin Kayabayfrom Turkey,Heewon Moonfrom South Korea andTristan Ian Massafrom the USA. All fourspoke about their initial training in their home countries, including Scotland in Iain’s case, before speakingabout how they came to join the Royal Ballet School. During the evening, Iain talked about various highlights in his career. Joining Birmingham Royal Ballet after he graduated, he was quickly promoted toPrincipal and created roles in many of David Bintley’s ballets. After eight years, he received a call fromAngel Corella, who was forming his own company inSpain. He joined Angel’s company for two years,returning to Birmingham in 2009 for another eight years. Iain also talked about his time directing theYorkshire Ballet Seminars and his initiatives around Birmingham to widen access to dance in the community. In 2021 he was appointed International Artistic Manager at the Royal Ballet School, responsible for international courses and auditions, where he first saw some of our student award winners. These meetings with our award winners are always fascinating and Yasemin, Heewon and Tristan gave us entertaining accounts of their training. All three had had opportunities to work with the Royal Ballet companies. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and we look forward to seeing them on our annual visit to the Upper School and in the summer performances, as well as following their careers in whichever companies they join.
At our first meeting in February, it was a great delight to welcome back our President, former Royal Ballet PrincipalLaura Morera.Now working for the MacMillan and Scarlett Estates, Laura is currently working with the Royal onRomeo and Juliet,before travelling to Queensland Ballet for two weeks, where they are also rehearsingRomeo and Juliet,and then to Australian Ballet. She had worked on Liam Scarlett’sMidsummer Night’s Dreamwith Queensland Ballet last season. At the Royal, she is working with Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball as well as the harlots. Laura explained her role, ensuring that they followed the notation, but also that the meaning behind each movement was understood. She spoke about the discussions with other repetiteurs, who sometimes had different memories of a step and had to checkthe ”book” to ensure they met Kenneth’s intentions. Laura talked about her first involvement with the ballet as a harlot early in her career and how bothRomeo and JulietandManonhad changed over time. Shespoke briefly about last year’s performances ofDanses Concertantes,which they had put on in only two weeks. Laura explained how she was asked to work for the two Estates, by Deborah MacMillan and LiamScarlett’s mother. Liam had left four names of those who he wished to entrust his works, including two at Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. They had recently worked together on Joffrey’s production ofFrankenstein.In December, Laura had coached theSeasonsandGodmothersin Ashton’sCinderella,and before that had spent six weeks working with students in China. Once again members had a fascinating and very entertaining evening.
Future meetings
Unless otherwise stated, all our meetings will be at the American International Church, 79a Tottenham Court Road. It is next to Goodge Street tube station (Northern line). Turn left as you come out of the station. If you stand in Tottenham Court Road facing the front of the Church, you should go through the gate in the railings to the right-hand side (furthest side from tube station) and walk up the ramp. Entrance is through a door at the top of the ramp. The Sanctuary is on the left as you enter up 5 or 6 steps. There is a chairlift for disabled access. The Church is also within 10 minutes’walk of Euston Square, Warren Street, and Tottenham Court Rd stations. The nearest bus stop is Goodge Street which serves routes 14, 24, 29, 73, 134, 390. Doors officially open at 7.00pm, although you may be able to enter earlier at the discretion of the receptionist. Meetings begin at 7.30 p.m. Entrance at the door is £5 for members, £9 for guests. You may pay in advance via our website if you wish, at a slightly higher price to cover the site’s charges. Most of the seating is on pews, so we suggest you bring a cushion if you can.
Friday 9 May 2025 - BRB2 Carlos Acosta’s BALLET CELEBRATION, Sadler’s Wells East
We have secured 15 seats for the 2.30 performance. The seats are reduced by 20% so £45 seats reducedto £36 and £38 reduced to £30.40. There is no circle at Sadler’s Wells East and the seats are in rows F, Gand H.
Sadler’s Wells East is in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park located next to the London Aquatics Centre. Itis a 10/15 minute walk from Stratford or Stratford International stations.
Please email, text or phone Ann Maclennan on 0785 569 3343annmaclennan@btopenworld.comspecifying your preference/no preference and whether you will pay by bank transfer or cheque. Ann will then confirm availability.
Ballet Association Annual Dinner, Tuesday 10th June 7.00-10.45pm, The Chesterfield Hotel, Mayfair.
We are delighted to announce that our Annual Dinner will be held at The Chesterfield, Mayfair, on Tuesday 10thJune.The hotel is in Charles Street, about 5 minutes’ walk from Green Park Station and close toBerkeley Square. Dinner, at 8.00pm, will be held in the hotel’s Restaurant and Conservatory. It will bepreceded by a drinks’ reception from 7.00pm in the Royal Suite on the first floor, which can be accessed bylift or stairs.
The cost of the dinner will be £88.00, not including drinks which can be purchased at bars in the Royal Suite and the Restaurant. (This is a slight increase on last year.) There is an additional supplement of £5 if you choose Halibut as your main course. If you wish to have tea or coffee and petit fours to round off the meal, it is an extra £7.00. We have a minimum spend for the evening, so please make sure you purchase all drinks at our bars and not at the other hotel bar.
The Dining Room and Conservatory seat a maximum of 140, mostly on round tables seating 10 each, so there will be around 110 places for members and 30 for dancers, etc. The Dinner is always one of thehighlights of the Association’s year and we hope as many of you as possible will attend. As always, wewill not be announcing the guest list until about 10 days or so before the event. You will then have an opportunity to let us know who you would like to have on your table. Please note, as we must pay the hotel well in advance, payment is non-refundable unless we can fill your place. We will do our best to do so.
News
Principal Character ArtistYvonne Knighthas left BRB to become Programme and Artistic Co-ordinator for Midland Theatre Ballet. ConductorPhilip Ellis and ArtistsRegan HutsellandHamish Scotthave also left, as has PrincipalTyrone Singleton.
Annual Visit to the Royal Ballet Upper School Wednesday 30th April 9.30a.m
Our annual visit to the Royal Ballet Upper School in Floral Street to watch classes and rehearsals will be on Wednesday 30thApril. The cost of the visit will be £15 for members and £20 for guests. Detailed timings will be confirmed nearer the day, but we expect the first class to start at 9.45, with doors opening at 9.30.
If you would like to attend, please send your name and contact details to our Chairman via e-mail tobaindavid@rocketmail.comor by post to David Bain, Chairman, The Ballet Association, 23 Capstan Square, Stewart Street, London, E14 3EU.
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