These are from the <A HREF="http://www.royalballet.org/News/Index.cfm?ccs=228&cs=620" TARGET=_blank><B>Royal Ballet</B></A> website. I've also linked Putrov and Stepanek to their biographies and Whitehead to his <I>Carmen</I> diary. on the same website. I think the website team is working on the others.<P>Promoted to Principal:<BR><B>Marianela Nuñez</B> <BR><A HREF="http://www.royalballet.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=87&cs=520" TARGET=_blank><B>Ivan Putrov</B></A> <P>Promoted to Principal Character Artist:<BR><B>William Tuckett</B><P>Promoted to First Soloist:<BR><B>Laura Morera<BR>Ricardo Cervera <BR>Justin Meissner <BR>Edward Watson</B><P>Promoted to Soloist:<BR><B>Bennet Gartside<BR>Martin Harvey<BR><A HREF="http://www.royalballet.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=246" TARGET=_blank>Thomas Whitehead</A></B> <P>Promoted to First Artist: <BR><B>Natasha Oughtred <BR>Brian Maloney <BR>Ernst Meisner <BR><A HREF="http://www.royalballet.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=274&cs=541" TARGET=_blank>Johannes Stepanek</A></B><P>I was surprised by a couple names but I think they're deserved. I'm looking forward to seeing Nunez and Putrov in lots more principal roles. And I've become so used to seeing Martin Harvey in soloist roles it's a bit of a shock to realise that until now he was only a first artist! Anyway, congratulations to them all!<p>[This message has been edited by sylvia (edited July 31, 2002).]

I don't think this has been posted yet but Louise Levene in the Daily Telegraph interviewed Putrov and shrewdly forecasted a promotion to principal days before it was announced!<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Finally on the fast track</B><BR> <BR>The dancer Ivan Putrov has leapt into the spotlight over the bandaged ankles of his colleagues. Louise Levene celebrates the rise of a hungry young man<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Despite his craving for exposure, Putrov is in no hurry to dance roles he isn't ready for and hates to see popular dancers being cast in every role going, regardless of their age and type. He has a very shrewd understanding of his own limitations and laughs when I ask if he dreams of dancing the title role in Onegin: "If they asked me to do it now I wouldn't. If you're not ready you shouldn't do it. You have to experience something. You can't just make it up. Onegin is a dark person. He's had enough of life and that definitely isn't me."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><small>From the <A HREF="http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2002/07/22/btput21.xml&sSheet=/arts/2002/07/27/ixstageleft.html" TARGET=_blank><B>Daily Telegraph website</B></A></small> Very mature. Nice to read he has a good head on his shoulders. <P>******<P>And here's an Ivan Putrov interview from <A HREF="http://www.balletassociation.co.uk/pages/reportsarchive.html#ivan" TARGET=_blank><B>Ballet Association</B></A> as well.<p>[This message has been edited by sylvia (edited July 31, 2002).]

Emma Pegler's Criticaldance interview with Marianela Nunez is <A HREF="http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000373.html" TARGET=_blank><B>here</B></A>.<P>And another charming interview of her on <A HREF="http://www.darceybussell.com/marianela_a.htm" TARGET=_blank><B>Darcey Bussell's website</B></A>.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>After auditioning for the Royal Ballet a year later (aged 15) Marianela was told she was too young to join the company and invited to join the Royal Ballet School. She accepted. Just before arriving there she had been dancing the Diana and Actaeon pas de deux in a gala in Japan - performing immediately before Sylvie Guillem - so it felt strange to be going back to school. 'It was hard for me and I hated it in a way, but it was good for me to finish my training.' She knew that she wasn't ready to dance principal roles with the Royal Ballet. 'I was very young, but to go from the stage...to go back to the school...it was very hard. It was upsetting.' The first few months at the Royal Ballet School were difficult for a home-loving girl like Marianela and she confesses that her family had huge phone bills for a while. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think the Putrov interview is in the DON Q thread but it is good to have it here too.

Well many congratulations to Marianela Nunez. I so much wanted to interview her because I could see she was about to become a principal.<P>Congratulations to all of the dancers promoted. <p>[This message has been edited by Emma Pegler (edited August 03, 2002).]

And here are the joiners and leavers from the <A HREF="http://www.royalballet.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=316" TARGET=_blank><B>ROH website</B></A><P>JOINERS<P>Principal<BR><B>Robert Tewsley</B> from Stuttgart Ballet<P>Soloist<BR><B>Jose Martin</B> from Boston Ballet<P>First Artist<BR><B>Deirdre Chapman</B> from Rambert<BR><B>Isabel McMeekan</B> from BRB<BR><B>Valeri Hristov</B> from Pacific Northwest Ballet<BR><B>Tim Matiakis</B> from Royal Danish Ballet<BR><B>Thiago Soares</B> from Brazil <P>Artist<BR><B>Andrej Uspenski</B> from Royal Swedish Ballet<BR><B>Ryoichi Hirano</B> (Prix de Lausanne winner apprentice) <P>LEAVERS <BR><B>Hubert Essakow <BR>Viviana Mastrella <BR>Justin Meissner <BR>Leire Ortueta <BR>Ashley Page <BR>Jenny Tattersall</B> <P>And <B>Donald MacLeary</B> is retiring after 48 years of service.<P>A big welcome to all the joiners and best of luck to all the leavers.

Who would CD readers like to have seen promoted or join?

Well, in spite of the furore over 'too many guest artists' there are a couple of ABT dancers I'd love to continue to make a regular apperance! I wish the RB would ask Yseult Lendvai to stay as well!<P>I hope Belinda Hatley is promoted too but I guess it's too much to expect since she's been injured nearly all year.<P>And I was surprised that Johannes Stepanek was promoted to first artist. Since he's danced so many soloist roles this season I assumed he would skip a rank. Maybe next time.

Instead of worrying about joiners I would have settled for some of the leavers staying and maybe get promoted. With Jenny Tattersall, Hubert Essakow, Luke Heydon, Tom Sapsford and Sarah Wildor some of my favourite RB have left this season.

Just my luck to be out of the country when all the news broke!

I agree OdileGB that I’m sorry too that many of my favourites have left. However, we will still be able to enjoy the dancing of Jenny and Tom as they carve out new dance careers of their own choosing.

My belated congratulations to all the promotees. It all seems to make sense to me. Marianela Nuñez and Ivan Putrov have been given a terrific opportunity, so fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly for them both.

William Tuckett brings distinctive and convincing portrayals to his roles and his promotion to Principal Character Dancer is richly deserved.

Edward Watson is one of the most remarkable male dancers in the country and I look forward to seeing him develop even further in the coming season.

Of the other elevations I am particularly pleased that the great talents of Ricardo Cervera and Laura Morera have been recognised. Natasha Oughtred was a delight in “A Month in the Country”. I remember how she was touchingly thrilled to have a try out as MacMillan’s Juliet in an RB Study Day.

Overall the balance of 11 male to 3 female promotions makes sense given the shortage in depth at the top end of the Company.

Of the new appointments, Ross Stretton has made a great catch with Robert Tewsley, one of the finest ballet dancers in Europe and I hope the marriage works well. Similarly for the others. I am particularly interested if any of our US posters can tell us more about Jose Martin.

Rebuilding the male dance roster will not be achieved overnight but the promotions, appointments and the way he has given opportunities to many of the younger male dancers this season bodes well for the future.

Deirdre Chapman is a fascinating addition to the female ranks and I suspect that it won’t be long before she makes a strong impact as she always has done at Rambert.

Most of the dancers are now on holiday and we all wish them a great break and a fine new season with MacMillan, Morris and much else to look forward to.