English National Ballet's Emerging Dancer & People's Choice Awards

Regular readers will know that I have been reporting on the Emerging Dancer and People's Choice Awards for a while now, as well as interviewing all but one of the nominees.  The results are in ! 

24 February 2010
for immediate release

English National Ballet is delighted to announce that Anais Chalendard is the winner of this year’s Emerging Dancer Award, sponsored by Talbot Hughes McKillop and Crystal Costa has won The People’s Choice Award, following a performance at English National Ballet’s studios this evening in front of a panel of judges comprised of Artistic Director, Wayne Eagling, ballet legend Dame Beryl Grey DBE, Prima Ballerina Tamara Rojo, The Sunday Express dance critic and arts feature writer Jeffery Taylor and ballet supporter David Lloyd.

Anais Chalendard has been named the winner of the Emerging Dancer award 2010 sponsored by Talbot Hughes McKillop. Anais was presented the coveted award along with a cash prize by Julian Gething, Partner at Talbot Hughes McKillop.

Anais gave a spell binding performance of Nikiya's Death Scene from La Bayadère When the award was announced she was speechless but delighted & she said afterwards "I didn't expect it, it was such a victory for me, I treated it like a show", and of recently coming back from injury she said "I missed pointe shoes so much I really enjoyed performing again and I love La Bayadère, such a feminine ballet"

Wayne Eagling commented :
“To all the dancers congratulations, I'm very proud to be their director. I hope we can continue in the future, the award has created excitement and fun within the Company”.

Tamara Rojo said of Anais' performance :
“She is a very beautiful dancer, dramatically very talented, and an artist with great potential. She'll do very well”.

Jeffery Taylor said of Anais :
"She has passion which I particularly find irresistible, and complete commitment for the story she is telling. She's technically fantastic and very brave to perform this in front of the great Bayadère of her generation [Tamara Rojo]".

Also this evening Crystal Costa was presented with The People’s Choice Award voted for by English National Ballet’s audiences throughout the autumn and Christmas seasons. Crystal wowed audiences across the UK with her performance as the title role in Giselle, and also as Gerda in The Snow Queen.

Crystal Costa commented
“It's been a pretty exciting time, and I hope the award continues and evolves. Thanks to English National Ballet and Talbot Hughes McKillop for doing this for us it's been quite special."

This is the inaugural year of the Emerging Dancer Award sponsored by Talbot Hughes McKillop. The Emerging Dancer Award is an annual competition for English National Ballet to recognise and nurture the phenomenal talent of its up-and-coming dancers. The Award encourages excellence and potential within the Company.

A snapshot of Anäis Chalendard

Anäis was born in Le Coteau, France and trained at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille. Previously a member of Deutsch Oper, Straatsoper Berlin and Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, Anais joined English National Ballet in 2008. After one season with the Company Anais was promoted to First Soloist following performances as Manon during the Spring tour. Anais would love to dance Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and is greatly looking forward to the Spring tour of Giselle, one of her favourite ballets.


A snapshot of Crystal Costa

Crystal Costa was born in Vancouver, Canada and trained at The National Ballet School of Canada before joining Hong Kong Ballet. During her time at Hong Kong Ballet she rose to the rank of Principal before joining English National Ballet as a Soloist in 2007.

Promoted to First Soloist in 2008, Crystal has danced Principal roles since her first season with the Company in The Snow Queen as peasant girl Gerda and both the Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in the The Nutcracker. Crystal is currently rehearsing her favourite role, Giselle which she will perform for the first time with English National Ballet during the Autumn tour.


A little about the ballet company - English National Ballet

English National Ballet celebrates 60 years of dance excellence in 2010, with five of the world’s favourite classical ballets, Giselle, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker. Founded by two of the greatest British dancers of all time, Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, the Company’s first performance was on 14 August 1950. 60 years on, English National Ballet is Britain’s largest touring ballet Company with 67 dancers and a live orchestra. English National Ballet acts as a cultural ambassador for the nation and performs full scale productions throughout the UK, Europe, and across the world, at a price everyone can afford.

I'm sure you'll want to jon me in wishing congratulations to Anais and Crystal.