London City Ballet has today announced its new company and details of its first season after a hiatus of almost 30 years.
The dancers in the new company are: Alejandro Virelles (Freelance, formerly Staatsballet Berlin, ENB), Álvaro Madrigal Arenilla (Compañía Nacional de Danza), Isadora Bless (Orlando Ballet), Joseph Taylor (Northern Ballet), Miranda Silveira (Freelance, formerly San Francisco Ballet), Ayça Anıl (Istanbul State Opera and Ballet), Cira Robinson (Freelance, formerly Ballet Black), Nicholas Vavrečka (Freelance, formerly Scottish Ballet), Ellie Young (Freelance, Royal Ballet School), Arthur Wille (formerly Ballet Dortmund Junior Company), Bárbara Verdasco (Compañía Nacional de Danza), Jimin Kim (Korea National University of Arts), and Nicholas Mihlar (Zurich Tanz Academy). In London at Sadler’s Wells, internationally celebrated ballerina Alina Cojocaru will join the company as a Guest Artist.
New appointments to the creative and wellbeing team include Iain Mackay as a Rehearsal Director, Luke Abnett as Physiotherapist, Matthew Gregory as Company Pianist, and Andy Murrell as Lighting Designer. They will join Christopher Marney as Artistic Director, Sean Flanagan as General Manager, and Kate Lyons as Rehearsal Director.
Christopher Marney said: “After an extensive search I am honoured to welcome the 14 uniquely talented artists joining London City Ballet, for its inaugural season. It felt essential to involve dancers at varying stages of career and experience, due to the narrative demands of the work we will present. My hope is their valued input will influence the ballets we are able to uncover.
“The tour comprises familiar, much loved venues in the UK that played an important role in the former company’s history, but also encompasses new and extensive touring in America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
“It is a privilege to begin collaborating with these artists and starting a new chapter in the company’s history.”
The 18-venue international tour will begin at Bath Theatre Royal (July 17-20), followed by Cambridge Arts Theatre (July 23-25), Latitude Festival (July 27), Cheltenham Everyman (August 2-3), Windsor Theatre Royal (August 9-10), Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and five further cities in China to be announced, York Theatre Royal (Sept 6-7), Sadlers Wells London (Sept 11-14) with USA dates in late September and Doha, Qatar. On July 6-7 dancers from London City Ballet will feature at the International Ballet Gala at the Palácio de Seteais, Portugal.
London City Ballet will present Resurgence, a programme of acclaimed works including the revival of Kenneth MacMillan’s 1972 one-act ballet Ballade, unseen in Europe for over 50 years.
Ashley Page’s Larina Waltz marks the ballet’s 30th anniversary, and Olivier award-winner Arielle Smith premieres a new work. Eve, a full company work by Christopher Marney, which premiered at Sadler’s Wells in 2022, will close the evening. At tour venues in Portugal and China the pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto will also be performed.
Tickets for the tour are available here.
