Interview with Joseph Sissens
Discover what Joseph Sissens thinks of the ethos of Covent Garden Dance and why he decided to perform at our sumptuous night of Ballet Under the Stars.
Currently performing on tour with the Royal Ballet in Japan, Principal dancer, Joseph shares his excitement about joining the Covent Garden Dance Company for our Hatch House swan song.
Discover what he thinks of the ethos of our 20 year anniversary gala and why he decided to join us for a sumptuous night of Ballet Under the Stars.
Photo credit: Louis DeFelice
English dancer Joseph Sissens is a Principal of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and graduated into the Company in 2016. He was promoted to First Artist in 2018, to Soloist in 2021, to First Soloist in 2022 and Principal in 2024. In the 2024/25 Season, he curated Legacy as part of The Royal Ballet's Black History Month celebrations. His choreography while with The Royal Ballet includes a piece for Draft Works 2017.
Sissens’s role creations with the Company include in Robert Binet's Dark with Excessive Bright, Crystal Pite’s Flight Pattern and Light of Passage, Robert Binet’s Void and Fire, Wayne McGregor's The Dante Project and Untitled, 2023, Kyle Abraham's The Weathering, Joseph Toonga's See Us!! and Christopher Wheeldon's Like Water for Chocolate. His repertory includes Romeo, The Prince (Cinderella), Espada (Don Quixote), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Florizel (The Winter's Tale), Lescaut (Manon), The Prince and Hans-Peter (The Nutcracker), Florestan and Bluebird (The Sleeping Beauty), Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Lensky (Onegin), The White Rabbit (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), Jimmy (MADDADDAM).
What have you been working on recently and what have been your highlights of this season?
So, I actually had a quieter end to the season than I’m used to, but still filled with beautiful moments on stage in works like So Are We: Leon and Lightfoot. I would say that my highlight of the season would be making my debut in Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle. It was such a dream of mine, as well as an enormous challenge coming back from an injury. Truly fulfilling.
What made you want to join Covent Garden Dance Company for this gala production?
A few of my colleagues have danced at Hatch House and each time they’ve said how brilliant it was. It is always nice to dance outside of your home theatre, experiencing different audiences and teams. Also, I love its surrounding nature and I very much enjoy having the time to get outside after working in such a busy city.
Photo credit: Andrej Uspenski
What will you be performing with Viola Pantuso and why did you choose these pieces?
Viola and I are super close as people, we have a bond that can only be described as siblings, and I cherish any time I get to share the stage with her. We will be dancing Wayne McGregor’s final Infra pas de deux, originally created on Edward Watson and Marianela Nunez, and Petipa’s Sleeping Beauty.
What do you hope the audience feels when watching you dance these pieces?
Within our chosen repertoire, I hope the audience enjoys getting to watch us more closely and intimately. Especially with Infra, I interpret the piece to imbue a sort of universal love, that I hope can touch people in a way that they can relate it to their own experiences.
“After all, love is all we’ve got.”
Photo credit: Andrej Uspenski
Since its first production, our company has sought to nurture new works and artists alongside bringing world class dancers together to delight audiences around the world, how important are companies and galas such as ours?
I believe that galas like this are really important, not only because they allow audiences to see us outside our usual environments, but also because they give dancers the chance to experience other artists’ work and be inspired by different forms of expression. I think that’s what makes an artist so special, the variety of influences they absorb throughout their career.
“Opportunities like this allow us to learn from one another, grow creatively, and continue evolving as artists.”
Photo credit: Andrej Uspenski
The Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance in Bath will be performing a new work inspired by nature and the grounds, how important is it to provide performance opportunities such as these, to the next generation of young dancers?
I think performance opportunities like this aren’t just important for the younger generation, they’re absolutely essential. They not only gain invaluable experience performing on stage in a variety of works, but they also have the chance to share the space with more experienced artists and be inspired not just by our dancing, but by the knowledge, perspective, and experience we’ve built throughout our careers.
“I think those exchanges are incredibly valuable and play an important role in shaping the next generation of artists.”
Photo credit: Andrej Uspenski
Your career has been meteoric, with new debuts this year. With all the experience you have garnered over the years, what do you hope to bring to this year's performance?
What I hope to bring to this year’s Hatch House gala is the same thing I hope to bring to every performance: honesty and authenticity.
“For me, dance is about genuine connection—telling a story and communicating something truthful through movement. If I can leave the audience feeling something real, then I’ve done my job.”
What would be your dream role to dance next? Or have you danced them all?
One of the next roles I’m hoping to take on is Des Grieux in Manon. It’s one of my favourite ballets, and it’s a role I’ve dreamed of dancing for a long time. Beyond that, I’d also love the opportunity to create new works and originate roles. There’s something incredibly exciting about being part of the creative process from the very beginning and helping to bring a new character or story to life.
Can you tell us three things people may not know about you?
Three things people might not know about me are that I absolutely love trains, I’m currently studying for a university degree alongside dancing with The Royal Ballet, and my favourite colour is green… anything inspired by nature, really.
Photo credit: Andrej Uspenski
Interview with Ksenia Ovsyanick
It is with abject delight that we welcome Ksenia Ovsyanick and her husband Zdenek Konvalina to our 2026 Ballet Under the Stars stage. Taking time out from rehearsing Romeo & Juliet for another open air gala in the Czech Republic, Ksenia shares her thoughts on the 20 year legacy of Covent Garden Dance.
It is with abject delight that we welcome Ksenia Ovsyanick and her husband Zdenek Konvalina to our 2026 Ballet Under the Stars stage. The first time that they have performed together at Hatch House since 2019 - an unforgettable night.
Taking time out from rehearsing Romeo & Juliet for an open air gala in the Czech Republic, Ksenia shares her thoughts on the 20 year legacy of Covent Garden Dance.
Ksenia is a Belarusian–born British ballet dancer and international performing artist. An award winning Principal Dancer with Staatsballett Berlin from 2016 to 2024, she now performs internationally across classical and contemporary repertoire, collaborating with choreographers and artists across disciplines.
Ksenia began her career with the English National Ballet, where she performed her first Giselle at the age of 20. She is currently Associate Guest Artist with English National Ballet and Resident Principal Dancer with National Theatre Brno. Ksenia trained at the Belarusian State Ballet College and later continued her studies at the English National Ballet School, following a scholarship awarded by the Prix de Lausanne.
Photo credit: Vivian Young
Your career has been meteoric, and you have also become a mother. With all the experience you have garnered over the years, what do you hope to bring to this year's performance and how has being a mother shaped you as a dancer?
Becoming a mother has definitely made me appreciate more than ever how important it is to value every moment. In a way, that's something I hope to bring to this year's performances as well.
As a performer, it is important to me that every moment and every movement tells its story, and I hope through that through the audience will get drawn into the journey of the pieces from beginning to end.
What made you want to return to the Covent Garden Dance Company for another production?
I always enjoy coming back to perform with the Covent Garden Dance Company. It’s an unique event that brings together high-quality art and a very special setting, nature and atmosphere.
I was actually involved in some of the company’s very early productions and have returned many times since. Every experience has been memorable, and it’s always a pleasure to be part of it again.
Photo credit: Jakub Jira
It is our 20th anniversary and our final year at Hatch House, how would you describe the ethos of the company and the atmosphere of performing at the venue?
Performing outdoors and in unconventional settings always comes with a lot of challenges.
Bringing a production like this together requires adaptability, patience, courage, and a simply strong desire to deliver a beautiful evening.
And I think everybody involved in this production has always delivered that. I think that spirit has always been at the heart of Covent Garden Dance, and I think Matt always chooses to work with extraordinary people. There’s a wonderful atmosphere both on and off stage.
Photo credit: Andrea Mascolo - Ksenia & Zdenek dancing in Dubai in 2019
How long have you and Zdenek been married and what will you be performing in July?
We are going to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary soon, and we are excited to bring back to Hatch House a wonderful piece “Cello” by Nacho Duato and a piece “Lightness of Being” that I choreographed for the two of us.
How important are companies and galas such as these?
They help broaden the audience for ballet and dance, allow people to experience a diverse range of repertoire in a single evening and perhaps discover work they might not otherwise encounter. They also bring ballet a little out of the box. Seeing dance in such close proximity and in a more intimate setting allows audiences to experience different sides of ballet and dance, and to connect with the artform in a different way.
Photo credit: Serghei Gerchiu
This year, we have Viola Pantuso & Joseph Sissens, Xander Parish & Joy Womack, Myriam Ould Braham and Mickaël Lafon and Zai Calliste and Taela Graff performing alongside you and Zdenek, who are you most looking to watching?
It is going to be a beautiful programme, as each of these artists brings something interesting and unique. I hope I will get a chance to sneak out to watch each of the pieces in the evening!
A local dance school of young dancers will also be performing a new work. They have watched three years of Hatch House rehearsals including several pieces you performed, how important is it to provide performance opportunities such as these to the next generation?
It's such a beautiful initiative, and I believe it will prove to be an invaluable experience for young dancers. I’m sure performing in itself is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow, but also sharing the stage with professional dancers and seeing the process up close I hope will be encouraging and inspiring for them.
What would be your dream role to dance next? Or have you danced them all?
There are still so many! It is always the next one!
Photo credit: SigneRoderik - Hatch House 2016
Can you tell us something people may not know about you?
I have business and economics degree. I cannot ride a bike!
What are your hopes for the future of Covent Garden Dance’s at our new venue of Charlotte’s Lake?
I hope it continues to inspire both the audience and the dancers who come to perform.
Photo credit: Andrea Mascolo - Ballet Under the Stars, Dubai 2019
From tiny acorns, mighty forests grow
We are delighted to announce the commission of a new work, created by the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance, Bath. We interviewed Annette Hind, third generation Principal of the school about the piece, its inspiration and the role Covent Garden Dance has played in the school’s annual training programme.
For 20 years, the Covent Garden Dance Company has sought to offer its audiences abroad and in the UK, unique access to watch world class artists and world premières, alongside inspiring new generations of dancers to create and showcase their passion for dance.
In this, our 20th year, and our final performance at Hatch House, we are bringing Étoiles and young dancers together on the same Harlequin stage, in a celebration of the uniquely emotional connections, only dance can encapsulate
Photo credit: Marina Feldman Photography & Amber Dower Hunt
We are therefore delighted to announce the commission of a new piece entitled The statue of affinity created by the celebrated Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance, Bath. We interviewed Annette Hind, third generation Principal of the 100+year old dance school about the piece, its inspiration and the role Covent Garden Dance has played in the school’s annual training programme.
First, about the school…
Born out of an indignance at Mr Whittle’s refusal to let his daughter join the stage with Gracie Fields, Dorothy aged just 14, founded ‘The Dainty Dots’ dance school in a church hall in Portsmouth. A born performer, and a bright and determined young woman, Dorothy married naval man Alan Coleborn in 1934 and after setting up dance schools as far afield as London and Scotland, the family settled in Bath in 1941.
During the war, Dorothy didn’t let rationing dampen spirits. Home dyed tracing cloth was transformed into eclectic costumes for morale boosting performances, with Dorothy playing the piano whilst instructing her students over the top of her music.
By the time Dorothy reached retirement, both her daughter Annabel and her granddaughter Annette had taken up the running of the school. Ready to take the next grand jeté into expansion, in 1993, Dorothy's daughter, Annabel and Granddaughter, Annette moved the dance school from the family home to the purpose-built, spacious studios at Englishcombe Court. Today, over 100 years after its founding and with her own daughter a member of the Royal Swedish Ballet Company - Annette, continues the family legacy, proudly leading a fantastic team to teach the next generation of students ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop and modern.
I
n September, the school will have 23 students training as Associates with the Royal Ballet School and is also an affiliate school of English National Ballet’s Ballet Futures programme.
How long have you been coming to Hatch House as audience members and what impact has watching the rehearsals of this local production had upon the children?
As a dance school we have been bringing students to watch the Ballet Under the Stars rehearsals for the past four years. It has been wonderful to watch the children be inspired by some of their dancing idols. Being able to watch the artists warm up, run technical and dress rehearsals on such a personal level is magical. It has become a favourite day in the Dorothy Coleborn calendar.
Dorothy Coleborn dance students watching the rehearsal at Hatch House in 2023
What do you like about the ethos of the Covent Garden Dance Company?
Many ballet galas have traditionally been very exclusive; the high prices mean many families simply cannot afford to take their children to watch artists such as those making up the Covent Garden Dance Company. I think the ethos of CGDC is different; by offering a matinee or rehearsal in exchange for a donation to a sister charity that supports new artists and new works, you are opening up the doors not only to people who already love dance, but to those who may not have accessed that world before.
Children have long memories and being bewitched by the beauty and artistry of a world class performance lasts a lifetime.
Do you have a favourite memory of bringing the students to the rehearsals?
It has to be when the dancers are in their warm up clothes and then they reappear in their beautiful costumes. The children feel they are part of a process that no one else sees.
Dorothy Coleborn dance students watching the rehearsal at Hatch House in 2024
It is the 20th anniversary of the Company and across the years multiple new works and new artists have been given a spotlight alongside international stars, what does this opportunity to present a new work mean for the students and the school?
This is the second time that we have been commissioned to perform for the Company. Previously our dancers performed an existing piece of our own repertoire for the Dicky Buckle fundraiser. This time, the invitation to create a new piece and share the stage with such world-renowned artists over four days is an incredible honour.
Commissioning new works is vital to the sustainability and longevity of the art. In an era that is witnessing an unprecedented surge of AI, never has there been a bigger reason to innovate, celebrate and nurture new artists and talent.
Ballet Under the Stars is offering our dance school the opportunity to share our creativity and teaching with others, we pride ourselves on the success of our students; not just by the number of successful auditions but on the life skills that performance and craft encourage.
What is the piece about?
To complement the beauty of the location, the ballet is set in a walled garden in the early 1900’s. At its centre stands a mysterious statue while children play happily around it. One curious little girl becomes fascinated by the statue and studies it with wonder and kindness. Gradually through their quiet connection, the statue begins to trust the little girl, and an enchanting friendship starts to blossom.
What inspired the piece?
Over the past four years of watching the Ballet Under the Stars rehearsals in the stunning gardens of Hatch House - both rain and shine (!) we have been inspired by the surroundings, by the wonder of children and by the unique connections that people make when watching a dance performance. My vision was to bring all these aspects together in this piece.
How excited are the children?
Oh my goodness, can you even imagine how excited they already are? This is an incredible opportunity for them - not just performing at a venue this stunning, and in terms of working really hard together to try and emulate excellence, but also the behind-the-scenes friendships they are forming and will go on to cherish. To dance in front of a garden full of people who love dance will be so exciting for them. They are a passionate and expressive group eager to share the narrative with the audience and each other through the choreography.
What do you hope the audience take away from the piece or feel as it is performed?
I hope that the audience will feel inspired by the children's performances. To witness a future generation of dancers on the same stage as some of the greatest dancers in the world is an emotional concept. Everybody starts somewhere and I hope the audience feels their excitement and love for self expression through dance.
Who knows, this opportunity could lead to a wonderful career in any walk of life; it takes pride, confidence and enthusiasm to put yourself on a stage of this kind, so whether they grow into CEOs, good parents or Prima Ballerinas, it is preparation, hard work and performances like this that plant the seed.
Who are you most looking forward to watching this year?
Zai Calliste - We watched him on the Hatch House stage last year at a time when he had just reached the end of his training at the English National Ballet, and now he is in the ENB Company and has just won an Emerging Dancer Award for technical excellence!
“He is proof of the 20th Anniversary legacy of the Covent Garden Dance Company - it is all about giving a platform to new talent and offering audiences a broad and varied programme of repertoire and new works. That is what keeps ballet and dance alive.”
Interview with Viola Pantuso
Be the first to hear from Royal Ballet Soloist, Viola Pantuso and discover what she will be dancing at Ballet under the Stars, Hatch House 2026.
We are delighted to welcome back Viola Pantuso, Soloist of the Royal Ballet, to our 20th Anniversary, Ballet Under the Stars stage.
Since performing the world premiere of Calvin Richardson’s The Lighthouse at Hatch House in 2024, Viola’s rise through the Royal Ballet Company has been nothing short of meteoric.
Photo credit: Eva Nys
Chicago born dancer, Viola Pantuso, joined The Royal Ballet as an Aud Jebsen Young Dancer from the Royal Ballet School at the start of the 2021/2022 season and entered the Company as an Artist in the 2022/23 season, Viola was promoted to First Artist in 2024 and Soloist in 2025.
Pantuso's repertory with The Royal Ballet includes Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), Olga (Onegin), Perdita (The Winters Tale), Clara, Vivandière, Mirliton (The Nutcracker), Ren (MADDADDAM) and roles in Mayerling, Manon, Les Rendezvous, The Dream, Everyone Keeps Me and The Dante Project. She created roles in McGregor's Untitled, 2023 and Figures in a Landscape, Jessica Lang's Twinkle and Pam Tanowitz’s Secret Things and Or Forevermore. We have been delighted to support her career and to welcome Viola back to dance at Hatch House in July 2026.
What have you been working on recently?
The highlight of my season was performing the role of Princess Stephanie in Mayerling last month, which was a very special experience for me. At the moment, we are performing So Are We: León & Lightfoot at The Royal Ballet, featuring Shoot the Moon and Salle de danse. It’s been exciting to work on this piece and share the stage with a large amount of the company dancers for our final production of the season.
Photo credit: Magda Hoffman
What made you want to return to join the Covent Garden Dance Company, for a second time?
I have such special memories from dancing with CGDC a few summers ago alongside Marco Masciari. It was nice to make friends with dancers from different companies and I still look back on that experience very fondly. The reception from audiences was incredible, the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming, and there is something very special about performing in the beautiful countryside surroundings of Hatch House. The dancers are always looked after so well and returning felt like an easy decision.
Viola dancing Calvin Richardson’s The Lighthouse, with Marco Masciari at Hatch House in 2024
Photo credit: Alice Pennefather
It is our 20th anniversary and our final year at Hatch House. How would you describe the ethos of the company and the atmosphere of performing there?
CGDC has always felt like a celebration of both artistry and community. There is a genuine sense of support and camaraderie that makes it a very memorable performance experience.
The setting at Hatch House creates an intimate connection between the dancers, the audience and nature itself. It encourages artists to share their work in a very honest and personal way. As this is the final year at Hatch House, I think audiences and dancers alike will treasure those memories even more.
What will you be performing with Joseph Sissens?
Joe and I will be performing excerpts from Infra and Rhapsody.
Since performing at Hatch House in 2024, your career has been meteoric. What do you hope to bring to this year’s performance with Joe?
Joe and I first danced together in The Winter’s Tale by Christopher Wheeldon, which was also the production where I made my first major debut with The Royal Ballet. Since then we’ve become very close friends, and although we’ve shared the stage in various productions, we haven’t had many opportunities to dance together in this way since.
To come together for an evening like this feels very special. I hope we can bring our friendship, trust and shared enjoyment of dancing to the audience. It’s one we’re really looking forward to.
What do you hope the audience feels when watching you dance these two pieces?
I hope the audience feels a sense of freshness, excitement and genuine connection. Joe is one of my closest friends, and I think that friendship naturally comes through when we dance together. We want people to enjoy the energy between us and feel drawn into the joy of sharing these works on stage.
Photo credit: Isabella Turolla
Since its first production Covent Garden Dance has sought to foster new works and artists alongside bringing some of the most celebrated artists together to delight audiences around the world. How important are companies and galas such as these?
I think they are incredibly important. Dance is such a universal art form, and dancers from all backgrounds, styles and cultures deserve to be celebrated. Events like Ballet Under the Stars give audiences the chance to experience a wide range of artists in one place, while also creating opportunities for dancers to learn from one another.
It is an honour to perform alongside both established and young emerging artists in the ballet world. Every dancer brings something unique and deeply personal to their work, and bringing them together creates an experience that is inspiring for both audiences and performers.
Who are you most looking forward to sharing the stage with?
Honestly everyone! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and sharing the stage with some of them before, so it will be wonderful to reunite. Equally I’m excited to meet new artists and experience their work. One of the best parts of galas like this is discovering and appreciating each other’s artistry.
The local Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance will also be performing a new work inspired by nature just as you did in 2024. The same children watched that world première of Calvin’s work. How important is it to provide performance opportunities such as these for the next generation?
Photo credit: Alice Pennefather
It’s incredibly important. A dancer’s development is shaped in many different ways, and performing on stage is one of the most valuable experiences they can have. It builds confidence, teaches resilience and allows young dancers to discover who they are as performers.
What makes this project even more special is that it is inspired by the natural surroundings of Hatch House. Performing in such a beautiful environment will give the students endless inspiration and create memories they will carry with them throughout their training and careers. I hope they leave with a genuine love for creativity and performing.
What would your dream role to dance be?
Two of my ultimate dream roles are Mary Vetsera in Mayerling and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
However, one of my dreams is actually coming true next season, as I’ll have the enormous honour of dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker alongside Marcelino Sambé. It’s a role I’ve admired for as long as I can remember, so I feel incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity.
Photo credit: Carol Lancelloti
Tell us three things people don’t know about you.
Interestingly before ballet became my full-time focus, I was actually a World Champion Irish dancer, which always seems to surprise people!
I also moved to New York City at the age of 12 to pursue my ballet training. It was a huge step at such a young age, but it taught me independence, resilience and gave me experiences that have shaped both my career and who I am today.
Photo credit: Christopher Duggan.
And finally while ballet can be incredibly demanding and intense, I’ve always made it a priority to find joy and fun in what I do. No matter how hard I work or how much I push myself, I never want to lose sight of why I fell in love with dancing in the first place. Finding meaning, gratitude and enjoyment in every moment is something that’s very important to me.
Interview with Zai Calliste
Be the first to her from Emerging Artist award winner, Zai Calliste and discover what he will be dancing at Ballet under the Stars, Hatch House 2026.
We were delighted to be the first to interview Zai Calliste after receiving his Emerging Artist award on Thursday 28 May. We discussed his meteoric year and discovered how joining our stage alongside English National Ballet Principal Dancers Gareth Haw and Emma Hawes for Ballet Under the Stars 2025, made his transition from vocational to professional dancer feel seamless.
Photo credit: Isabella Turolla
Zai Calliste is an Artist with the English National Ballet. Originally from Australia, Zai trained at Annette Roselli's Dance Academy in Brisbane before crossing the pond to join the prestigious English National Ballet School. He joined the Covent Garden Dance Company for Ballet Under the Stars at Hatch House in July 2026 - his first professional performance after being accepted into the English National Ballet company. We have been delighted to support his career and to welcome him back to dance at Hatch House in July 2026.
Huge congratulations on your Emerging Artist award! How are you feeling.
Honestly, I am still in shock! I am ecstatic, shocked and happy. Tonight, I really felt in the moment, without stressing too much, and that’s something I’ve really tried to work on. I am very grateful for everyone who helped me.”
Photo credit: Isabella Turolla
Since performing at Hatch House in July last year, tell us what you have been doing and what are you currently working on.
Three things all at once! Romeo & Juliet, Sleeping Beauty and I have also been preparing for the ENB’s Emerging Dancer Award. It has always been a dream of mine and I am so honoured to have done it. As a result, I have been rehearsing Marius Petipa’s Le Talisman every day, working hard on building up the stamina as it is a full on pas de deux. It has been a massive learning curve, being coached by Carmen Picares and ENB principal, Gareth Haw who has also been coaching me.
Getting to know Gareth at Hatch House last year was amazing. We built a connection before company classes had even started, and it felt like I had a friend in the company as a new graduate, just at the right time, before I started the season.
I have also loved touring this year. At school you wait anxiously for that one performance, but since joining the company you get the change to dive deep into roles and bring something new to different audiences. That is important to me and why I chose ENB.
CGDC is turning 20 this year at Hatch House. How would you summarise the ethos of the company?
The ethos is exciting, fresh and supportive. Matt and the company really foster the art form and carry it forward whilst also maintaining the traditions of the art. Creating galas in new venues and bringing it to new audiences is so important.
Zai dancing at Hatch House in 2025 - photo credit: Alice Pennefather
What was it like performing at Hatch House last year?
It came as such a welcome surprise after graduating from the English National Ballet School. When Lynne Charles, told me about the invitation, I was so excited to do it. Ballet Under the Stars was my first professional gig out of ballet school.
The garden scenery is such an interesting place to dance and share the art form with new audiences outside of a theatre. It is not every day you get to dance in such a beautiful outdoor setting. It was so lovely to bring our art to an open space.
For me performing at Hatch House bridged the gap between professional and student and that opportunity was so important. I was able to see how the professionals prepare, get advice and watch their craft, that all helped me to start my journey.
How are you feeling about dancing at Ballet Under the Stars in its 20th anniversary year?
I am so excited to be asked to be back again. Hatch House 2025 was the highlight of my year last year. So this year, I am excited to show something different and new and hopefully bring a more mature performance.
Photo credit: Isabella Turolla
You will be performing alongside some world-renowned artists, what are you most looking forward to?
Connections honestly; just the fact that we all the share the same industry, you never know when it may be useful or valuable. Plus you get the chance to build lifelong partnerships and friendships. You also get to see how artists prepare and how they manage stress and anxiety, this is not something you are prepared for at school, to just step out in front of hundreds of thousands of people to do a solo or lead role.
Who are you most looking forward to sharing the stage with?
Hard question. I would say Viola Pantuso. We have met a lot through coincidences, through friends and she is so up and coming and so close in age to me, doing amazing things. Getting to share the stage with her will be incredible.
What will you be dancing?
As part of the ENB’s Emerging Artist Award, I have been preparing and rehearsing and will therefore be performing Marius Petipa’s Le Talisman, so Taela and I will dance this. We are also hoping to perform a new neo classical piece, that Taela and I would like to put to Matt. Finally, I will be dancing a solo piece called Nature boy by company member, Rentaro Nakaakai, which he has choreographed on me for Emerging Dancer.
As soon as the performances at Hatch are over, I start my second season at ENB, so I will going straight to bed and heading into rehearsals the next morning!
Photo credit - Isabella Turolla
What do you hope the audience at Ballet Under the Stars will feel when they watch you dance?
Moved and inspired. Ballet can be seen as out of people’s grasp, but in reality, we all feel emotions, and through ballet, we are all able to connect through the emotions portrayed through the body.
I hope to bring connection to the art on a deeper level and not allow it to be about how many good pirouettes we do.
Is ballet a dying art?
The impact of Timothée Chalamet’s statement can be interpreted in a few different ways – Firstly, it was a very shallow comment, especially given he was raised in a family in the industry, and he should reflect on that. It is easy to immediately go to the negative of everything, but what he did unknowingly was that he brought people back to the theatre and to watch ballet. I try and look at things positively.
Obviously my first reaction was we put our heart and soul into this art form and spend years tying to perfect it, but also thank you! For putting us back in the spotlight and reinvigorating the art with younger and diverse audiences!
Ballet is a tradition, it gets passed down and perhaps his comment being heard by younger generations will actually bring it to a wider and younger range of demographics; each with their own approach and each different age group bringing their own influence.
What would your favourite role to dance be?
Hmm, it’s really hard as I am still so new to all of them. I think, Carmen is the one I am most looking forward to performing in. I saw it when I was at the English National Ballet school and it was amazing.
Photo credit: Isabella Turolla
Tell us three things people don’t know about you.
A) I used to play rugby league when I went to ballet school in Australia.
B) I like fashion. For me it is another form of creativity and self-expression.
C) I love horror films – Conjuring 2 is my favourite!
Iconique - The Bahamas 2026 Programme
Our Iconique - Bahamas 2026 Programme is live! From classical to contemporary, iconic to commercial, there is something to delight every dance connoisseur and novice alike. Read on and book your seats before it is too late.
After 12 months of planning, we are so delighted to share our full Iconique, 2026 programme with you.
From a world première to iconic classical, commercial to contemporary, there is something to delight every dance novice and dance connoisseur alike.
Read on and book your seats before it is too late.
Don’t forget to share the love of dance - Inspire the next generation Book Matinée Tickets
Mickaël Lafon reveals all…
Paris Opéra Ballet, Sujét, Mickaël Lafon reveals all in this video. Discover what he and Myriam Ould Braham will be dancing at Iconique 2026.
Photo credit: Julien Benhamou
Partners in life, and on the stage, for the first time Paris Opéra Ballet, Sujét, Mickaël Lafon and Etoile, Myriam Ould Braham, will be performing a pas de deux from a new piece entitled DRIFT WOOD by Imre & Marne van Opstal. This unique piece has only been performed before in France, but will soon grace our stage at Iconique 2026 as an international première.
Photo credit: Alice Pennefather
Scroll down to discover what else this exceptional couple will be dancing at Iconique, The Bahamas and preview this stunning new work.
Click below to watch a sneak preview of DRIFT WOOD.
Read our interview with Etoile, Myriam Ould Braham to discover more about what this iconic ballet couple will be dancing.
Mickaël Lafon & Myriam Ould Braham dancing at Hatch House in July 2023. Photo credit: Alice Pennefather.
Interview with Sara Mearns
Ahead of Iconique 2026, we caught up with Principal dancer of the New York City Ballet, Sarah Mearns to discover more about what excites her most about performing in The Bahamas.
After bravely sharing her story of her hearing loss with the world, we caught up with Principal of the New York City Ballet, Sara Mearns, ahead of her performances at Iconique 2026 on 6th and 7th March.
Photo credit: Mark Mann.
About Sara Mearns
Sara Mearns is one of the most celebrated ballerinas of her generation and a Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, she trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet and the School of American Ballet before joining New York City Ballet in 2006. She was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2008, at just 22 years old. Renowned for her musical sensitivity, dramatic depth, and commanding stage presence, Mearns is particularly acclaimed for her interpretations of Balanchine and Robbins, as well as for her work with leading contemporary choreographers, including Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, and Pam Tanowitz. Her repertoire spans classical, neoclassical, and modern works, earning her widespread critical praise. Mearns has received numerous honours, including the Princess Grace Award and the Benois de la Danse.
What have you been working on recently, both professionally and personally?
I have been performing in New York City Ballet’s winter season and also working with Jodi Melnick on our full evening work, SuperBloom, that’s happening on March 27th and 28th at the 92st Y at the Harkness Center for Dance in New York. I’m also working on advocating for mental health in dancers and hearing loss in young people.
Sara Mearns advocating for hearing loss awareness
Have you danced in the Bahamas before? What excites you most about performing at Iconique 2026?
I have never danced or even travelled to the Bahamas before! This is all very exciting for me to experience the island and this gala.
You will be partnering with Robbie Fairchild - have you danced together before and if so where and what did you perform?
Robbie and I have known each other for over 20 years now and have performed together for almost the same amount of time. We of course performed at NYCB together, we have toured together, we have danced Twyla Tharp together, we have done it all. He is truly the best.
Photo credit: Sarah Silver.
What do you hope you leave the audience feeling as a result of watching you perform?
I never want to tell the audience how to feel or give them a preconceived notion of how they should feel when they watch dance. Every time I go out there, I feel something different, I dance it a different and new way, no show is ever the same for me, and I want the audience to feel whatever they need to when they are there. It’s all about being in the moment, fully, and without pressure.
You will be dancing alongside some stars of the international world of dance, who are you most looking forward to sharing the stage with?
I have always admired the dancers from the Royal Ballet in London, I think they are just the most beautiful, so I’m really looking forward to watching them from the wings.
Photo credit: Sarah Silver.
What will you be working on after Iconique?
Again, my project with Jodi Melnick, then NYCB’s spring season comes in April and may so will be working hard on that.
Can you share three things that people may not know about you?
- I have raced an F1 Ferrari road car at the Indi race course, and I love it.
- I have 50 percent hearing loss in both ears and perform with hearing aids in.
- I am a classical music fanatic.
Robbie Fairchild returns to Iconique
Ahead of Iconique 2026, we caught up with Robbie Fairchild to hear why he is excited to return to the Covent Garden Dance Company stage and reveal who he will be dancing with.
Since appearing at Iconique 2025, Robbie Fairchild has had an incredible year. We caught up with him ahead of his return to the Covent Garden Dance Company performances at Iconique 2026, to discover more about why Robbie is excited to return to The Bahamas on 6th and 7th March 2026.
Tell us all about your recent return to American in Paris, Robbie.
Being back on stage in an American in Paris, in Switzerland was so incredible. To be doing it 10 years later with Christopher Wheeldon, there working with me, (we hadn’t worked together on it on the show since 2017 when I did in London last); that was so special. Special to see how we have both changed - him as a Director, me as a performer and an actor - it meant the world to me to have that experience.
What have you done since your return from Geneva?
I have been straight into rehearsals for an evening of dance and song with The American Pops Orchestra that performs on February 3rd in Washington DC, in a non Trump affiliated theatre! We are working with Broadway dancers and it’s been really fun choreographing.
Why did you want to return to dance at Iconique 2026?
I wanted to return to Iconique, because there is something so special about the cultural exchange with the Bahamians, they are so kind, so sweet and to bring what we do in our part of our world to that gorgeous island, felt really wonderful and I am so happy to do it again.
Lauren Cuthbertson, Royal Ballet & Robbie Fairchild - Iconique 2026
Photo credit: Eddy Raphael
What was your favourite moment from Iconique 2025?
Getting to dance with Lauren Cuthbertson. She and I have been friends for almost a decade and had never danced together. We both dance Christopher Wheeldon stuff so often, so to get to do that together; her from London, me from New York, it was really, really special.
Photo credit: Eddy Raphael.
How would you describe the Iconique guest experience?
Wonderful! From what I know, guests have a beautiful three course dinner and between each course they get to see an incredible programme of works performed by this fabulous cast of dancers. And all in the Bahamas! What more could you want from an evening?!
Tell us who you will be partnering at Iconique 2026.
I will be dancing with Sara Mearns because she and I dance together a lot. We danced at New York City Ballet a lot and we have a Christopher Wheeldon pas de deux that is beautiful, that I thought would be perfect at Iconique. We have danced before at New York City Center, in Mexico, in Vale, the list goes on.
Sara Mearns and Robbie Fairchild dancing at New York City Center
Photo credit: Christopher Duggan
Robbie Fairchild coaching Royal Ballet Principals in The Two of Us, the piece he will dance with Sara Mearns at Iconique 2026.
What are you most looking forward to about Iconique 2026.
Seeing friends I made there last year; the hosts that we stayed with, seeing Matt (CGDC Director) again, seeing how this all comes about every year with the people who show up to make art in a beautiful place.
What do you prefer - the time on or behind stage more?
It’s both. It is all of it. It is meeting new people, seeing what they do and seeing what they do in other parts of the world and how we have a shared experience on stage and behind the scenes. It really is the full experience of it, that I love. I love the adventure of meeting new people.
Read our 2025 interview with Robbie Fairchild
Interview with Florent Melac
In this interview with Principal Dancer of the Paris Opéra Ballet, Florent Melac, we discover what inspired his creation of Moonlight; soon to be performed by Lauren Cuthbertson and Gareth Haw at Ballet Under The Stars 2025.
In the middle of his performances at the Nervi International Ballet Festival, Italy, we caught up with Principal Dancer of the Paris Opéra Ballet, Florent Melac, to discover what inspired his creation of Moonlight; soon to be performed by Lauren Cuthbertson and Gareth Haw at Ballet Under The Stars 2025.
Photo credit: Julien Benhamou
Florent Melac entered the Paris Opéra Ballet school in 2005, and was admitted into the Paris Opéra Ballet company in 2010, he was promoted Coryphée in 2014, Sujet in 2019 and Premier Danseur in 2023.
He regularly performs in a wide variety of repertoire from great classical pieces to contemporary creations:, Le Lac des Cygnes, Roméo et Juliette, Cinderella, la Bayadère, La Belle au Bois Dormant, Casse-noisette (R. Noureev), Caligula, (N. Leriche), Coppélia, Giselle (P. Bart), La Fille Mal Gardée (F. Ashton), Un Jour ou Deux. (M. Cunningham), Paquita, (P. Lacotte), L’Histoire de Manon, (K. MacMillan), Thèmes et Variations, (G. Balanchine), Prince Crown Rudolf in Mayerling (K.MacMillan), the role of Eugene Oneguine in Oneguine (J.Cranko), Rhapsody (F.Ashton), l’Oiseau de Feu (M.Béjart), le Chant du Compagnon Errant (M.Béjart), main part in Blake Works I (William Forsythe), Polyphonia and After The Rain, (C. Wheeldon), Alea Sands and L’Anatomie de la Sensation, (W. McGregor), the classical duet Play (A.Ekman), the creations of Daphnis et Chloé and La nuit s’achève (Benjamin Millepied)
Beside his work at Paris Opéra, Florent frequently performs in galas in France and around the world. Florent Melac is also known as a choreographer of pieces such as A Corps Essence (ballet for 15 dancers and two soloists created at Toronto National’s Ballet School, Paris Opéra Ballet and Stuttgart Staatstheater), Melancholia Splenica (ballet for two couples created at Paris Opéra), Après un Rêve (Pas de Deux created for the Jean-Jacques Henner Museum in Paris) and the pas de deux Opus 27 that he performed with Agnès Letestu in Jean Vilar Theatre in Suresnes, and Theatre du Vesinet. In July 2020 the Modigliani Quartet ask him to choreograph for himself and with Agnes Letestu the Quatuor de Ravel to be performed all together in the Evian Music Festival. In March 2021 Anselm Kiefer asked him to choreograph a piece to illustrate his paintings. It was performed by Hugo Marchand and Hannah O’Neill in his exhibition at the Gagosian gallery. In March 2022 Jean-Marc Luisada (Famous French Pianist) asked him to choreograph Six Mazurkas of Chopin for him to perform at his concert at the Guimet Museum in Paris. In May 2023, he created for the Auditorium of Orsay Museum a new work for Hannah O’Neill and himself on the complete Piano adaptation of Daphnis et Chloé of Ravel.
Photo credit: Érik Sowaya
What have you been working on recently, Florent?
I recently worked on Sylvia by Manuel Legris! The first ballet performed for the opening of the Opéra Garnier in 1971 and recently revisited by Manuel Legris. I danced the role of Orion. A very interesting character because he is crucial for understanding the ballet's narrative, but also because he possesses a strong presence throughout the ballet. I enjoyed this role because Manuel Legris was able to add complexity to the character compared to the original version, and of course, it's always more enriching as an artist!
I also recently worked with the London City Ballet as choreographer for a new work where my duet "Moonlight" is also featured. Christopher Marney, the Artistic Director, wanted this duet to be part of his new season, but he wished to complement it with a second part in order to create a new piece in its own right. I really enjoyed working with his company and his dancers. It is a new company full of passion and talent that is likely to generate a lot of buzz!
Can you tell us what your favourite role is to dance?
The role I most love to interpret is undoubtedly Prince Rudolf in MacMillan's Mayerling. Once again, in my opinion, the complexity of the character makes it one of the most beautiful male roles in the ballet repertoire. The sequences of pas de deux with his five different partners, as well as the numerous variations of an uniquely styled dance each time, make it the most challenging role! Not to mention the music of Liszt; the most beautiful of composers and whose melodies pierce our hearts!
Photo credit: Maria Helena Buckley
When did you begin your journey into choreography?
I started choreography very early, at 15 years old. I began dancing with an incredible teacher who encouraged us to create through improvisation. And once I joined the Paris Opéra ballet school, the curriculum and the discipline of training left me no room for the imagination of movement. I then jumped at the first opportunities that came my way to regain that sense of creation that I had missed so much. I generally draw inspiration, like most choreographers I think, from music. It is my main driving force! But also, of course, from the dancers I have in front of me. Even though most of the time I choreograph and perform my pas de deux. I actually created Moonlight with Clémence Gross, who is Sujet (Soloist) of the Paris Opéra, while also creating the piece on myself.
Moonlight will be performed at Hatch House, July 2025 by Lauren Cuthbertson and Gareth Haw, what was your inspiration when creating the piece?
Moonlight was created very quickly for the event (Draft Works) organised by the Royal Ballet in London. As is often the case, I created my pas de deux by being inspired by the music. This is a reinterpretation of Beethoven's famous Moonlight Sonata. But this version is not for piano; it is performed by a string quartet. The sounds are much deeper and create an atmosphere that I find almost mysterious and, above all, much more enchanting.
What do you hope people feel, whilst watching Moonlight being performed?
I hope the audience will appreciate the fluidity of the movements and the musicality of the choreography. Through the sequences of circular and complex lifts, I like the idea that they represent the wave's movement on a slightly tumultuous sea. Obviously under the moonlight! It is no coincidence that a German poet, shortly after the composition of this piece, decided to give it this nickname, because he saw, in the first movement of this sonata, the evocation of a 'boat in the moonlight'.
Photo credit: Julien Benhamou
How does it make you feel to receive requests to dance Moonlight from other iconic dancers from across the channel?
I am obviously very happy with the success that this duet has had. And extremely grateful to the people who were able to appreciate it. It is an honour for me that such a prestigious dancer as Lauren Cuthbertson will interpret this duet. I could not have dreamed of anything better.
Many children will be watching the rehearsal of Moonlight, what do you hope it makes them feel?
It is often very hard to maintain a child's concentration; they can easily be distracted by many things! Above all, I hope that this duet provides them with a moment of escape; that is the most important thing for me! And that they manage to appreciate its integrity, also why not create a new passion and give them the desire to dance!
Interview with Joy Womack
After the red carpet rounds of the Amazon Prime hit series, Étoile and performing with Xander Parish in Italy, we interviewed Joy Womack to discover more about her upcoming appearance at Hatch House.
After the red carpet rounds of the Amazon Prime hit series, Étoile, and performing Firebird with Xander Parish in Italy, we had the delight of interviewing Joy Womack to discover more about her upcoming appearances with Covent Garden Dance Company.
Joy Womack is an internationally acclaimed American ballerina based in Paris. She made history as the first American woman to join the Bolshoi Ballet as a full company member after graduating from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy.
At age 19, she became a principal dancer with the Kremlin Ballet, launching an international career that has taken her to major stages across Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States.
A prizewinner at prestigious competitions including the Varna International Ballet Competition, the Moscow International Ballet Competition, and the Korea International Ballet Competition, Joy has performed leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire.
Photo credit: Jon Taylor
As well as appearing as a featured dancer on the Amazon Prime series Étoile, Joy’s life has been the subject of two films: Joy Womack: The White Swan (a documentary) and Joika (a Hollywood adaptation of her story). In 2025, Joy released her memoir Behind the Red Curtain, co-written with journalist Elizabeth Shockman, offering a rare and honest look inside the world of elite ballet.
Joy is the founder of the Joy Womack Ballet Foundation (JWBF), a non-profit organisation committed to supporting emerging dancers through scholarships, outreach, and cultural exchange. JWBF also produces The Joy of Dance, a gala concert series with live music that brings world-class ballet to new audiences while raising funds for artistic and humanitarian causes.
Can you please tell us what you have been rehearsing or performing?
I was thrilled to recently perform in Xander Parish’s Ballet Russes production in Florence as part of the New Generation Festival in 2025. It was a joy to dance works such as Chopiniana, Firebird, and the Tarantella from Raymonda. I also took part in an international festival in the Philippines, where I performed Roland Petit’s Carmen Pas de Deux and the second act of Swan Lake as the White Swan. I’m now eagerly preparing for Iconique at The Island House, Bahamas.
How was it stepping onto the Étoile stage? What was your favourite moment during filming?
Bringing ballet to the screen was both a wonderful challenge and a rewarding experience. One of my favourite moments was filming the gala scene at the Théâtre de la Chalet in Paris. I also loved working with Amy and Dan on a scene where I got to deliver a line in Russian. It was great fun to explore character work on camera.
Photo credit: Bjorn Bonig
What motivated you to join the Covent Garden Dance Company for Ballet Under The Stars at Hatch House 2025 and Iconique 2026?
I was incredibly touched by the invitation. I’ve long admired the dancers who have performed with the Covent Garden Dance Company in years past, and it feels like a dream come true to share the stage with Xander Parish for a third time. I have not had the privilege of performing in the UK often, and dancing for British and Bahamian audiences holds a special place in my heart.
What are you most looking forward to about performing at Hatch House and The Island House, The Bahamas?
I’m especially excited to perform for new audiences in such a unique setting. There’s something wonderful about dancing in a setting that feels rich in history. Being part of a performance series that is building a meaningful legacy is an honour. I look forward to meeting people who truly love and support ballet.
Photo credit: Masha Kulch
What will you be performing, and with whom?
I’ll be dancing Remember Me by Sofya Gaydukova and Firebird; both alongside Xander Parish.
Why did you choose these pieces?
Xander has a wonderful artistic eye, and I was excited to take on the repertoire he proposed. Firebird is rarely performed in the West, and I think it’s important to keep these historic works alive. Given that both Xander and I spent significant time performing in Russia, it feels especially meaningful to bring a piece like Firebird to new audiences.
When you’re dancing these works, how do they make you feel—and what do you hope the audience feels?
Firebird is a new role for me, so I’ve been immersed in the process of researching the character and shaping my own interpretation. I hope the audience feels the richness of these pieces; the tradition, the emotion, and the storytelling behind the steps.
At Hatch House, you’ll be performing alongside wonderful artists from all over the world—who are you most looking forward to watching?
It’s such a privilege to be surrounded by so many inspiring dancers. I remember seeing Sarah Lamb perform years ago at the Kremlin Ballet International Festival—her work ethic and artistry left a lasting impression, and I’m excited to see her again. I’ve also admired Lauren Cuthbertson for years, so to watch her live is a dream. I hear I’ll be dancing Rose Adagio with William Bracewell as one of my cavaliers, and I’m really looking forward to working together.
Many children will attend the rehearsal —how important are opportunities like this for the next generation of dancers?
Seeing live dance as a child is essential. It develops artistic sensitivity and shows young people what’s possible. Sadly, fewer children today have the chance to attend live performances, so initiatives like this are incredibly important. Giving children access to professional dance helps communicate the value of the arts and may even spark the dreams of the next generation of performers.
What is your favourite role to dance?
So far, I would say Romeo and Juliet and Giselle have been my favourites. A dream role for the future would be Raymonda or Manon.
Can you tell us three things people may not know about you?
I come from a family of nine children.
I have a toy poodle named Rachmaninov—named after my favourite composer.
And I absolutely love to host dinner parties and cook for friends and family.
Interview with Gareth Haw
From Welsh roots to childhood dreams realised, discover what English National Ballet Lead Principal, Gareth Haw is most looking forward to when performing at Hatch House this July.
Photo credit: Andrew Seidel
Welsh born, Gareth Haw, trained in Chepstow before joining the Royal Ballet Lower and Upper School. Upon graduation, Gareth joined the Semperoper Ballett Dresden in 2015, where he grew through the ranks, before joining the English National Ballet as a First Soloist in 2023. He was promoted to Principal in 2024 and Lead Principal in Spring 2025.
Gareth has danced Principal roles in Watkin and Smith’s Nutcracker; Watkin’s Swan Lake, La Bayadere and Sleeping Beauty; Watkin and Beechey’s The Nutcracker; Dawson’s Giselle. Soloist roles in Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Symphony in C, and Four Temperaments; Forsythe’s The Second Detail, Artifact, and New Suite; Graham’s Errand into the Maze; Inger’s Walking Mad, and Carmen; Bausch’s Iphigenia auf Tauris; Ashton’s The Dream; Peck’s Heatscape; Ekman’s COW. His created roles include Paris, in Dawson’s Romeo and Juliet; Winter Principal Couple in Dawson’s The Four Seasons.
Gareth, can you tell us what you are currently rehearsing and performing?
I have been pretty busy of late performing as the Prince in Sleeping Beauty and I have just returned from Romania where I performed Giselle Act II and Metamorphosis by David Dawson. I also had the honour of performing the UK première of Slingerland Duet by William Forsythe.
Photo credit: Yoonsik Kim
What made you decide to join the Covent Garden Dance Company and perform at Hatch House this July?
I have been following CGDC for the past two years and really love the ethos. In February I was unable to join the Bahamas cast, but there was no way I could turn down the opportunity to dance with Lauren Cuthbertson. There is only one answer to that question! I have idolised her since I was in school and it was a dream opportunity.
What will you and Lauren be dancing?
We will be performing a double debut! We are both very keen to dance Le Parc as we saw the Paris Opera Ballet performing it a long time ago. We also will be performing Florent Melac’s beautiful piece Moonlight. There is such meaning behind both works that we both wanted to perform them for the first time.
What do you hope people feel when watching you?
If we manage to captivate an audience for a brief moment in time, enable them to forget the day to day, we will have done our job.
Photo credit: Yoonsik Kim
What excites you most about performing at Hatch House?
I love that it is not a conventional setting. Being outdoors rather than in a standard theatre in a big city, brings a different energy to the performance, it changes the atmosphere of the piece and it brings a different style of performance. I can’t wait.
You’ll be performing alongside some incredible artists, who are you most excited to watch?
William Bracewell. He is an extremely unique artist and what he represents as a male dancer is unique; he makes every role his own. It helps that he is also from Wales! I think we are the only two Welsh Principal dancers and that is something lovely. I am a massive fan and have been since I first saw him dance when I was 9 years old. It will be a full circle moment to dance alongside William.
Many children will be coming to watch the rehearsal on the 24th July - how important are these opportunities for future generations of dancers?
I experienced that thrill of watching professional dancers on stage when I was little. I grew up in rural Wales and I remember when I first watched the Royal Ballet perform. It is so important that we branch out of cities to expose a younger generation, include and inspire them. It is our responsibility to ensure ballet is not an elitist form but an accessible art.
What is your favourite role to dance?
I have performed as Albrecht in Giselle recently and it is a key pillar in classical ballet but it also explored the human emotional journey. Male dancers are often in white tights, but Albrecht’s emotional journey allows us to dance with freedom. Albrecht is my favourite role.
Can you share something people don’t know about you?
Before ballet, I was a slalom ski racer and I speak fluent German!
Interview with William Bracewell
After an unforgettable run of dancing Romeo to Marianela Nunez’s Juliet, we had the great privilege of interviewing Royal Ballet Principal Dancer, William Bracewell, before he joins us on stage at Hatch House 2025.
After an unforgettable run of dancing Romeo to Marianela Nunez’s Juliet, we had the great privilege of interviewing Royal Ballet Principal Dancer, William Bracewell, before he dives down the rabbit hole into Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Photo credit: Unknown
Welsh dancer William Bracewell joined The Royal Ballet as a Soloist in 2017 and was promoted to First Soloist in 2018, Principal in 2022. Born in Swansea. William trained at the Pamela Miller Ballet School and, from the age of 11, at The Royal Ballet School. Whilst a student, he won the 2007 Young British Dancer of the Year Award and the grand prix at the 2010 Youth America Grand Prix. He joined Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2010, promoted to first artist in 2012 and to soloist in 2014.
His repertory with The Royal Ballet and BRB includes Des Grieux, Oberon, Polixenes and Florizel (The Winter's Tale) Lead roles in Requiem, The Dante Project, Hamlet and Ophelia, Romeo, Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Prince (The Nutcracker), Franz (Coppélia), Oberon (The Dream), The Prince (Cinderella), Ferdinand (The Tempest), Salamander Prince (David Bintley’s The Prince of the Pagodas), First Seminarian (Carmina Burana), Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty) pas de six (Giselle), Rajah/Caterpillar (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland), Ted Feltham (The Unknown Soldier), Kulygin (Winter Dreams), Beliaev (A Month in the Country), Dr John Brown (Like Water for Chocolate) and roles in Woolf Works, Dances at a Gathering, Symphonic Variations, Tombeaux, Obsidian Tear, Les Rendezvous, Elite Syncopations, ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café, Theme and Variations, Untouchable, Sylvia, Asphodel Meadows, Corybantic Games and DGV: Danse à grande vitesse.
William Bracewell as Prince Siegfried & Akane Takada as Odile in Swan Lake at the Royal Ballet & Opera House
Photo credit: unknown
His role creations for BRB included Le roi soleil (Bintley’s The King Dances), Alexander Whitley’s Kin and Jessica Lang’s Lyric Pieces. He has created roles for The Royal Ballet in Jessica Lang's Twinkle, Untitled 2023, Yugen, Corybantic Games, Dispatch Duet and The Weathering.
Bracewell's other awards include Best Male Dancer 2023 and Outstanding Male Performance (Classical) 2015 from Critics' Circle National Dance Awards.
William, can you tell us what you are currently rehearsing and performing?
It’s nearing the end of our season here at the Royal Ballet & Opera House and the final thing I’m performing here is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I’m also creating a new ballet with Cathy Marsden that will premiere in November 2025.
Photo credit: William Muir.
Can you please tell us what motivated you to join the Covent Garden Dance Company to perform at Hatch House this July?
It’s rare that I get to perform in such a beautiful part of the world so I was thrilled to be asked. Having danced with Sarah Lamb last summer, I was also incredibly keen to continue forming our relatively new dancing relationship.
What are you looking forward to most about performing at Hatch House?
I can’t wait to see the house and gardens and of course share the stage with Sarah both in repertoire we know well and something totally new to myself. I also cannot wait to see the gardens for the first time. After dancing, my second love is horticulture and gardening. I find it such a therapy and escape, if there is any help needed in the garden I’ll be there!
Photo credit: Alice Pennefather
What will you be performing and why did you choose these pieces?
Myself and Sarah Lamb will be dancing an excerpt from La Bayadère and Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella pas de deux. Cinderella is a firm favourite of mine; the precision and detail all Ashton works combined with his musicality is such a joy to perform. I feel Sarah is an absolute master of this way of moving. La Bayadère is new to me, so I’m looking forward to the challenge of tackling something quite different.
When you’re dancing these works, what do you hope the audience feels?
These pieces are quite different from one another so hopefully the audience will be able to take away the contrast and versatility of our dancing.
You will be performing alongside some wonderful artists from all around the world, who are you most looking forward to watching perform?
I always love seeing people dance that I haven’t before.
Many children will be coming to watch the rehearsal on the 24th July - how important are these opportunities for future generations of dancers?
Seeing dancers of the Royal Ballet perform was what made me want to start dancing more seriously, so I know how important these experiences are.
Photo credit: Alice Pennefather
What is your favourite role to dance?
It’s a tough question but probably of the classical ballets it would have to be Romeo and Juliet or Manon but there are too many to chose from…
Can you tell me three things people don’t know about you – fun facts perhaps?
I am an excellent whistler (to some people’s annoyance).
I built all the door frames and doors in my current flat (yes they are a little wonky)
And my YouTube rabbit hole is electric car videos.
If you are yet to book your seats to watch William Bracewell and Sarah Lamb dance at Hatch House 2025, don’t delay, tickets are selling fast.
Iconique - Bahamas 2025 Programme
Our Iconique - Bahamas 2025 Programme is live and we cannot wait to share our year’s work with you. From classical to contemporary, there is something to delight every dance connoisseur and novice alike. Read on and book your seats before it is too late.
After 12 months of planning, we are so delighted to share our full Iconique, 2025 programme with you.
From classical to contemporary, there is something to delight every dance novice and dance connoisseur alike.
Read on and book your seats before it is too late.
Interview with Lauren Cuthbertson
Covent Garden Dance Company was delighted to sit down with Lauren Cuthbertson, Principal of The Royal Ballet, ahead of her debut of Christopher Wheeldon’s Mercurial Manoeuvres at Iconique, Bahamas.
Photo credit: Andrej Uspenski
English dancer, Lauren Cuthbertson is a Principal of The Royal Ballet. She studied at The Royal Ballet School, before graduating into the Company in 2002. She became a Principal in 2008.
Lauren was recipient of the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Female Performance (Classical) in 2004 and 2021. She has performed as a guest artist with Teatro Colón, Teatro di San Carlo, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and The Australian Ballet. She was invited by the Mariinsky Ballet to perform Sylvia (2018), Marguerite and Armand (2019) and The Sleeping Beauty (2020). She is Vice President of the British Ballet Organisation and Patron of London Children’s Ballet and the National Youth Ballet.
Cuthbertson’s repertory with the Company includes Aurora, Odette/Odile and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Works by Frederick Ashton include the Young Girl in The Two Pigeons, Titania in The Dream, Natalia in A Month in the Country and Marguerite in Marguerite and Armand. She also featured in principal roles in many of Kenneth MacMillan’s ballets including Anastasia, Romeo and Juliet, Manon, Mayerling, Song of the Earth and The Judas Tree. She has also performed leading roles in works by other choreographers including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Glen Tetley, David Bintley, Liam Scarlett and Alastair Marriott. Created roles for Wayne McGregor include Qualia, Chroma, Infra, Acis and Galatea, Live Fire Exercise, Tetractys and Multiverse. Cuthbertson performed Christopher Wheeldon’s Souvenirs while at The Royal Ballet School and went on to work with him closely, creating the role of Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Hermione in The Winter’s Tale. She also worked with Cathy Marston on first joining the Company and went on to create the leading role inspired by Jacqueline du Pré in The Cellist for which she won her 2021 Critics’ Circle National Dance Award.
How long have you known Matt and been working with the Covent Garden Dance Company?
I have known Matt for over ten years and have worked consistently for the Covent Garden Dance Company over that period. Since having my two small children, I haven’t taken on any extra performances within my schedule, but now feels like the right time. I have an appetite to perform selected works and that is why I really enjoy working with Matt because he is so open to you suggesting works that you are inspired by, and think audiences would love to see you dance. That is why I am coming to the Bahamas this March.
Lauren Cuthbertson & Matthew Golding - Hatch House
Photo credit - Alice Pennefather
What will you be performing and with whom?
I’ll be performing two works by Christopher Wheeldon with Robbie Fairchild. It is our first time dancing together, and I am beyond excited to be performing with him. We’ve both worked separately with Chris, so to come together within his work feels quite special. I’ve danced Golden Hour before, which is one of our pas de deuxs, and the other one - which will be a debut for me - is called Mercurial Manoeuvres. Robbie has danced that work before so between us we have a history with one and are supporting the other one to debut. That feels really beautiful.
What are you looking forward to most about performing at Iconique?
I’m most looking forward to that feeling you get when the music starts and hopefully the audience is captivated and we are also captivated within the work and and we share that moment in time. Performing always feels completely special and unique and this time feels really special; dancing with Robbie for the first time with new repertoire. This is also my first time performing in the Bahamas.
Have you ever performed in the Bahamas before, can you tell us about the last experience? And if not, what are you most looking forward to?
After I had a foot operation a long time ago, I went with a dear friend to the Bahamas to recuperate. It is amazing to come back and think how worried I was to be able to get back to dancing after that foot surgery and questioning if I would every make it back to full fitness. Yet here I am, returning after many years, after sustaining a career and having children. So performing on the island for the first time with that in mind, will feel on a personal level, quite special.
When you’re dancing these works how does it make you feel, what do you hope the audience feels?
When I am performing Golden Hour. I feel really serene and peaceful. Every movement that you take within the Golden Hour, feels meaningful because it is quite a sparse work in terms of steps. So you really have to engage your physicality with every single move and make it as smooth as possible.
Many children will be coming to watch the rehearsal on the 6 March - how important are these opportunities for future generations of dancers?
It’s critical that children have access to the arts and I am so happy that we are going to bring some of what we do to the Bahamas. I certainly haven’t performed here before, but you never know, there may be someone in the audience who is so captivated by the music or the dance or the physicality, or it might make them feel wonderful to watch it. In this day and age with so much screen time, I feel like any art form is ever more important and engaging with each other and sharing in the moment is necessary, so I am really excited about that.
I hope we get to meet the children and talk to them. I always love to speak to children after a performance they’ve seen because they seem to be so receptive. They come out with some really insightful reactions because they are often seeing things for the first time and they have such a refreshing perspective.
What will you be working on after Iconique?
After Iconique, I will be heading back to London and performing in Serenade at the Royal Opera House and then debuting in another beautiful work by Christopher Wheeldon called The Two Of Us, so those are my next two engagements at the Royal Opera House.
Can you tell us something people don’t know about you – a fun fact perhaps?
I work with a perfumer, so for every big ballet that we perform, we work on making a scent for that ballet, so that each character has at least one scent. I have done this for my whole career, so now we have a whole library of scents which is quite unique.
Watch Lauren dancing as the original Alice in Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice in Wonderland.
Interview with Robbie Fairchild
Fresh from rehearsals for the stage adaptation of the Oscar winning, The Artist, we spoke to Robbie Fairchild about his upcoming performances with the Royal Ballet’s Lauren Cuthbertson at Iconique, Bahamas 2025.
Just a few weeks before Iconique 2025, we caught up with the incredible international artist, Robbie Fairchild, who is soon to partner Royal Ballet Principal Dancer, Lauren Cuthbertson in a stunning Christopher Wheeldon double bill.
ROBBIE FAIRCHILD made his Tony nominated Broadway debut in 2015 as Jerry Mulligan in the Tony Award-winning musical An American in Paris, which he reprised in London’s West End in 2017. He was awarded the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theater World, National Dance and Astaire Award for this performance and was nominated for the Evening Standard and Drama League Awards.
From 2009 to 2017, Fairchild performed as a Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet. His other theatre credits include Monster in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein (Signature Theater, Chita Rivera Award), Harry Beaton in Brigadoon (New York City Center), Will Parker in Oklahoma! (Royal Albert Hall, London), Mike Costa in A Chorus Line (Hollywood Bowl), and Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me Kate (Roundabout Theater Company’s 2017 Gala).
Photo credit - Ryan Slack
His television credits include: Soundtrack (Netflix), Mixtape (FOX Pilot), Julie’s Greenroom (Netflix), Oklahoma! (BBC Proms), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Carousel Boy in NY Philharmonic’s Carousel (PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center), Dancing With The Stars, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Live with Kelly and Michael, CBS Sunday Morning, and 60 Minutes. Film: Tom Hooper's Cats, An American in Paris Live (West End Production), The Chaperone and NY Export: Opus Jazz.
What have you just been working on?
I have just been in London working on another workshop of The Artist - a stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning movie of 2011, it’s picking up steam and it’s really fun; a dance musical hybrid - like An American in Paris.
Can you please tell us what you are currently rehearsing / performing / working on aside from preparing for Iconique?
I’ve got a lot of Spring and Summer gigs lined up which I am really excited about. There is a lot of prep’ work for me to do; whether it’s choreographing or flying to different cities to meet with different choreographers to make new stuff, so I am really excited.
Photo credit - Erin Baiano
What will you be performing and with whom?
I am so excited to be doing Golden Hour and Mercurial Manoeuvres with Lauren Cuthbertson. We have known each other for so long and because we know each other through Christopher Wheeldon, it will be fun to get to connect on stage via his moves. I am really excited.
What are you looking forward to most about performing at Iconique?
I think I am looking forward to exploring our friendship on stage. I have admired her for years as an audience member and a friend, so to get to dance with her is a huge honour and a treat.
When you’re dancing these works how does it make you feel, what do you hope the audience feels?
When I dance Christopher Wheeldon pas de deuxs, they feel so human; they transcend the classical form they are in, into something that feels so wonderfully personal. And I love that aspect of ballet, that it is something so classical and it can feel so far away, but then moments make it feel really human; Thank you Wheeldon!
Photo credit - Erin Baiano
Have you ever performed in the Bahamas before, can you tell us about the last experience? And if not, what are you most looking forward to?
I have never performed before in the Bahamas, but I have gone scuba-diving there which was heaven. I am very much looking forward to it. I love the people there, I love the culture and it will be fun to get to perform, not just go as a tourist.
You will be performing alongside some wonderful artists from all around the world, who are you most looking forward to working alongside?
I cannot wait to dance with Lauren, but also alongside all of my fellow dancers who I have only been able to see dance online up until now. How exciting!
Photo credit - Paul Kolnik
Many children will be coming to watch the rehearsal on the 6 March - how important are these opportunities for future generations of dancers?
Young audience members are so key. Dance is very unique and very special, but it’s very universal and in a very Tik Tok, Instagram reel world, there is something to be said about sitting down and spectating something that lasts longer than 30 seconds. So it is important to have those moments.
Can you tell me three things people don’t know about you – fun facts perhaps?
I don’t know if people will have gathered this, but I am an adventurer, I am very spontaneous and although I am very outgoing and extroverted, I really love my quiet time too.
Interview with Beatrice & Max
Ahead of an exciting international tour, we caught up with Birmingham Royal Ballet partners and Principals Beatrice Parma and Max Maslen.
Ahead of an exciting international tour and fresh from her promotion to Principal in March, we caught up with Birmingham Royal Ballet partners, Beatrice Parma and Principal, Max Maslen.
Beatrice & Max dancing Hobson’s Choice by David Bintley.
Photo credit: Bill Cooper.
Italian born, Beatrice Parma is a Principal dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB). Originally from Livorno, Italy, she trained at Accadamia Teatro alla Scala and English National Ballet School. Upon graduating, Beatrice worked for three years in Turkey in a company in Mersin, before joining the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Her partner in life and on the stage, Max Maslen, Principal of BRB, was born in Bradford where he trained locally until the age of 16, before moving to London to train full time at Central School of Ballet.
Can you tell us three things people don’t know about you?
“I am a hobbyist DJ, I play guitar in a band and I can’t sing!”
Max“I’m the happiest by the sea, I love watching Formula 1, I can’t go to bed without fluffing the sofa’s cushions.”
Beatrice
What has been your favourite role that you have danced?
“Juliet is without a doubt my favourite role that I’ve performed so far. I love how in MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet the choreography meets the music perfectly. Performing this role is always so special as you can bring so much individuality to it.”
Beatrice
“My favourite role I have performed would have to be Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. The sword fighting, the drama and fun make each show unique!”
Max
What role would you most like to dance that you are yet to debut?
“A dream role of mine has always been Marguerite in the Lady of the Camellias by John Neumeier. I remember watching it at the Teatro alla Scala when I was younger and completely falling in love with the role. The choreography is absolutely stunning and I would love the challenge of performing such a complex and dramatic role.”
Beatrice“The role I would love to perform is Sergeant Francis Troy in David Bintley’s Far from the Madding Crowd. Some of the pas de deux are extremely challenging and I’d love to have a chance to dig deep into the character.”
Max
What has been the highlight of your year with BRB?
Carlos Acosta promoting Beatrice to Principal
Photo credit: Birmingham Royal Ballet
“My highlight of the season has to be watching my girlfriend get promoted to Principal dancer on stage after her performance of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. It’s a special moment for anyone and even more so knowing all the hard work and dedication that she put in.”
Max“Getting promoted to principal was not only the most special moment of this season with BRB, but of my career. Carlos walking on stage and announcing the promotion after my Aurora show is a moment I will forever cherish. I never expected to get to the top so I’m so grateful and honoured to start next season as a Principal dancer of the company.”
Beatrice
What are you looking forward to most about dancing at Hatch House with the Covent Garden Dance Company this year?
“Galas are always a great opportunity to meet new people and dancers. I’m looking forward to dancing in such a beautiful location and get inspired by all the other dancers performing there.”
Beatrice“I’m looking forward to being able to meet other artists from around the world and to try and learn and take inspiration from them.”
Max
Beatrice Parma - Nutcracker
Photo credit: Bill Cooper
What will you be dancing?
“We will be performing Sir Frederick Ashton’s wedding pas de deux from La Fille Mal Gardée and another Ashton iconic pas de deux - Rhapsody.”
Beatrice
What inspired you to dance these pieces?
“We chose these pieces as we’ve performed them before, got to grips with the way they move and flow, and now can push them to go further.”
Max“We are about to perform La Fille Mal Gardée with BRB next season so we thought it would also be a nice addition to the evening as it’s just a beautiful pas de deux.”
Beatrice
When you’re dancing these pieces together how does it make you feel?
“Being together in life, it’s always nice to share moments not only off stages, but on as well. It adds onto memories we’ve built together.”
Beatrice“We’ve always enjoyed performing together! it’s usually only outside of the company that we get to choose what repertoire we dance together as well!”
Max
Beatrice in Juliano Nunes’ Interlinked
Photo credit: Tristan Kenton
You will be performing alongside some wonderful artists from all around the world this year, who are you most looking forward to watching perform?
“I’m excited to watch everyone perform, there’s always things you can learn from different dancers and get inspired in a different ways”
Beatrice“I wouldn’t want to say individually who I’m looking forward to see perform, but more the collective and how each artist will bring something completely different to the evenings.”
Max
What do you like most about performing for events such as this?
“I’d say the most special thing about Galas like this one, is how dancers from all over the world come together for a few days sharing what we love.”
Beatrice
Want to watch a world class line up of artists?
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Ballet in the Bahamas
Fresh from the shores of the stunningly beautiful Nassau Bay, Bahamas, our Director, Matt Brady, shares his thoughts on our first Covent Garden Dance Company performances in the Bahamas.
From the shores of the stunningly beautiful Nassau Bay, Bahamas, Director Matt Brady, shares his thoughts on the first Covent Garden Dance Company performances in the Bahamas.
Xander Parish and Mackenzie Brown perform at Iconique 2024
A Covent Garden Dance dream realised
“It would usually take a year (or more) to develop a new territory or venue as it is complex and often convoluted process. However, after getting so close to launching the production in the Bahamas in February 2019, only to be thwarted by Covid and the pandemic, when the opportunity presented itself again, in the shape of the amazing Anita Wheeler and The Old Fort Bay Club, we decided we the time was now.
In four months and with a huge team effort from both sides of the pond, we managed to launch the inaugural production of 'Iconique' in The Bahamas and what an Iconique cast we collated.”
A Bahamian welcome
“It sounds obvious but one of the key elements for any production is a publicity, as someone once said to me;
‘Doing a production without advertising is like winking at someone in the dark. You know what you are doing but nobody else does.’
We had the great fortune of being introduced to The Tribune Newspaper, the leading national newspaper in The Bahamas, who quickly became our Iconique Media Partner. Their support and advice were invaluable throughout the production and gave us a solid and highly respected channel to convey our message to the incredible nation of The Bahamas.
The show was presented over two performances with the first on Valentine’s eve (Wednesday the 14th of February) and finale on Friday the 17th of February. With the challenges of schools’ half term falling on the week of the production (when half the island leaves for Europe / the mountains), we needed to work twice as hard to ensure we got the message out far and wide. We were told on many occasions, usually over a drink and usually by people who were yet to book, that;
"Everyone books last minute on the island. Don't worry."
It was hard not to, but they were right. Ten days before the opening night…. the blue touch paper was lit!”
Covent Garden Dance Co. Partnerships
“With the official launch date set in mid-November, it was important to ensure we had the fundamentals and key elements in place (which changed; twice). We were extraordinarily lucky to have such an incredible venue partner in the Old Fort Bay Club, and without the relentless driving force and guidance of Anita, Jacob Le Blanc and team, there is no doubt in my mind we would not have succeeded in overcoming all the challenges that we faced in bringing the production to fruition.
There is a list as long as my arm of supporters who should be acknowledged for their role in making this production such a success. However, two I would like to highlight are firstly our ongoing partner, Harlequin Dance Floors, who have been incredible in getting a world class floor out to our stage once again. Without this key element and their unique expertise, we would simply not be able to present such a world class production with some of the greatest and most renowned dancers from the most revered companies.
The second, is our Event and Staging Partner, Wildflowers, who did not stop with their support and re-assurances. With every new territory comes unexpected challenges and without Wildflowers’ support, which started from the first minute we sat down and explained the dream, to the day of departure post show, we would not have had the success we had.
Avis and their MD, Cindy Newell, were also vital to the logistical success of our Bahamian adventure and we look forward to working with them in the future.”
Ballet on the shore
“When the stage was set and with the dancers warming up at sunset on the beach just before dress rehearsal, I looked up and saw the 'Cheshire Cat Smile' moon. Somehow I knew it was a sign we were going to be ok and that we maybe the angels were watching over us. I was not wrong.
We were just shy of being sold out on the opening night, and not far behind that on the Friday night which ensured that we had the all important atmosphere to make both nights, nights to remember.”
An ‘Iconique’ cast of ballet dancers
“The Iconique programme was created to ensure that the performances would not only surprise and engage the new audience (many of whom had never been to see any ballet or dance before), but also impress and entertain all those who had seen everything dance related. The standing ovation on both nights confirmed we had got it right.
The intimate evening of Classical, Neo-Classical and Contemporary performances featured ballet dancers from some of the world’s most revered ballet companies. Elegance, precision, and emotion crackled in the air as our two royal Danish principles, Holly Dorger and Jón Axel Fransson took to the stage for the opening piece."
World famous British dancer Xander Parish, Stutgartt Ballet’s, Mackenzie Brown (youngest dancer ever to be promoted to Principal), internationally acclaimed Lucia Lacarra and Prix de Lausanne winner Matthew Golding left no emotion untapped and the haunting choreography of Mara Galeazzi, partnered by Jason Kittleberger ensured that there was not a dry eye in the house.
The cast, all of whom are very much iconic in their own way to so many (myself included), will always have our undying gratitude for bringing everything to those two performances. I have rarely seen an audience so enraptured and entranced from the first moment to the final bow as we saw on those two nights.
When the stars align in this way, in that location, with that backdrop; it is nothing short of perfection. The Nassau community welcomed us with open arms; the warmth and generosity, their reaction to the production left the cast and myself feeling genuinely moved.”
A unique audience
“Being under the patronage of the First Lady of the Bahamas was a huge privilege and we hope this will continue. The First Lady attended for the closing night and had by, all accounts, a fabulous time. She kindly took time to come and meet the dancers post show back stage who were thrilled at how much she seemed to enjoy the show.
The First Lady of The Bahamas Mrs Anne Marie Davis posing with the technicians post show.
British High Commissioner, Tom Hartley was instrumental in the performance coming to The Bahamas and said he was left extremely proud.
“None of us could really believe this night would be as special as it was. It was beyond expectations, I think, for anyone. However much you love ballet, I think tonight was a special night. I’m so proud. The Bahamas is a very special place and you have to bring something special to really add value to The Bahamas. And I’m proud that Matt has already committed to doing it another year, next year, and I feel this really adds value to the rich culture already in The Bahamas. The British High Commission played a tiny part in that and I’m really proud to be a part of it.”
Wendy Mills, an ardent lover of ballet, spent her Valentine’s evening enjoying the performances:
“I am an avid ballet watcher. I’ve attended many ballet shows and performances all over the world. The performance was as exquisite as you can imagine. I love that it’s here at home in The Bahamas.”
From internationally renowned Golfer and Olympian Gold Medallist Justin Rose, to fans of Xander Parish, who travelled from Germany and Denmark, we were delighted by the international interest in our ‘Iconique’ performances.”
Inspiring a new generation of ballet dancers
“Covent Garden Dance Company has a ‘tradition’ of always opening up our dress rehearsals to children and students. We were not going to make an exception in The Bahamas. We were delighted to have 50 local young dancers and students from over 12 dance schools attend (a very windy) dress rehearsal. The cast were delighted to meet with the new generation of Bahamian ballet dancers and be featured on the local television news.” We can’t wait to invite more next year!
Back to the Bahamas in 2025
“We are delighted to say that Iconique 2025 Nassau has already had 55% of its tables rebooked for the 7th & 8th March. Not bad for an island who always books last minute. We are also hoping to work with a non-profit organisation to bring the show to Freeport too.
