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!
Interview with Taela Rose Graff
Taking a breather from a flurry of rehearsals at the English National Ballet, we caught up with Artist, Taela Rose Graff, about her whirlwind year, what she is most looking forward to about performing at Hatch House and what she really thinks of Timothée Chalamet’s views on whether ballet is a dying art.
Taking a breather from a flurry of rehearsals at the English National Ballet, we caught up with Artist, Taela Rose Graff, about her whirlwind year, what she is most looking forward to about performing at Hatch House and what she really thinks of Timothée Chalamet’s views on whether ballet is a dying art.
All photo credits: Isabella Turolla
Taela Graff is a professional ballet dancer with English National Ballet and formerly danced with Houston Ballet. Originally from the United States, she trained at the prestigious School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet.
How important is it to prove Timothée Chalamet’s view that ballet is a dying art, wrong?
Timothée Chalamet targeted the wrong community! There are new generations who really appreciate this art form and draw people in – ballet is a constantly evolving thing.
We have so many companies doing such diverse performances, there is so much versatility and dance forms, so many new things, we are always creating new works. Ballet is definitely not a dying art form, by saying it is, you are limiting and not expanding your mind to what is possible.
What the Covent Garden Dance Company and Dicky Buckle Fund do is extremely important; to show the arts to a younger generation. I used to think ballet was boring, I had been a gymnast in training (7-13) but watching the New York City Ballet at 13, ignited a passion in me. That moment drove all of this to happen for me.
I was doing rhythmic gymnastics fulltime up to age 13 and I wanted to go to the Olympics. I was taught by a Russian coach. All Russian gymnasts train with a Vaganova ballet influence, and my coach said I needed to do ballet. My Mum gave me an ultimatum! I thought ballet was boring, but she said if I didn’t do it, I could not do gymnastics, so I went once or twice a week and started to fall in love a bit when I performed for the first time; I was cast in the Miami City ballet Nutcracker, and that was the first time in my life, that I conceded that ballet wasn’t too bad.
But it was when I saw my first performance at the Lincoln Centre – it was Balanchine’s Jewels - that the spark was lit. The New York City Ballet danced Rubies, Bolshoi Ballet did Diamonds and another company did Emeralds. It was my first exposure to the ballet with such a prestigious company. In that moment, that was when I decided I wanted to be a ballet dancer. I was 13.
It is incredibly important for everyone to have access to this kind of art and performance because it inspires. Art in any form can inspire portraits, literature, anything in everyday life. I find so many parallels to other people who share a passion for art. We are all interconnected by emotions, inspired by art for development and growth.
What are you currently working on?
At the moment it is a whirlwind of rehearsals at ENB. We are working on a new triple bill creation for the next season, called Rhythm Riot. This includes Romeo and Juliet, Auguries of Innocence by Jae Man Joo and Symphony in Three Movements by George Balanchine, which we are yet to start rehearsing. That is all for next season but we are also building up to ending this season with Sleeping Beauty.
Tell us a little about your recent journey to your first season at ENB.
Coming to London was a surprise for me, I wasn’t expecting to move to the UK when I did – and now I have been here for a full season. Previously, I was at Houston Ballet for two years, but felt it was time for a change. I auditioned last February and secured a contract and was so excited to get the opportunity. I moved to London at the end of July and the season started in August. Not anything I would have imagined for myself.
“It has been a transformational season for me in terms of mindset and as dancer.”
I kicked off the season with Lilac Fairy, in Sleeping Beauty and it felt crazy to have an opportunity like that, right off the bat, it has been very exciting. Then we went into Nutcracker and I danced the role of Ice Queen which was an amazing opportunity. It is a beautiful costume, with an incredible headdress which in itself is very challenging as a dancer. I really enjoyed the experience; it has been so nice to switch my mindset from corps to company roles. It was very height orientated in the corps in Houston, but my height is appreciated here and Aaron (ENB Artistic Director) sees potential for me. It has been challenging mindset wise, but such a cool opportunity to be front and centre and get over nerves. I have also made some incredible friends in Lois Fraiz and Zai Calliste (both performed in Hatch House 2025) and Jakob Wheway. Lois has just helped me find my first home in London!
How are you feeling about dancing at Ballet Under the Stars?
This gala comes in as part of the whirlwind of everything happening for me, so this is a big step change. This will be my first opportunity to do a gala of this prestige and I am so excited and nervous. I am bringing everything I have learned this year to the Hatch House stage, including managing my nerves. It is an incredible opportunity and is a cool way to kick off my next period of growth, to upgrade to the next stepping stone.
Who are you most looking forward to sharing the stage with?
I couldn’t choose; it is a whirlwind for me. I am not used to working alongside this big segment of the dance world. I fell into this world when I was 13 and so I am not as well versed in the dance world, it is so shiny to me, everything is so inspiring. It will be amazing to watch more seasoned performers prepare and carry themselves for a performance and learn to enhance my performance. I’m excited to meet all of them, I couldn’t choose!
You will be performing alongside some world-renowned artists, what are you most looking forward to?
I cannot wait to learn from these international artists. I am a visual learner, I am a people watcher and I am looking forward to observing behaviours and performances - which stems from dance, especially in a company space – with peers and ranks people that you look up to. I have benefitted the most from watching people doing those incredible roles and watching and learning from how they carry themselves in the studio and prepare mentally for the stage.
I am also looking forward to exploring another part of the UK to get new inspiration. As dancers, we are always chasing inspiration – it keeps us moving and it gets hard when you stay still. I am inspired to see these dancers, see a new space and tap into my own new potential, It will be a challenge and I will have Zai by my side, but I am excited for the opportunity to keep growing and be a sponge and soak it all up. These are the years where I take it all in.
What will you be dancing?
Zai and I met this season and we became close very quickly. He is doing Marius Petipa’s Le Talisman for the ENB Emerging Dancer award, so we will dance this and are also performing a contemporary piece, yet to be decided.
We hear that thanks to the Covent Garden Dance Company, you are connecting with your Bahamian heritage?
Courtney Celeste Fox and I are WhatsApping! I was born in Miami, but my Mum is Bahamian. This gala has brought my two worlds together. Courtney introduced me to an opportunity for Bahamian Independence Day and a fashion show in July when the Ambassador comes over. It is a full circle opportunity, I don’t have too much of a link to my Bahamian heritage because my Mum moved to the States over 20 years ago, but she didn’t know she would be staying in the US. Now I have the time as an adult to reconnect. I am desperate to link to my Bahamian heritage; my mum is one of 10 siblings and there are some people I haven’t even met yet, it would be so cool to link back to the Bahamas through this gala opportunity.
What do you hope the audience at Ballet Under the Stars will feel when they watch you dance?
So, you have technical performers, and they are amazing, but for me, as a late starter to ballet, I grasped the emotion and artistry. That is what I want to bring to my performance – that is always my main focus. I hope that the audience will feel the passion and joy that Zai and I both have for this art form. It can feel very heavy for people to put themselves on a stage, in front of the limelight.
If you really think it through, you need courage and love for this art form to do something so terrifying. We are both young dancers starting out in our careers and we hope they feel the hopes and dreams and hunger that we have for this art.
Plus I hope we can convey the lightness and juvenility of Le Talisman. It is light and flirty and very fitting to match our immaturity, joy and hunger for what’s possible. I hope we can bring this to the stage.
What would your favourite role to dance be?
It is constantly changing, but I think Myrtha in Akram Khan’s Giselle. It is a very dark and emotional role, something you get to do as a seasoned dancer. Now I’m doing the light hearted roles, but I would like to dive into my darker artistry in the future.
Tell us three things people don’t know about you.
1) I’m a home body – I love just being at home on my days off.
2) I crochet. My mum and I used to have a legwarmers business, she is an amazing seamstress and used to make all my costumes. Then we combined our talents and I would crochet and she would sew the legwarmers.
3) I was part of a TV show, En Pointe, on Disney Plus. My mum and I both appeared on that show and there is a scene where she is making me legwarmers before I went off to fulltime ballet school aged 14. I was so little and naive and it is quite nostalgic to look back at that time, I go back to that series when I am feeling low, and it reminds me how far I’ve come.
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
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.
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.
