English National Ballet recently announced the winner of the 2019 Emerging Dancer Award as Julia Conway. Having performed the Flames of Paris pas de deux with partner Rentaro Nakaaki and Untitled Code, a solo by choreographed by Rambert dancer Miguel Altunaga, Julia Conway was announced as winner on stage at Sadler’s Wells and livestreamed to audiences across the world on Tuesday 7 May by Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo.
The evening also saw Eireen Evrard named as the recipient of the Corps de Ballet Award acknowledging her exceptional work over the last year, while Rhys Antoni Yeomans was awarded the People’s Choice Award, as voted for by members of the public. The other Emerging Dancer finalists this year were Alice Bellini, Emilia Cadorin, Rentaro Nakaaki, Shale Wagmanand Rhys Antoni Yeomans.
Celebrating 10 years, Emerging Dancer allows English National Ballet to recognise the excellence of its artists. Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet was joined on the judging panel by Sarah Wildor, Mavin Khoo, Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Gerald Dowler and Michael Coleman.
Previous winners of the Emerging Dancer Award include Shiori Kase (2011), and Junor Souza (2014), who have since been promoted to Principal and First Soloist respectively, Alison McWhinney (2014) who went on to be promoted to First Soloist, and 2017 joint winners, Aitor Arrieta and Rina Kanehara who have been promoted to Soloist and Junior Soloist respectively. Last year’s winner Daniel McCormick highlights this season have included dancing the role of Lescaut in Manon, Nutcracker in Nutcracker and the pas de trois in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake.
English National Ballet is renowned for taking world-class ballet to the widest possible audience through its national and international tour programme, offsite performances at festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude, its distinguished orchestra English National Ballet Philharmonic, and being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice and delivery, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s.