In praise of … Tamara Rojo

“Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, has been awarded a CBE for her services to ballet in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours”.

ENB — Lest We Forget – Sep 2018 at Sadler’s Wells

ENB Lest We Forget program

To commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War, English National Ballet revive their “moving and ambitious” (The Independent) triptych reflecting the experiences of those who fought, and those who stayed behind.

The programme features works by two Sadler’s Wells Associate Artists: Russell Maliphant’s Second Breath, in which 20 dancers rise and fall, and Akram Khan’s award-winning Dust which is “full of pain and power” (The Independent), as well as Liam Scarlett’s No Man’s Land – evoking the entwined destinies of the soldiers and munition workers.

DUST

Thursday 20 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Friday 21 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Saturday 22 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Monday 24 September (The Royal British Legion Thank You performance)

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Tuesday 25 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Thursday 27 September

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

Saturday 29 September (mat)

Tamara Rojo, James Streeter, Fabian Reimair

SONG OF THE EARTH / LA SYLPHIDE

MacMillan’s masterpiece and a beloved classic, performed for the first time.

English National Ballet presents a double bill featuring Kenneth MacMillan’s masterpiece Song of the Earth and Frank Andersen’s recreation of La Sylphide.

Song of the Earth

Tamara Rojo

Inspired by Mahler’s haunting song cycle Das Lied von der Erde, MacMillan brings music, poetry and choreography together to capture the fragility of life, and its constant renewal. Three central figures portray the bittersweet reality of love, loss, and mortality: a Woman, a Man and an enigmatic Messenger.

First performed in 1965, Song of the Earth was a point of departure for MacMillan’s choreography, surprising and captivating audiences and critics. English National Ballet is honoured to add this revered MacMillan work to its repertoire.

A piercing work of art

Financial Times on Song of the Earth

Tamara Rojo talks to Total MK

Akram Khan’s Giselle

La Sylphide

On the morning of his wedding to his sweet fiancée Effy, James awakens from a dream to see a mysterious and tantalising Sylphide before him. His obsession with her sets off a fateful sequence of events where joy turns to sorrow, love to betrayal and infatuation to tragedy.

August Bournonville’s classic Romantic ballet is devotedly recreated by Eva Kloborg and Frank Andersen in this captivating production, and is accompanied by an enchanting score, played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

La Sylphide is a beautiful jewel in the history of ballet and I can’t wait for the Company and our audiences to rediscover it.

Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director English National Ballet

Get a unique insight into Song of the Earth – hear Tamara Rojo and Deborah MacMillan discuss this masterwork in the video below.

A NEW ENB VERSION OF GISELLE

GISELLE

A NEW VERSION OF GISELLE FOR THE ENB BY AKRAM KHAN

Read English National Ballet Giselle Reviews

The creative process behind Akram Khan’s Giselle

4 October 2016

Looking back at reimagining Giselle with Tamara Rojo, Akram Khan, Ruth Little, Vincenzo Lamagna, Gavin Sutherland, Tim Yip and ENB dancers.

She-Said-ENB-Sadlers-Wells-536-507x357

She Said

English National Ballet, Sadler’s Wells – Reviews

“Dancer Tamara Rojo presents three powerful and engrossing ballets rolled into one stunning performance” by Melissa York – CITYA.M

“TAKE two of the world’s greatest dancers simmering in a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, then stir in a passionate female artist and her unfaithful and irresistible lover and what you’ve got is hot.” by Jeffery Taylor – The Express

” If She Said means anything, it is to prove that creating quality choreography does not require a penis” by Graham Watts – London Dance

“A marvellous image of creativity and power” by Zoë Anderson – Independent

“Tamara Rojo explores her inner Diaghilev in a fascinating bill of new work” by Jenny Gilbert – The Arts Desk

“When Tamara Rojo delivers, she delivers” by Vera Liber – British Theatre Guide

“She Said at Sadler’s Wells” by Debra Craine -The Times

“Three steps forward for women” by Luke Jennings – The Observer

AKGiselleNew score, adapted from Adolphe Adam original by composer Vincenzo Lamagna.

Set and costumes by Tim Yip.

Performed by English National Ballet Philharmonic. Music director; Gavin Sutherland.

Dramaturgy; Ruth Little. Lighting design; Mark Henderson.

“When I decided I wanted to bring Giselle, one of the most traditional pieces of the classical repertoire, into the 21st Century there was only one choreographer I believe had both the knowledge of tradition and creativity necessary for this task. I am incredibly excited that Akram accepted this challenge. I believe this will be a very important step for the whole art form and I hope it will make this beautiful classic relevant to new audiences.”
Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director, English National Ballet.

English National Ballet Giselle Reviews

The creative process behind Akram Khan’s Giselle

4 October 2016

Looking back at reimagining Giselle with Tamara Rojo, Akram Khan, Ruth Little, Vincenzo Lamagna, Gavin Sutherland, Tim Yip and ENB dancers.

Tamara Rojo on staging two versions of Giselle

English National Ballet au Palais Garnier de Paris with Le Corsaire

English National Ballet au Palais Garnier de Paris

Le Corsaire

21 Jun 2016 – 25 Jun 2016.

Le fougueux corsaire Conrad y tombe amoureux de la belle Médora, pupille du marchand d’esclaves Lankedem et convoitée par le très puissant Pacha. Isaac, un compagnon de Conrad, et Gulnare, la belle esclave amoureuse du Pacha, s’invitent dans l’intrigue. Enlèvements, scènes de naufrage et de révolte, empoisonnements et réconciliations emportent les interprètes dans un récit épique et romanesque, relatant les amours contrariées des deux héros. La chorégraphie, d’une grande exigence technique, permet de mettre en valeur tous les artistes de la compagnie.

Tamara Rojo becomes D.A. Magna Cum Laude

In January 2016 Tamara Rojo Diez becomes D.A. Magna Cum Laude

Thesis Title: PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF THE ELITE DANCER – VOCATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROFESSIONAL DANCER.

REY JUAN CARLOS UNIVERSITY: FACULTY OF LEGAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES – ALICIA ALONSO DANCE INSTITUTE – DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION, LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND ARTS, LEGAL AND HUMANISTIC SCIENCES HISTORY AND MODERN LANGUAGES.

Thesis Director: Dr. Amador Cernuda Lago.

Tribunal-thesis

Speech at the opening of SHOES: PLEASURE AND PAIN


 Tamara Rojo, Lead Principle and Artistic Director, English National Ballet speech at the opening of SHOES: PLEASURE AND PAIN.

 3 June 2015 – 31 January 2016. This exhibition will look at the extremes of footwear from around the globe, presenting around 200 pairs of shoes ranging from a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf originating from ancient Egypt to the most elaborate designs by contemporary makers.

Logo-anti-bunion-stretcher-tamara-rojo-A

The Pointe Shoe Anti-Bunion Stretcher by Tamara Rojo is a device for widening the specific area of the enveloping part of the pointed ballet shoes, to facilitate a more comfortable use of said shoes to the ballerinas who suffer from the lateral deformation of the first segment of the phalangeal metatarsal joint forming a protrusion called hallux abductus valgus (hallux valgus) known as bunion. By stretching the satin canvas, at the wings area of the pointed shoes, the fitting of the ballerina’s foot suffering bunion into the pointe shoe is improved, consequently, it reduces the oppression in the bunion, relieve discomfort and helps her to dance more comfortably.