After an afternoon performance of Le Corsaire at the end of January, English National Ballet dancer Laurretta Summerscales was promoted to Principal on stage in front of both the cast and the audience. Not only was 24 January Summerscales' birthday, it was the day she fulfilled her dream of becoming a principal dancer with a ballet company.
Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, joined Summerscales on stage after her performance as Medora at the London Coliseum to announce the promotion, as a result of Summerscales' classical technique, musicality, and emotional theatrical instinct. As a British-born ballerina, many will be championing Summerscales' promotion as a move to instil more British talent at the top of the UK's world-class ballet companies. Following the retirement of Darcey Bussell from the Royal Ballet, there has been no British ballet dancer who has established themselves as a household name.
Upon graduation from English National Ballet School, Summerscales joined the company of English National Ballet in 2009, and was promoted to First Soloist in 2013. During her time with English National Ballet she has performed in a number of Principal roles including Swanilda in Coppélia, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Rudolf Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet, Clara in Nutcracker, and Medora in Le Corsaire. It is only fitting now that she be made principal along with many other high-ranking ballet dancers.
Summerscales has previously won the Joyce Percy Memorial Award, Stella Mann Award, Baines-Hewitt Award, Young Dancer of the Year (2007-2009) and Molly Lake Award. In 2013 she won gold at the Bejing International Ballet Competition. She was a finalist in the 2011 and 2013 Emerging Dancer competition, English National Ballet’s initiative for young talent within the company, and has won the People’s Choice Award at Emerging Dancer in 2013 and 2015.
Laurretta Summerscales promoted to Principal
After an afternoon performance of Le Corsaire at the end of January, English National Ballet dancer Laurretta Summerscales was promoted to Principal on stage in front of both the cast and the audience. Not only was 24 January Summerscales' birthday, it was the day she fulfilled her dream of becoming a principal dancer with a ballet company.
Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, joined Summerscales on stage after her performance as Medora at the London Coliseum to announce the promotion, as a result of Summerscales' classical technique, musicality, and emotional theatrical instinct. As a British-born ballerina, many will be championing Summerscales' promotion as a move to instil more British talent at the top of the UK's world-class ballet companies. Following the retirement of Darcey Bussell from the Royal Ballet, there has been no British ballet dancer who has established themselves as a household name.
Upon graduation from English National Ballet School, Summerscales joined the company of English National Ballet in 2009, and was promoted to First Soloist in 2013. During her time with English National Ballet she has performed in a number of Principal roles including Swanilda in Coppélia, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Rudolf Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet, Clara in Nutcracker, and Medora in Le Corsaire. It is only fitting now that she be made principal along with many other high-ranking ballet dancers.
Summerscales has previously won the Joyce Percy Memorial Award, Stella Mann Award, Baines-Hewitt Award, Young Dancer of the Year (2007-2009) and Molly Lake Award. In 2013 she won gold at the Bejing International Ballet Competition. She was a finalist in the 2011 and 2013 Emerging Dancer competition, English National Ballet’s initiative for young talent within the company, and has won the People’s Choice Award at Emerging Dancer in 2013 and 2015.