Young ballet star Sergei Polunin’s shock resignation from the Royal Ballet
It was with considerable surprise that the ballet world received the news of the departure of 21-year-old Ukrainian Sergei Polunin from the Royal Ballet. He was promoted to principal just two years ago, and was making leaps forward in his career with the company, including the recent live relay of The Sleeping Beauty with his ‘partner’ Lauren Cuthbertson.
Polunin was due to appear in The Dream next week and had given no indication in rehearsals that anything was amiss, said The Telegraph, but told Royal Ballet director Dame Monica Mason today of his decision to quit.
2 hours ago on his Twitter account, @sergei_polunin, he wrote,
Just have to go through one night!!! then will make my next moves.
Dame Monica said,
This has obviously come as a huge shock, Sergei is a wonderful dancer and I have enjoyed watching him tremendously, both on stage and in the studio, over the past few years. I wish him every success in the future.”
His profile on Twitter now announces “Principal Dancer of?”
Polunin studied at the Royal Ballet School from the age of 13. In 2007, he joined the Royal Ballet and was promoted to principal at the end of the 2009-10 season, aged 19.
On 31st December he wrote on Twitter,
2012 it’s going to be controversial:)!!!!!!!
Photo: Sergei Polunin in The Sleeping Beauty by Johan Persson
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
You are sooo talented and HOT….good luck with all that you do!! …and visit Cape Town….