Rick Guest

In conversation with Marianela Nuñez

9 July 2020 by gramilano 7 Comments

The Royal Ballet’s Argentinian principal dancer, Marianela Nuñez, is in lockdown in Buenos Aires. She went there to be near her family and partner, because now home, for Nela, is London, which also happens to be home to her beloved company at The Royal Opera House.

We caught up via Skype in June: I was in my office in Milan, and Nela was 11,000 km away, sitting against an orange wall which steadily turned maroon then almost black as the day drew in.

Lockdown in Argentina! How’s that working out?

It’s very strict here. We started lockdown at the same time as England, pretty much – I know you in Italy started earlier. There were only a few cases, but obviously here there are more difficulties compared to Europe, and they were worried that the health system would collapse.

Interview with The Royal Ballet’s Lauren Cuthbertson – so much passion

2 May 2020 by gramilano Leave a Comment

On 14 March 2020, The Royal Ballet’s principal dancer Lauren Cuthbertson was dancing Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. A rare honour. She was dancing with former Royal Ballet dancer and Mariinsky principal dancer Xander Parish and cheered on by her mother, her boyfriend and his parents. Two days later, they were returning to London on the Gatwick Express when a message arrived: Royal Ballet classes, rehearsals and performances were suspended with immediate effect because of the spread of the coronavirus.

I’d heard from friends in Europe and America that things were shutting down, so I knew what was coming. So we drove out of London, and now I’m in the countryside with my boyfriend and his parents. I’m lucky to have a garden – if I were in London, it would be a very different story.

Rick Guest on his extraordinary photos of The Royal Ballet’s Edward Watson

5 January 2019 by gramilano Leave a Comment

In Conversation: Edward Watson and Rick Guest is an opportunity to see dancer and photographer talking about their collaboration which has led to an extraordinary portfolio of portraits. Striking in their boldness yet sensitivity, Guest has caught precisely what Watson brings to the stage: the same boldness and sensitivity, together with exceptional honesty, as revealed […]

English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer 2017 – judging panel and repertoire

4 May 2017 by gramilano Leave a Comment

Now in its eighth year, English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition will this year be held at Sadler’s Wells, for the first time, on Thursday 25 May 2017. Through this annual event, English National Ballet recognises the excellence of its own artists. Selected by their peers, six of the company’s most promising dancers perform in […]

First look at Les Enfants Terribles – a new world premiere from The Royal Ballet

27 January 2017 by gramilano Leave a Comment

Tonight, 27 January 2017, The Royal Ballet presents an exciting new world premiere at the Barbican Theatre in London. Here’s a preview of what the first night audience will be seeing. The project brings together choreographer Javier De Frutos and leading lights of ballet, contemporary dance and opera to create a new production of Philip Glass’s […]

English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition 2017

23 January 2017 by gramilano Leave a Comment

English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition is already in it’s eighth edition. This year it will be held at Sadler’s Wells on Thursday 25 May. Unusually, the English National Ballet chooses, through this annual competition, to recognises the excellence of its artists, who are selected by their peers. Six of the company’s most promising dancers […]

Natalia Osipova is Anastasia – a photo gallery with The Royal Ballet

27 October 2016 by gramilano Leave a Comment

Last night the curtain at The Royal Opera House went up on Kenneth MacMillan’s Anastasia, with Natalia Osipova in the title role. One of MacMillan’s first creative acts on becoming Director of The Royal Ballet was to adapt Anastasia into a three-act, full-length work, his first for the Company since Romeo and Juliet. He had created […]

The Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae on injury: turning weakness into strength

6 February 2016 by gramilano 3 Comments

In 2007, I entered the stage as Romeo and I honestly thought that I was living the dream. I was on the Royal Opera House stage dancing alongside one of the world’s greatest ballerinas, Alina Cojocaru. I had been in the company for two years at this point and I was trying to learn as […]

Dance injuries from the ballet dancer’s point of view: top stars share their experiences

1 February 2016 by gramilano 4 Comments

To get an insider’s view of dance-related injuries, some leading dancers talked to Gramilano about their experiences – how they coped both physically and mentally – and gave advice to help keep a dancer injury-free. Principal dancers from the world’s top companies took time out to share some unpleasant memories in the hope that their […]

Dance photographer Rick Guest… what lies beneath

21 December 2015 by gramilano 4 Comments

Rick Guest is a photographer who’s highly polished style has led him to work with some of the biggest international brand names – Nike, Ferrari, BMV – yet he fell into photography by chance. I was between jobs and had a friend who was a model booker. She had some new guys starting out and […]