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The Royal Ballet in London recently announced the appointment of two new dancers, one from the U.S. and the other from Cuba.
Alexandra Ansanelli, joining the Royal Ballet as a First Soloist, began studying at the School of American Ballet in 1991 and danced various children's roles with New York City Ballet. She received scholarships to study with Chautauqua School of Dance, Houston Ballet Academy, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. In 1996, she became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and one month later became a member of the corps de ballet. In November 1998 she was promoted to Soloist and then in 2003 to Principal.
With the New York City Ballet, she danced principal roles in Coppélia, The Firebird, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as leading roles in works by David Allan, George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Peter Martins, Jerome Robbins, Boris Eifman, Richard Tanner and Christopher Wheeldon.
Venus Villa, joining the Royal Ballet as an Artist, began her studies in Alicia Alonso's school in Havana in 1996. In 2000, she went to Italy to study at La Scala Ballet School in Milan for four years. As a student at the La Scala Ballet School, she danced Swanilda in Coppélia and with Turin Ballet Company danced the principal roles in Carmen, Paquita, and Giselle.
View upcoming ballet performances at the Royal Ballet.