Our 2021 graduates: where are they now?

As we wave farewell to this year’s graduates, we’ve been taking a look back at our 2021 graduates and celebrating their successes in their first professional year.

Eleanora Ancona

Eleanora joined the Upper School in 2019 from Italy. While at the School, she won prizes for her dissertation in Classical Ballet and Dance Performance, her artistic progress and community spirit. In her final year at the School, Eleonora performed in Ninette de Valois’ The Arts of the Theatre in the role of Tragedy and performed a solo from Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella in our 2021 Summer Performances. She is now dancing with The National Moravian-Silesian Theatre and recently performed in Jiří Pokorný’s Carmen as Lady M.

Raffaello Barbieri

Raffaello joined the School in Year 7 from Berkshire, UK. While at the School, he performed in Marius Petipa’s Paquita, Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes and performed Bethena (Concert Waltz) in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations at our 2021 Summer Performances. Raffaello now dances with the Hungarian National Ballet and recently performed in Romeo and Juliet.

Grace Carroll

Grace joined the School in 2020 from Australia. While at the School, she performed lead roles in Ninette de Valois’ The Arts of the Theatre, Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz, Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. Grace now dances with The Australian Ballet and recently performed in Kunstkamer co-created by Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León.

Max Dawe

Max joined White Lodge in 2016 and is originally from Dorset, UK. While at the School, Max won the Ashton Award for his style, personality and technique in ballets by Frederick Ashton, and performed in August Bournonville’s The Conservatory and Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz at our Summer Performances. On leaving the School, Max joined Joffrey Studio Company and was promoted to the main Joffrey Ballet company at the beginning of 2022.

Louis Dobbs

Louis joined White Lodge in Year 7 and is originally from London. While at the School, he performed in Goyo Montero’s Pulse, Frederick Ashton’s La Valse, Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations and with Birmingham Royal Ballet in The Nutcracker. Louis now dances with ICK Dans Amsterdam.

Clark Eselgroth

Clark joined the Upper School in 2018 from the United States. While at the School, he won a prize for his artistic progress and performed at the Royal Opera House during their Open Up series, and in Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes at our 2021 Summer Performances in the Linbury Theatre. Clark now dances with the Finnish National Ballet Youth Company. He recently performed in Clique by Reija Wäre.

Olivia Findlay

Olivia joined the School in 2018 from Sussex, UK. While at the School, she placed first in the Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance and was awarded the London Ballet Circle’s Dame Ninette Award for the Most Outstanding Female Graduate of 2021. At our Summer Performances, she performed in Marius Petipa’s Paquita, Goyo Montero’s Pulse, Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and as Calliope in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. Olivia now dances with The Royal Ballet as an Aud Jebsen Young Dancer.

Thomas Gerhardt

Thomas joined White Lodge in Year 7 and is originally from Dorset, UK. While at the School he performed in Frederick Ashton’s La Valse, Mark Annear’s Pulcinella Suite, Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations in our Summer Performances. Thomas now dances with Orlando Ballet.

Arthur Henderson

Arthur joined White Lodge in Year 7, originally from Kent, UK. While at the School he was presented with the Frank Freeman Summer Intensive Scholarship and had his artwork displayed at the Royal College of Art. At our 2019 Summer Performances, he performed in Frederick Ashton’s La Valse and Goyo Montero’s Pulse. Arthur now dances with Ballet Dortmund’s NRW Junior Ballet.

Basil James

Basil joined the Upper School from Hertfordshire, UK in 2018. While at the School, Basil won the David Norman Award for his leadership qualities and demonstrating good citizenship. He performed at the 2020 Youth Winter Olympics in Didy Veldman’s Is to be, and in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations and Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz at our 2021 Summer Performances. Basil now dances with Hong Kong Ballet.

Florence Joffre

Florence joined the School in 2018 from France. In her 2nd Year at the School, Florence won the artistic prize for progress and endeavour. At our 2021 Summer Performances, she performed The Alaskan Rag in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. Florence now dances with the Bayerisches Junior Ballet.

Ava May Llewellyn

Ava joined White Lodge in Year 7, from Bristol, UK. While at the School, she was Head Girl in Year 11 and was awarded the David Norman Award for leadership. Ava performed with Birmingham Royal Ballet in The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall. At our 2021 Summer Performances, she performed in Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and as Calliope in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. Ava now dances with The Royal Ballet as an Aud Jebsen Young Dancer, and recently performed in Swan Lake.

Luca Massara

Luca joined the School in 2019 from the United States. While at the School, he performed in Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. He now dances with the Bayerisches Junior Ballet.

Yuma Matsuura

Yuma joined the School in 2018 from Japan. On graduating, he was awarded the London Ballet Circle’s Dame Ninette Award for Most Outstanding Male Graduate of 2021. At our 2021 Summer Performances, Yuma performed Basilio’s Solo from Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote on the main stage at the Royal Opera House, and also performed in Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. Yuma now dances with American Ballet Theatre Studio Company.

Tara Millard

Tara joined the School in 2018 from Berkshire, UK. While at the School, she performed in Goyo Montero’s Pulse, Frederick Ashton’s La Valse, Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and in the role of Tall Girl in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations at our 2021 Summer Performances. Tara now dances with Norwegian National Ballet 2.

Josh Nagaoka

Josh joined the School in 2016 from Japan. While at the School, Josh performed in Didy Veldman’s Is to be during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics, and at our 2021 Summer Performances, he performed Friday Night in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations and in Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz. Josh now dances with Norwegian National Ballet 2.

Rimi Nakano

Rimi joined White Lodge from Japan in 2016. While at the School, she performed in Ninette de Valois’ Coppélia and The Arts of the Theatre, Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations in The Golden Hours, and Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes. Rimi now dances with Boston Ballet II.

Viola Pantuso

Viola joined White Lodge in 2017 from the United States. While at the School, she placed joint first in the 2019 Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance. At our Summer Performances in 2021, she performed in Marius Petipa’s Paquita and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations as one of the leading roles, Stop Time Rag. She is now at The Royal Ballet as an Aud Jebsen Young Dancer, and recently performed in Mikaela Polley’s piece Between Us, performed as part of the Next Generation Festival at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre.

Julie Petanova

Julie joined the School in 2017 from the Czech Republic. While at the School, she won the 2020 Ballet Association Award, and awards for her progress in classical ballet training and her degree dissertation in Classical Ballet and Dance Performance. She performed leading roles in Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes and Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz at our 2021 Summer Performances.

Julie now dances with Norwegian National Ballet 2 and recently performed in Marius Petipa’s La Bayadere.

Bel Pickering

Bel joined White Lodge in Year 7 from Surrey, UK. While at the School, she placed second in the Ninette de Valois Choreographic Award for two consecutive years. At the age of 12, she performed with The Royal Ballet in Swan Lake, and during our 2021 Summer Performances, Bel performed in Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. Bel now dances with the Sarasota Ballet.

Eric Pinto Cata

Eric is originally from London and joined the School in Year 7 at White Lodge. While at the School, he placed second in the 2019 Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance and won both the Valerie Adams Award for Exceptional Musicality (2018) and the Gailene Stock Award (2020), which is awarded to a 2nd Year student who has demonstrated exceptional progress. At our 2021 Summer Performances, he performed lead roles in Ashley Page’s Mephisto Waltz and Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations.

Eric is now an Artist with Birmingham Royal Ballet and recently performed in Miguel Altunaga’s City of a Thousand Trades and Juliano Nunes’ Interlinked.

Amiruddin Shah

Amiruddin joined the Upper School in 2017 from India. He was the first Indian student to attend the School and was awarded the Nadia Nerina Scholarship. While at the School, Amiruddin placed third in the Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance and performed Hot-house Rag and The Alaskan Rag in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations at our 2021 Summer Performances.

Amiruddin now dances with Miami City Ballet and is the founder of the company The Art Door, a social media space for artists to connect and collaborate.

Elijah Trevitt

Elijah joined the School in Year 7 at White Lodge, originally from London. While at the School, Elijah placed second in the Ninette de Valois Choreographic Award, third in the Kenneth MacMillan Emerging Choreographer, and third in the Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance. He performed The Golden Hours in Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations at our 2021 Summer Performances. Elijah now dances with The Australian Ballet and recently performed in Kunstkamer co-created by Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León.

Alejandro Valera Outlaw

Alejandro joined the Upper School in 2018 from Spain. While at the School, he won awards for his progress in classical ballet training and his degree dissertation in Classical Ballet and Dance Performance. He performed a lead role in Ben Stevenson’s Three Preludes in our 2021 Summer Performance on the main stage at the Royal Opera House. Alejandro now dances with American Ballet Theatre Studio Company.

Alix van Tiggelen

Alix joined White Lodge in 2017 from Belgium. While at the School, Alix choreographed the piece Crépescule for the 2017 Kenneth MacMillan Emerging Choreographer and also won a Ballet Association Award in 2019. At our 2019 Summer Performances, Alix performed in Marius Petipa’s Paquita.

Upon graduating, Alix joined The Royal Ballet’s Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme. Last year, her choreography Envie d’amour was performed at the Company’s Draft Works, and Alix recently worked on the Like Water for Chocolate creative exchange, a collaborative dance film creation with children from various cultural backgrounds.

See our 2022 graduates