In the recent announcement of the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours, dance was well represented in the reveal that Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, was awarded a CBE for her services to ballet. Also mentioned in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours was Christopher Wheeldon, Jill Tookey and Matthew Bourne, Artistic Director of New Adventures, who received a knighthood.
Rojo's achievement in particular has come as a result of her fulfilling many notable aims for the ballet company during her relatively short tenure as Artistic Director to date, in addition to her successes as a ballerina during the 18 years that the UK has been her home. Rojo's belief that art and culture improve and enrich the lives of those who experience them has meant she has dedicated herself to making dance, as well as the arts in general, as open and accessible to as many people as possible.
Rojo's passion for the arts has come as a result of her initial training in ballet at the Victor Ullate School in Madrid. In 1996 she joined Scottish Ballet where she performed a number of principal roles. Upon invitation by Derek Deane, she joined English National Ballet in 1997 and in 2000 she joined the Royal Ballet where she was Principal for 12 years.
In 2012, Rojo returned to English National Ballet when she was appointed Artistic Director. She has since transformed the company into one of the country’s most loved and most creative ballet companies, introducing innovative new works to the repertoire while continuing to honour the classics. Rojo has worked tirelessly throughout her career to inspire audiences through dance, as a performer and as a leader, and as a result she has been repeatedly recognised for her artistic excellence, including winning the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.
Dance in the New Year’s Honours
In the recent announcement of the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours, dance was well represented in the reveal that Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, was awarded a CBE for her services to ballet. Also mentioned in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours was Christopher Wheeldon, Jill Tookey and Matthew Bourne, Artistic Director of New Adventures, who received a knighthood.
Rojo's achievement in particular has come as a result of her fulfilling many notable aims for the ballet company during her relatively short tenure as Artistic Director to date, in addition to her successes as a ballerina during the 18 years that the UK has been her home. Rojo's belief that art and culture improve and enrich the lives of those who experience them has meant she has dedicated herself to making dance, as well as the arts in general, as open and accessible to as many people as possible.
Rojo's passion for the arts has come as a result of her initial training in ballet at the Victor Ullate School in Madrid. In 1996 she joined Scottish Ballet where she performed a number of principal roles. Upon invitation by Derek Deane, she joined English National Ballet in 1997 and in 2000 she joined the Royal Ballet where she was Principal for 12 years.
In 2012, Rojo returned to English National Ballet when she was appointed Artistic Director. She has since transformed the company into one of the country’s most loved and most creative ballet companies, introducing innovative new works to the repertoire while continuing to honour the classics. Rojo has worked tirelessly throughout her career to inspire audiences through dance, as a performer and as a leader, and as a result she has been repeatedly recognised for her artistic excellence, including winning the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.