Dancers 2011 Season Scheherazade & 1001 Arabian Nights
Zoë Arshamian
Zoë was born in Cheshire, UK, where she began dancing at the age of 3. She gained a place at The Royal Ballet School aged 11 and completed her training at Central School of Ballet, London. During her final year she performed with Ballet Central and worked with choreographers Christopher Bruce, Christopher Hampson, Darshan Singh Bhuller and Christopher Marney. As a student Zoë made appearances with The Royal Ballet in The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker and also with Northern Ballet in their production of Swan Lake.
Richard Bermange
Richard was born in London and began dancing locally before completing his training at Central School of Ballet, London (2002-2005). As a student he danced with Northern Ballet in a national tour of A Christmas Carol (Gable) as well as appearing with Ballet Central, where he worked with choreographers including Cathy Marston and Morgann Runacre-Temple. Since graduation, Richard has worked with K-Ballet, Tokyo (2005-2007) where he danced in numerous productions including The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Le Corsaire (all after Petipa), as well as in Ashton’s The Two Pigeons and Rhapsody, and MacMillan’s Winter Dreams. Richard joined Tivoli Ballet, Copenhagen (2008-2009) where he danced soloist and principal roles in many productions including Bournonville’s Napoli and Flower Festival at Genzano. He made his first appearance with Ballet Ireland in 2009 where he created one of his favourite roles as an Ugly Sister in Runacre-Temple’s Cinderella. Richard also recently danced with English National Ballet in their production of Swan Lake (Petipa/Ivanov) and with Peter Schaufuss Ballet in Ashton’s Romeo and Juliet. This is Richard’s third season with Ballet Ireland and has enjoyed creating many roles in this production of Scheherazade.
Katie Deacon
Katie was born in Glasgow and trained locally at Rosebank Dancing School and Central Scotland Ballet School before joining Scottish Ballet’s Senior Associate Programme. She completed her training at Central School of Ballet in London, graduating in July 2011 with a BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Performance. During her third year Katie toured extensively with Ballet Central performing a mixed repertoire. Whilst at Central she had the opportunity to work with a number of choreographers including Christopher Bruce, Christopher Hampson, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Christopher Marney and Kenrick Sandy.
This is Katie’s first season with Ballet Ireland and she is very excited to be involved in the creation of a new ballet.
Noah Hellwig
Born in Stockholm, Noah began his training at The Royal Swedish Ballet School at the age of ten. Upon completion of the nine year course he undertook an additional year’s training at Central School of Ballet (London, UK) achieving a BA (Hons) degree in Professional Dance & Performance. In his graduation year Noah toured throughout the United Kingdom with Ballet Central, dancing various roles in a mixed repertoire. He is the recipient of the Central School award for choreography 2010 and the Ballet Central Award 2010. He is also the winner of Central Friends Trust Awards with a solo performance which he created himself. Noah first performed with Ballet Ireland in 2010 with Romeo & Juliet, dancing both the roles of Benvolio and Mercutio. Subsequently he has been invited to perform with Stora Daldansen, (Falun, Sweden), Stockholm Baroque Dancers and La Compagnie de Danse Baroque l’Eventail. Noah is looking forward to his second season with Ballet Ireland and touring with the brand new Schererazade.
David Horn
David was born in Dumfries, south west Scotland. He began his training at the age of ten with Ballet West in Oban, where he gained all major examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance and was awarded a place at the prestigious Adeline Genée competition. Since graduation he has performed with several companies which include English National Ballet and The Scottish Ballet, dancing a varied repertoire. This includes Swan Lake (ch. Deane), Sleeping Beauty (Page), Pennies from Heaven (Page) and Coppélia (Saint-Léon). Amongst David’s favourite roles are those of Snow Prince- The Nutcracker and Mercutio- Romeo and Juliet (Pastor). David joined Ballet Ireland in autumn 2009 and created the role of ‘Buttons’ in Runacre-Temple’s production of Cinderella; last year he danced Romeo in her production of Romeo & Juliet. This is David’s third collaboration with Ballet Ireland.
Jack Jones
After his training at both the schools of the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet (UK), Jack was engaged with the Companhia de Dança Contemporânea (Portugal) for two years before joining the touring company Companhia de Dança Almada in 2006. In this year he was invited to dance with Companhia Olga Roriz, creating a role in Daqui Em Diante. His subsequent return to Britain has witnessed several collaborations which include Dansense with DanceXchange, working with Enrique Cabrera and work with Matthew Bourne which includes his performances of ‘Reverand Judas Evercreech’ in Edward Scissorhands. Working as a freelance artist, he has created several roles, including that of ‘Brains’ in Aletta Collins’ piece The Red Balloon for ROH2. Jack re-joined Bourne’s New Adventures with Swan Lake in 2009 where he played various ensemble roles; then in 2011 he created the role of ‘Maurice’ in Bourne’s The Lord of the Flies. He would like to thank his family for all their continued support.
Katherine Kingston
Katherine grew up in Somerset beginning her training at the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance in Bath. She completed her training at Central School of Ballet in London. Since graduating Katherine has danced with Northern Ballet Theatre, Independent Ballet Wales and George Piper Dances and has worked with several choreographers which include Will Tuckett, Didi Veldman, Christopher Marney and Lucy Burge. Favourite roles have included Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title role in Giselle. Katherine first joined Ballet Ireland in 2009 for Cinderella and created the role of Lady Capulet in last year’s production of Romeo and Juliet. She is delighted to be performing in another of Morgann Runacre-Temple’s works this season.
Maria Ledesma
Maria was born in Barcelona, Spain in 1990 and began her ballet training at the age of 5 in her hometown of Gava. Maria continued her training in EESA/CPD de l’Institut del Teatre in Barcelona before completing her studies at English National Ballet School in London, achieving their diploma. As student she gained valuable performing experience, touring with Northern Ballet Theatre and appearing in their productions of Swan Lake and La Bayadère She has also danced roles in Sleeping Beauty, Paquita, Giselle and Don Quixote. Maria joined Ballet Ireland in 2009 and has performed in the company’s productions of Cinderella, Lyric Suite and Romeo and Juliet. Earlier this year, she was invited to join the Corella Ballet, based in Segovia, Spain, for their production of Swan Lake. Maria is delighted to be back with Ballet Ireland for the current tour.
James Löffler
James was born in Kircheim, West Germany, and at the age of 7 moved with his family to Guildford in the United Kingdom. He began his dance training here at the Arden Holford School of Dance, became a junior associate of the Royal Ballet School, and at the age of 11 continued his full-time training at the Royal Ballet School. James completed his training at the Arts Educational School, Tring, and was a member of Britain’s National Youth Ballet for three years. In 2005 James was invited to perform the Pas de Trois from The Pearl Fishers at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre as part of Young British Dancer of the Year; Later that year, he was awarded the prestigious Barbara Fewster Boys’ Award, under the auspices of the Cecchetti Society and was granted a scholarship to attend their annual Summer School. After graduating in 2006, James joined Ballet Ireland, with which he has performed many roles, including Prince (Nutcracker), Fred (A Christmas Carol) and Fairy God-Father (Cinderella) and Paris (Romeo & Juliet). During 2008, James performed with the Michael Clark Company in London for The Stravinsky Project and toured with them to New York’s Lincoln Centre and to Seoul, Korea and extensively throughout Europe. During 2010 James appeared with Pasodos Dance Company in Mallorca as guest artist performing the Grand Pas de Deux from Nutcracker amongst other repertoire. James is very excited to be performing with Ballet Ireland again on this thrilling new production.
Ayami Miyata
Born in Shiga, Japan, Ayami her ballet training at the age of 6 at the Jun Ballet Gakuen based in Shiga. In 2006 she entered the 5th Japan Grand Prix and was awarded a scholarship for a three year training programme at L’Academie de Danse Classique Princess Grace in Monaco under the tutelage of the director, Marika Besobrasova, and Roland Vogel. As a student she performed in France and Italy as well as in Monaco in a wide repertoire which included Symphony in D (Kylián), Donizetti Variations (Balanchine) and Paquita (Petipa/Besobrasova) as well as appearances with the Opera de Monte Carlo in the Mozart opera The Magic Flute. After her graduation, Ayami joined Northern Ballet (UK), where she remained 2 years, dancing in the David Nixon productions; Dracula, Wuthering Heights, Dangerous Liaisons, Peter Pan (as ‘Twin’), Romeo & Juliet (Juliet’s friends), The Nutcracker, Swan Lake (Little swans) and Giselle as well as Christopher Gable’s A Christmas Carol. She also took part in Northern Ballet’s 40th Anniversary Gala (2009). This is Ayami’s first season with Ballet Ireland.
Sonoya Mizuno
Born in Japan but raised in England, Sonoya began her training locally in Somerset before continuing on to the Royal Ballet School. During her final years of training, she danced with the Royal Ballet on numerous occasions, including a tour to East Asia. Upon graduation she joined the Dresden Semper Oper Ballett (Germany), under the direction of Aaron S Watkin, dancing numerous corps de ballet roles in an extensive repertoire, including works by Balanchine, Neumeier, Forsythe, Tetley and Scholz. During recent years Sonoya has undertaken much freelance work, which has included performances in both Tokyo and London; in addition to her career as a dancer Sonoya works frequently as a fashion model. Now based in London, she currently trains with Renato Paroni. This is Sonoya’s first season with Ballet Ireland.
Kumiko Nakamura
Kumiko was born in Fukuoka, southwest Japan, where she began her ballet training at the Michiko Komori Ballet Studio. She studied here for ten years before completing her training in Europe, attending both the Rosella Hightower Ecole Superieure de Danse (Cannes, France) and Tanz Akademie Zurich (Switzerland), graduating in 2006.
As a student, Kumiko has extensive performing experience, dancing amongst other roles Princess Florine, Sleeping Beauty, Sugar Plum Fairy, The Nutcracker, and the title role in Giselle. Kumiko was a finalist in the Asia Kitakyusyu Ballet Competition and was invited to take part in the Ballet Festival hosted by the Japan Ballet Association in August 2005. In 2006, Kumiko was chosen by Leo Mujic to perform in his new work, Lake’s Eleven in Zurich. Kumiko joined Ballet Ireland in September 2006 for A Christmas Carol creating the role of ‘Tiny Tim’, and since then has performed a number of exciting roles with the company, receiving critical acclaim in particular for her portrayal of ‘footmouse’ in the 2009 production of Cinderella. She is delighted to be touring yet again with Ballet Ireland.
Diamaid O’Meara
Diarmaid grew up in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary and started his training in Dublin at the College of Dance with Joanna Banks, continuing on to London where he graduated from Central School of Ballet in 2009. Diarmaid was the recipient of a Bank of Ireland Millenium scholarship which facillitated his final years of training. While at Central, he toured with Ballet Central and performed in original works by Mikaela Polley and Matthew Hart. Professional experience has included work with CoisCeim Dance Theatre, Opera Ireland, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, Ballet Theatre UK and Ballet in Small Spaces. This is Diarmaid’s second season with Ballet Ireland, he danced the role of Lord Capulet in last year’s production of Romeo and Juliet.
Jordi Calpe Serrats
Jordi is originally from Mallorca, where he began his training in ballet and contemporary dance techniques before going to London and further training, both at the London Contemporary Dance School and at the Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance. Since graduation Jordi has worked with numerous companies and choreographers which have included the Richard Alston Dance Company, Lucy Burge, Opera Holland Park, Lynne Page, Lo Commotion Dance, Regina Wielingen and Drew McOnie. He recently collaborated with Morgann Runacre-Temple and Arthur Pita on Utopia with Birmingham DanceXchange. His film and television credits include the art film The Death Of Pentheus, directed by Phillip Haas, (choreography Lucy Burge) and nominated at the Venice Festival and the art film Crystal Delays (self-choreographed); also BBC Blast (choreography Drew McOnie) and the feature film Acts of Godfrey (Choreography Lucy Burge). Jordi is very excited to be joining Ballet Ireland this season.
Kieran Stoneley
Kieran was born in Chester, UK, and started his dance training locally with Wanda Kinder before being awarded a place at the Royal Ballet School aged 11. He remained at the school right through to graduation in 2004 after which he toured with the Royal Ballet in the USA. Following this he was invited to join New York Theatre Ballet where he danced a number of soloist and principal roles in works including Capriol Suite (Ashton), Three Virgins and a Devil, Rodeo and Brigadoon (Agnes de Mille) and the role of the Mad hatter in Alice in Wonderland. In 2005 Kieran toured extensively throughout Italy creating works with Marco Pelle before accepting a contract with Los Angeles Ballet for the company’s inaugural season. Returning to the UK in 2007 Kieran joined Northern Ballet Theatre dancing Puck in David Nixon’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream alongside roles in Nixon’s Hamlet and Nutcracker. During a subsequent season with Scottish Ballet he danced several works which included Ashley Page’s Cheating, Lying, Stealing and Richard Alston’s Carmen. Kieran’s first season with Ballet Ireland was in 2009 dancing in Morgann Runacre-Temple’s Cinderella and lead couple in Michael Corder’s Lyric Suite. Kieran then returned to New York Theatre Ballet dancing the Prince in Firebird and Sleeping Beauty as well as works by Antony Tudor and Jose Limón. Kieran also performed at the New York Pops 2010 at Carnegie Hall. Later in 2010, he returned to Ballet Ireland creating the role of Mercutio in Morgann Runacre-Temples Romeo and Juliet. In 2011 he danced with Michael Clark Company at the Tate Modern. He has also worked on TV and Film projects and assisted on the Reach or Dance Outreach Programme. Kieran has made several guest appearances with Westside Ballet, California and The Irish National Youth Ballet.