The winner of Emerging Dancer 2022 is…

Eric Snyder – congratulations Eric!

Congratulations also to Corps de Ballet Award winner Emilia Cadorin and People’s Choice winner Precious Adams.

During the Emerging Dancer performance, Eric, partnered with fellow finalist Chloe Keneally, performed a classical pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty, and brand new contemporary duet Cha Cha and Tiara, choreographed by Rentaro Nakaaki.

Of winning the 2022 Emerging Dancer Award, Eric said:

I really am so grateful for this. A big thank you to my mentors James and Shiori who were a rock for both me and my beautiful, amazing partner Chloe. Thank you to those who nominated me and the panel for what they saw in me. My Mom arranged a huge viewing party back home, it’s so special to know they have been watching!

Eric was chosen as the winner by a panel of esteemed judges: joining Artistic Director Tamara Rojo CBE on the panel were Dana Fouras, Céline Gittens, Kamara Gray, Sir Alistair Spalding CBE and Joseph Toonga.

Tamara Rojo said:

Emerging Dancer is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the bright future of ballet. Watching this incredible
showcase of the immense talent among the Company’s rising stars is always a joy and a privilege. The talent and skill we saw on stage tonight was extraordinary. Eric showed beautiful qualities in both the classical and contemporary pieces. He is a dancer with enormous potential, and I am delighted this was seen by the jury who agreed unanimously on this year’s winner. Huge congratulations to all the finalists for an evening of fantastic performances.

Congratulations to all of our incredible finalists on a beautiful evening of dancing: Matthew Astley, Ashley Coupal, Noam Durand, Chloe Keneally, Eric Snyder and Angela Wood.

Ashley Coupal and Noam Durand performed a classical pas deux from Coppélia, and NEFES, a brand new contemporary work choreographed by Ceyda Tanc, with an original score composed by Fabian Reimair and orchestrated by Gavin Sutherland.

Angela Wood and Matthew Astley danced a pas de deux from classical favourite Paquita, and new contemporary creation Interlude on the Jubilee Line by Hamish Longley.

The event was hosted by presenter Jordan Lee with our own First Artist Sarah Kundi and Artist Giorgio Garrett as interval hosts. English National Ballet Philharmonic performed all three classical excerpts and the newly orchestrated NEFES score live, and treated audiences to a special interval performance of Arthur Sullivan’s The Yeoman of the Guard (Overture), arranged by Guest Conductor Timothy Henty.

2020 Emerging Dancer winner Ivana Bueno and 2020 People’s Choice winner Victor Prigent then danced a celebratory pas de deux from Le Corsaire.

Following the evening’s performances, more excitement followed as ENB Artist Emilia Cadorin was awarded the 2022 Corps de Ballet Award, given by the Artistic team to a member of the Company who has gone above and beyond on and offstage. Junior Soloist Precious Adams was named People’s Choice winner for 2022, voted by audience members throughout the past season, in recognition of her many wonderful performances.

Thank you to our Company mentors, whose role in the Emerging Dancer process is so essential to the finalists’ development: Francesco Gabriele Frola, Shiori Kase, Sarah Kundi, Junor Souza, James Streeter and Erina Takahashi. 

Emerging Dancer 2022 supported by CHANEL

The 2022 People’s Choice Award was supported by Alexis and Frances Prenn

The 2022 Corps de Ballet Award was supported by Sue and Graeme Sloan