Emerging Dancer 2026

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Overview

Celebrating the talent of tomorrow’s stars

Emerging Dancer recognises the excellence and dedication of our artists across the Company, offering them a platform to share their growth, individuality and creativity.  

Six of our most promising dancers will take to the stage with classical pas de deux and contemporary solos, performing for a panel of judges before a series of awards are presented recognising different aspects of artistic development. 

Emerging Dancer will take place on 28 May and will be available to stream for free on English National Ballet’s YouTube channel from 4 June – giving audiences around the world the chance to be part of this celebration of talent and creativity. 

The Emerging Dancer 2026 artists are: 

  • Zai Calliste
  • Thalina Chapin
  • Tara Millard
  • Anri Sugiura
  • Sacha Venkatasawmy
  • Jakob Wheway Hughes

This inspiring event is not only a hugely entertaining evening of world-class dance, but a chance to get to know our dancers better, and to see how far their hard work and dedication has taken them. 

Main image: Emerging Dancer 2026 dancers. Image: Isabella Turolla

 

Repertoire

The evening will begin with a selection of classical pas de deux and will then move on to contemporary solos.

  • Thalina Chapin and Sacha Venkatasawmy will perform a pas de deux from Coppelia (Martínez/ Delibes). They will work with Repetiteur Erina Takahashi.
  • Tara Millard and Zai Calliste will perform a pas de deux from The Talisman (Petipa/Drigo) . They will work with Repetiteur Carmen Piqueras.
  • Anri Sugiura and Jakob Wheway-Hughes  will perform a pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty (MacMillan/Tchaikovsky) . They will work with Associate Artistic Director Loipa Araújo.

For the second part of the evening, the nominees will perform contemporary solos, choreographed by fellow English National Ballet dancers.

  • Thalina Chapin, mentored by Lead Principal Sangeun Lee, will perform a work by Soloist Swanice Luong.
  • Tara Millard, mentored by First Soloist Haruhi Otani, will perform a work by Company Artist Martinho Santos.
  • Anri Sugiura, mentored by Lead Principal Fernanda Oliveira, will perform a work by Soloist Minju Kang.
  • Zai Calliste, mentored by Lead Principal Gareth Haw, will perform a work by First Soloist Rentaro Nakaaki.
  • Sacha Venkatasawmy, mentored by First Soloist Ken Saruhashi, will perform a work by Soloist Alice Bellini.
  • Jakob Wheway Hughes, mentored by First Soloist James Streeter, will perform a work by First Artist Ashley Coupal.

The evening’s programme will also include performances of three new works, developed by company dancers Alice Bellini, Rentaro Nakaaki and Eric Snyder through Studio Sessions, English National Ballet’s platform dedicated to developing choreographic talent within the company. 

Watch Emerging Dancer 2026

Online

Thu 4 Jun 2026
Thu 4 Jun 2026

Supporters

Emerging Dancer 2026 is supported by CHANEL.

The Corps de Ballet Award is supported by Alexis & Frances Prenn.

The Audience Choice Award is supported by Jacquie & Paul Gulbenkian.