4 replies to this topic

[Grissi]

I have never paid too much attention to the ballet news in Portugal, but last week the Companhia Nacional de Bailado arrived to Madrid to dance Swan Lake. I was surprised to find that the principal dancer there is the Spanish Carlos Pinillos, one of the best dancers trained by Víctor Ullate. It is a shame that the performances are to be held in the Teatro de Madrid, once very comfortable for ballet but now old and obsolete. And it is a shame, because the couples dancing the leading roles are: the Portuguese Ana Lacerda and Carlos Acosta; Alina Cojocaru with Carlos Pinillos; and Barbora Hruskova with Roman Vassiliev.

I hope to hear more about this company!!

[bart]

Quite an impressive Guest List!

I saw Pinillos (with Filipa Castro) dancing the Don Quixote pas de deux at the Miami International Ballet Festival this past September.

The program notes mention that the Companhia Nacional de Bailado has been based since 2003 at the Teatro Camoes in Lisbon, and that:

While [it] has its own repertoire, the organization has promoted with Teatro Camoes an active collaboration with other dance companies and entities. Teatro Camoes, well known as the "Theater of Dance," works to create a diversity of programming it considers essential to the creation of a large and loyal audience.

The Artistic Director, Mehmet Balkan, started at the Natiional Ballet of Ankara (turkey) and has danced with the Royal Ballet and Hanover State Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, among other companies.

Pinilllos' bio was as follows:

Mr. Pinillos is Spanish and was born in 1977. He studied at the Dance School Victor Ullate in Spain. He began his professional career in 1995 with Victor Ullate Ballet ofSpain. In 1997, he became a soloist, and in 2000 a Principal Dancer. Mr. Pinillos recieved the Gold Medal in the Varna International Dance Competition and was a finallist in the International Dance Competition in Paris in 2000. He joined Companhia Nacional de Bailado in 2001 as Principal Dancer.

[miliosr]

FYI -- The June 2007 issue of Dance Europe has a multi-page review of the company's 30th anniversary gala.

[miliosr]

Well, CNB has a new artistic director, a new (and better) Web page and -- best of all -- an official YouTube channel w/ lots of performance videos. This company's repertory is very individual -- they don't seem to be chasing after the usual suspects (Balanchine, Tharp, etc.)

[miliosr]

Does anyone know what has happened to Tomislav Petranovic? He was still listed as a principal in Spring of 2011 but he now appears to have left the company.

CNB has had a lot of turnover and turmoil in the past few years. They have a new artictic director which would make three in the last 5-6 years.

Update: Petranovic has returned to his native Croatia and is dancing with the National Ballet there.