JMcN Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Celine Gittens was mentioned in the Race,Culture and Ballet thread and it was suggested there that news of her be posted here. You will have realised that I am a big supporter of BRB, where Celine is a dancer and have had a good opportunity to watch her dance. Celine was absolutely terrific in Somethin' Stupid in Nine Sinatra Songs alongside James Barton. Not only is she a lovely dancer but she brought a lot of characterisation to the role. She and James came over as being, perhaps, youngsters at a college prom both naive but with Celine having to take the lead. More recently she was very sensual in the Arabian Dance in Sir Peter Wright's production of The Nutcracker. Celine is definitely one we like to watch! Link to comment
mmded Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 In the Winter 2007 Dance International Magazine there is a small dance note about Celine Gittens being cast to learn the role of Odette and Odile for the Birmingham Royal Ballet's production of Swan Lake. She is certainly one audiences WILL be watching! Link to comment
CeC Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 JMcN, thank you for that update! I never have news, only history ... here is a link to her Grand Pas Classique at the Prix de Lausanne where she was a finalist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbZaOZZuAx4 Even at 17, the strength and artistry is lovely. I wish the Genees posted videos, according to ballet.co.uk she won a unanimous choice gold medal plus the audience choice award for the Genees - that is a performance I would have loved to see! Here is a Where's Waldo for ballet fans. It is a backstage memory video of the Goh Ballet's 25th anniversary (so 5 years ago). It is fairly easy to find a baby Celine (14 years old, I guess). I can also spot Chan Hon Goh and her parents, of course, and guests like Veronica Tennant, Peter Boal, Evelyn Hart and Rex Harrington, but the very young Goh dancers are the most fun. I found a baby Alex Wong (ABT, MCB) giggling on the stage floor with a baby Alpha Ng (SDT, AB), Shinji Kajita (Japanese co.?) making fun of his tarzan-looking costume, Emily Collier (AB), Brianne Bland (WB, coming back to guest), Frances Chung (SFB), Ken Guan (Suzanne Farrell Ballet), (so Sarawanee Tanatanit (ABT) and Christopher Gray (AB, HB) from the same year as the last two, must be there as well), Madoka Sato (SDB), Crystal Hartford? (Colorado Ballet), Caitlin Griffin? (Ballet de Printemps), James Stout? (Dutch National Ballet), Nan Wang, Noah Long (I think), Julia Jensen and there must be Courtenay Lutz (last four all to NBC on graduation), Fei Fei Ye (and Kostya Keshyshev?) both to Hong Kong Ballet - so many others, and sooo young. (Someone in Japan could probably place some that I lost track of.) Such a shame they didn't post the show. Part 1 Part 2 I really wish more dancers would post videos so we could see what they are up to now ... but hearing about them here is almost as good! If I have my dates correct, Celine would have just turned 19 - an incredibly young Odette/Odile. Link to comment
JMcN Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 I'm happy to report that Celine has been promoted to First Artist within Birmingham Royal Ballet. Celine has had a terrific year so far, starting when she performed Diana in David Bintley's wonderful new production of Sylvia. On the midscale tour she performed (very movingly) the central duet in David Bintley's Dance House (with Tom Rogers) to great effect and also a leading role in Elite Syncopations. She is wonderful to watch in performance and all her fans are hoping she will get many more leading roles. Link to comment
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