An apology to my loyal readers: In my haste to get the new SFB Dancer Roster link to SFBalletomanes the very second it posted, I didn’t see the official Press Release, which does go into some detail regarding the new dancers and promotions. I will be back with the deets (Odette’s Translation will cover those departing), but here’s SFB’s Press Release, in the meantime:

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET ANNOUNCES NEW COMPANY MEMBERS FOR 2013 REPERTORY SEASON 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Friday, July 6, 2012–San Francisco Ballet has announced six promotions, as well as the addition of two new soloists, two new corps members, and five new apprentices for the 2013 Repertory Season. Luke Ingham and Shane Wuerthner have joined the Company as soloists. In addition, Marie-Claire D’Lyse and Emily Kadow have joined the corps de ballet, along with former apprentices who have been promoted to the corps de ballet level: Sean Bennett, Megan Amanda Ehrlich, Jillian Harvey, Ellen Rose Hummel, Henry Sidford, and Shion Yuasa. The five new apprentices joining the Company have all trained at the San Francisco Ballet School and include: Lacey Escabar, Lauren Parrott, Alexander Reneff-Olson, Emma Rubinowitz, and Wei Wang. 

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Promotions

Born in San Francisco, Sean Bennett entered the SF Ballet School in 2000 on a Dance In Schools (DIS) scholarship. He joined the Trainee Program in 2010, after a year at American Ballet Theater’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and was named a Company apprentice during the 2011 Repertory Season. Megan Amanda Ehrlich, born in Charleston, South Carolina, trained both at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., and at the Space Coast Ballet Academy in Melbourne, Florida. She joined the Company as an apprentice during the 2011 Repertory Season. Jillian Harvey was named an apprentice with the Company in April 2012. Prior to this appointment, she was an apprentice with New York City Ballet from 2010-12. Born in Pennsylvania, she began her training at Allegheny Ballet and then at the School of American Ballet. In 2010 she was a recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award for “Outstanding Promise.” Ellen Rose Hummel was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and trained at the SF Ballet School, first during the 2008 Summer Session and then as a Trainee. She entered the Company as an apprentice during the 2011 Repertory Season. Henry Sidford, born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, first began his training with the SF Ballet School during the 2007 Summer Session. A finalist in the 2011 Prix de Lausanne, Sidford joined SF Ballet as an apprentice for the 2011 Repertory Season. Shion Yuasa, from Saitama, Japan, trained at Canada’s School of Alberta Ballet, prior to joining SF Ballet School in 2009 and the Trainee Program in 2010. In 2011, she was named an apprentice with the Company. 

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New Company Members

Marie-Claire D’Lyse, a former demi-soloist with Vienna State Opera Ballet, originally hails from Australia. A semi-finalist at the 2000 Prix de Lausanne, D’Lyse began her training in Australia, before studying at the Vienna State Opera Ballet School. Featured roles have included Myrtha in Giselle, the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, and the Fairy of Beauty in The Sleeping Beauty. A native of Australia, Luke Ingham trained at the Australian Ballet School and then performed with the Australian Ballet from 2004-10, where he was promoted to soloist in 2008. In addition, he performed with Houston Ballet from 2011-12 and with Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, for the 2010 winter season.  Ingham’s wide range of roles includes Franz in Coppélia, the Prince in The Nutcracker, and Hilarion in Giselle. A native of Pennsylvania, Emily Kadow’s training includes the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Washington D.C.’s Kirov Academy. In 2008, Kadow won a bronze medal at the Youth America Grand Prix. Shane Wuerthner is a graduate of Washington, D.C.’s Kirov Academy and has performed with the Vienna State Opera Ballet, first as a corps de ballet member and since 2009, as a demi-soloist. Wuerthner has performed a number of principal roles with the company including Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake and the Prince in The Nutcracker.

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New Apprentices

Helgi Tomasson has named five new apprentices for the 2012 season. As apprentices, these dancers will take Company class and perform corps de ballet roles in the Company’s diverse repertory. Lacey Escabar, from Fairfax, California has served as a Trainee at the SF Ballet School for the past two years and has performed in a number of Company productions including Helgi Tomasson’s Giselle and Swan Lake, as well as John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid. She first entered the School for the 2006 Summer Session. Lauren Parrott hails from Marietta, Georgia, and first entered the SF Ballet School during the 2010 Summer Session, before becoming a Trainee last year.  She has performed in SF Ballet productions such as George Balanchine’s Symphony in C and Coppélia, as well as Tomasson’s Don Quixote. Alexander Reneff-Olson, from San Francisco, first enrolled in the School’s 2008 Summer Session before serving as a Trainee over the last two years. He has performed with SF Ballet in a number of productions including Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote, John Cranko’s Onegin, and Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces. Prior to training at the SF Ballet School, Reneff-Olson studied at City Ballet School. Emma Rubinowitz, from Mill Valley, California, first entered SF Ballet School in summer 2010 and this past year, though in level 8, she studied with the Trainees. She has performed a number of Company productions including Tomasson’s Nutcracker, Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote, and Balanchine’s Coppélia. Wei Wang hails from Anshan-Liaoning, China and most recently served as a Trainee from 2011-12. He trained at the Beijing Dance Academy and performed with SF Ballet in productions such as Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet and Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote. 

Subscriptions are currently on sale for the 2013 Repertory Season, January 29 through May 12, at the War Memorial Opera House. For information, call the Ticket Services Office at 415.865.2000, or visit sfballet.org. 

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Promotions/Level

Sean Bennett                        Corps de Ballet

Megan Amanda Ehrlich        Corps de Ballet

Jillian Harvey                         Corps de Ballet

Ellen Rose Hummel              Corps de Ballet

Henry Sidford                        Corps de Ballet

Shion Yuasa                           Corps de Ballet

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New Company Member/Level

Luke Ingham                         Soloist

Shane Wuerthner                  Soloist

Marie-Claire D’Lyse              Corps de Ballet

Emily Kadow                          Corps de Ballet

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New Apprentices/Training

       Lacey Escabar                        SF Ballet School        

Lauren Parrott                       SF Ballet School

Alexander Reneff-Olson       SF Ballet School

Emma Rubinowitz                 SF Ballet School

Wei Wang                              SF Ballet School