Hong Kong Ballet Announces

2019/20 Season
Company Members and Guest Artists

[Hong Kong – 6 July 2019] Hong Kong Ballet announces six promotions and 13 new Company members for the 2019/20 season, which celebrates the Company’s 40^th anniversary.

Yuh Egami has been promoted to Ballet Master, and Hu Song Wei Ricky has been appointed the Company’s first full-time Choreographer-in-Residence. Over the next three years, Hu will create one new ballet each year and will be provided abundant resources and a rich environment in which to develop his work.

Soloist Li Lin has been promoted to Principal Dancer, Corps de Ballet members Lai Nok Sze Vanessa and Luis Cabrera have been promoted to Coryphées, and Apprentice Leung Sau Long has been promoted to a Corps de Ballet member.

Additionally, 13 new dancers have joined the Company’s ranks. Ma Renjie (China) joins as a Soloist, and new Coryphées include Kim Eunsil (Korea), Amber Lewis (Australia), Reina Sawai (Japan), Jackson Dwyer (Canada), Thomas Giugovaz (Italy) and Jessica Burrows (Canada) returning to the Company. Miyako Tamamura (Japan), Xu Shentian (China), Zhu Jiaying (China), Ethan Chudnow (USA) and Wang Zi (China) join as new Corps de Ballet members. Apprentice Yun Ao Xin Hennes (Hong Kong) rounds out the new members, and the Company is now comprised of 45 dancers from all over the globe – Hong Kong, Mainland China, other parts of Asia, Australia, Europe and the US.

An exciting roster of guest artists will be performing in the 2019/20 season, including Chun Wai CHAN, Principal at Houston Ballet, who will appear in Swan Lake. China Everbright Ltd. Proudly Presents: International Gala of Stars 2019 will feature world renowned dancers Osiel Gouneo, Principal Dancer at Bavarian State Ballet; Marcelo Gomes, former Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre; Dorothée Gilbert, Etoile at Paris Opera Ballet; Iana Salenko, Principal Dancer at Berlin State Ballet and Guest Principal at The Royal Ballet; and Matthew Golding, Guest Principal Dancer at Bavarian State Ballet and former Principal Dancer at The Royal Ballet and Dutch National Ballet.

Hong Kong Ballet also expects to announce an exciting addition to the guest artist roster soon.

Artistic Director Septime Webre said, “We are thrilled to welcome a collection of amazingly talented artists from all around the world to Hong Kong Ballet this season. Their fresh energy and passion will help fuel the forward momentum that the Company is now enjoying, and we look forward to introducing them to audiences in Hong Kong and on tour all season long.”

Heading into its third season with Webre, the Company saw record-breaking ticket sales for its 2018/19 productions, and the 2019/20 season subscription sales have also surpassed that of last season. Please visit hkballet.com/1920 for more details about the new season.

Promotions	Level
Yuh EGAMI	Ballet Master (Ms Daisy Ho Artist)
HU Song Wei Ricky	Choreographer-in-Residence
LI Lin	Principal Dancer
LAI Nok Sze Vanessa	Coryphée
Luis CABRERA	Coryphée
LEUNG Sau Long	Corps de Ballet Member (Mr. Justin D'agostino Artist)

New Company Members	Level
MA Renjie	Soloist
Jessica BURROWS	Coryphée
KIM Eunsil	Coryphée
Amber LEWIS	Coryphée
Reina SAWAI	Coryphée
Jackson DWYER	Coryphée
Thomas GIUGOVAZ	Coryphée
Miyako TAMAMURA	Corps de Ballet Member
XU Shentian	Corps de Ballet Member
ZHU Jiaying	Corps de Ballet Member
Ethan CHUDNOW	Corps de Ballet Member
WANG Zi	Corps de Ballet Member
YUEN Ao Xin Hennes	Apprentice

Biographies – Promotions

Yuh EGAMI – Ballet Master
Ms Daisy Ho Artist
Born in Okinawa, Japan, Yuh Egami graduated from The Royal Ballet School in London and joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2002. He assumed the additional role of Répétiteur for the Company in 2014 and became Assistant Ballet Master in 2018. He was named as Ballet Master in 2019.

With Hong Kong Ballet, Egami has danced in various works such as John Meehan's Swan Lake, Stephen Jefferies’ and Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Natalie Weir’s Turandot, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Nacho Duato’s Castrati, Jorma Elo’s Shape of Glow, William Forsythe’s Steptext, Stanton Welch’s Clear, to name a few.

Egami has presented his works at Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase, including Horn (2014) and White Lies (2012) with Hu Song Wei Ricky, OIOIO (2011), Mirage (2010), Collage of One (2008), Sakula (2007) and Kagé (2005).

He has also contributed choreography to several full-length works including The Rite of Spring (2019), Carmen (2017) co-choreographed with Hu, The Frog Prince-A Ballet Chinois (2013) together with Hu and as associate choreographer to Yuri Ng and Firecracker (2010) as an associate choreographer to Ng. His work Bolero (2015) with Hu, won Outstanding Ensemble performance at the Hong Kong Dance Awards 2016. Egami has also collaborated with music composer Mike Orange for the “New Works Forum: Choreographer & Composer Lab” by West Kowloon Cultural District in 2016.

Egami also re-choreographed Ng’s Devil’s Tale for Architanz, Japan in 2015 and choreographed Sonographer (2011) and Firefly (2016) for E-side Dance Company and Peter and the Wolf (2018) for Le Studio Ballet in Hong Kong.

HU Song Wei Ricky – Choreographer-in-Residence
Born in Jiangxi, China, Hu Song Wei Ricky trained at Shanghai Dance School, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in Singapore and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Hu joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2008 and was named Coryphée in 2015. He was appointed as Choreographer-in-Residence in 2019.

With Hong Kong Ballet, Hu has danced featured roles including Carabosse in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Chinese Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Von Rothbart in Yuri Ng’s Ballet Classics for Children: Swan Lake and Timur in Natalie Weir’s Turandot. He has also performed in both Stephen Jefferies’ The Nutcracker, Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Anna-Marie Holmes' Le Corsaire, Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Nacho Duato’s Castrati, Edwaard Liang’s Sacred Thread and Fei Bo’s Shenren Chang.

His choreographic works with the company include The Rite of Spring (2019), Demons (2017), Carmen (2017), Horn (2014) and White Lies (2012) with Yuh Egami; The Frog Prince–A Ballet Chinois (2013) as Associate Choreographer with Yuh Egami to Yuri Ng; Voicing (2011) and Twins (2010) for Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase. Other choreographic works include Skyfall (2018) for Shanghai Dance Theatre; Mirage (2017) for China Shanghai International Arts Festival 2018; Look Up 2.0 (2016) and Look Up (2015), by the invitation of National University of Singapore Arts Festival; Rush (2013), Play with Abandon (2012) for Hong Kong Arts Festival; Blank Space (2013) by the invitation of Re: Dance Theatre (RDT) in Singapore; and Lost in Memory (2013) for D. Lab Dance Shanghai.

His work Bolero (2015) with Yuh Egami, performed by the Company, won Outstanding Ensemble Performance at the Hong Kong Dance Awards 2016. He also received the Award for Young Artist in Dance at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards in 2012.

LI Lin – Principal Dancer
Born in Zhejiang, China, Li Lin trained at Beijing Dance Academy. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2010, was named Soloist in 2014 and became Principal Dancer in 2019.

With Hong Kong Ballet, Li has danced title role in Septime Webre’s The Great Gatsby, principal roles including Von Rothbart in John Meehan’s Swan Lake, Albrecht and Hilarion in Septime Webre and Charla Genn’s Giselle, Jewels in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Prince, Spanish Doll and Chinese Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Espada and Bolero in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Ali and Birbanto in Anna-Marie Holmes' Le Corsaire, Tybalt in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Franz in Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Camille in Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow, Mad Hatter, Dodo Bird, Joker and Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum in Septime Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland), Gaston in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Prince Calaf and Timur in Natalie Weir’s Turandot, Geppetto and Fox in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Lead Jester in David Allan’s Cinderella, The Man In Black in Yuri Ng’s Firecracker, José In Memory in Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky's Carmen. He was also featured in Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze, Nacho Duato’s Castrati, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval des Animaux, Jorma Elo's Shape of Glow, Edwaard Liang’s Sacred Thread, Trey McIntyre’s A Day in the Life and Fei Bo’s Shenren Chang.

Since joining the Company, his choreographic works include Missing Out (2018), The Bow (2017), Follow Your Heart (2016) and Break Away (2014). He danced Pas de Deux from Krzysztof Pastor’s In Light and Shadow with Liu Miaomiao at the International Ballet Festival of Havana in 2014 and won second prize at the Taoli Cup Dance Competition in 2009.

LAI Nok Sze Vanessa – Coryphée
Mr Christopher Wong Artist
Born in Hong Kong, Lai Nok Sze Vanessa trained at Le Studio Ballet before continuing her training at The Harid Conservatory on scholarship in 2010. She joined Hong Kong Ballet as an Apprentice in 2013, became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2014 and named Coryphée in 2019.

With Hong Kong Ballet, Lai has danced featured roles including Egyptian Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Lead Pirate Women in Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire, Caterpillar in Septime Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland), Myrtle Wilson in Septime Webre’s The Great Gatsby, Bolero in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, White Cat in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty and Cat in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, and performed in John Meehan's Swan Lake, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Natalia Conus’ Swan Lake Act III, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval des Animaux, Jorma Elo's Shape of Glow, Edwaard Liang’s Sacred Thread, Trey McIntyre’s A Day in the Life, Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit, Fei Bo’s Shenren Chang and Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky’s The Rite of Spring.

Lai received a Rudolf Nureyev Education Fellowship and scholarship from the Ruth Nelson Krafts Awards Foundation in 2012. She also placed Top 12 in Youth America Grand Prix in 2010.

Luis CABRERA – Coryphée
Born in Marikina, Philippines, Luis Cabrera began his training at Philippine High School for the Arts. He danced with Ballet Manila and Ballet Philippines before attending The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts on scholarship, where he graduated with a diploma in Dance in 2015. Cabrera joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet the same year, and named as Coryphée in 2019.

With Hong Kong Ballet, Cabrera has danced the featured roles of Fritz and Italian Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, and performed in John Meehan's Swan Lake, Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire, Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze, Nacho Duato’s Castrati, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, Jorma Elo's Shape of Glow, Edwaard Liang’s Sacred Thread, Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit, Fei Bo’s Shenren Chang and Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky’s The Rite of Spring. His choreographic work includes With-IN (2017).

Prior to joining the Company, he has also danced in Nonoy Froilan’s restaged Giselle, Carlo Pacis’ restaged A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty and Alice Reye’s Rama Hari.

LEUNG Saulong – Corps De Ballet
Mr Justin D'agostino Artist
Born in Hong Kong, Leung Saulong trained at The Hong Kong Camy Academy of Dancing and completed the Gifted Young Dance Program under the directorship of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). She received a Diploma in Performing Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from HKAPA. She joined Hong Kong Ballet as an Apprentice in 2015, became a member of Corps de Ballet in 2019.

With Hong Kong Ballet, Leung has danced in John Meehan's Swan Lake, Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Septime Webre and Charla Genn’s Giselle, Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire, Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Septime Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland) and The Great Gatsby as well as Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio.

Leung received gold awards at the Open Dance Contest in Hong Kong in 2009 and 2011.

Biographies – New Company Members

MA Renjie – Soloist
Miss Wendy Leung Wing Shan Artist
Born in Zhejiang, China, Ma Renjie trained at the Hang Zhou Art School and at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He began his career at Guangzhou Ballet, joined the Ballet of the Opéra national du Rhin in 2007 and was named soloist in 2015. Ma joined Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a Soloist.

His notable roles include Siegfried in Swan Lake, Romeo in Bertrand d’At’s Romeo and Juliet, Gurn in Dinna Bjorn’s La Sylphide, Frantz in Jo Strømgren’s Coppelia and Peasant Pas de Deux in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle. He also performed Maurice Béjart’s The Hammer without Master and Variations for a Door and a Sigh, William Forsythe’s Quintett, Heinz Spoerli’s Goldberg Variations, Alexander Ekman’s Flockwork, Benjamin Millepied’s Without and more.

Jessica BURROWS – Coryphée
Born in Stouffville, Canada, Jessica Burrows graduated from Canada's National Ballet School and danced with The National Ballet of Canada before joining Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) in 2010. She was promoted to Coryphée in 2015, joined Boston Ballet in 2017 as an Artist and returned to HKB in 2019.

With HKB, Burrows has been featured in works by Jorma Elo, Val Caniparoli, Alexei Ratmansky, Terence Kohler, Wang Xin Peng, Kinsun Chan, George Balanchine and Marius Petipa, among others. With Boston Ballet, she performed principal and soloist roles in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker, William Forsythe’s Pas Parts and Sage Humphries’ YOU, to name a few.

Burrows danced in Natalia Makarova's Giselle during exchange performances with The Royal Swedish Ballet in 2013.

KIM Eunsil – Coryphée
Born in Seoul, Korea, Kim Eunsil trained at John Cranko School in Stuttgart on scholarship and joined Ballet National Sodre Uruguay in 2017. She joined Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a Coryphée.

Her notable roles include Juliet in Kenneth Macmillan’s Romeo and Juliet, Medora in Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire and featured roles in George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations.

Reina SAWAI – Coryphée
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Reina Sawai trained in Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines and received a one-year scholarship in Portugal. She danced with National Ballet of Portugal, Vienna State Ballet and Boston Ballet before joining Hong Kong Ballet as a Coryphée in 2019.

She has danced in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Nutrcracker, Raymonda, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Who Cares, Donizetti Variations, William Forsythe’s Artifact, Pas Parts, Blake Works, Second Detail and Jorma Elo’s Fifth Symphony of Jean Silelius, among others.

Sawai was a semi-finalist in 2008 Prix de Lausanne and the Bronze medalist in 2009 TanzOlymp Berlin.

Jackson DWYER – Coryphée
Born in Montreal, Canada, Jackson Dwyer trained at Canada’s National Ballet School and John Cranko School in Stuttgart. He danced with The National Ballet of Canada and Ballet Arizona before joining Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a Coryphée.

With The National Ballet of Canada, he performed soloist roles in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Cinderella, and Romeo and Juliet and worked with choreographers like John Neumeier, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon, among others. With Ballet Arizona, he performed the principal role of James in La Sylphide, the title role in George Balanchine’s Apollo, the third principal in Symphony in 3 Movements and the Cavalier in the Nutcracker, alongside other repertoires.

Dwyer is a recipient of the Lawrence Haskett Scholarship and the Peter Dwyer Award in 2009 and a 2010 YoungArts National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts winner.

Amber LEWIS – Coryphée
Born in Brisbane, Australia, Amber Lewis trained at Ecole Studios, Houston Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet. While at school, she was a Youth America Grand Prix 2008 finalist. She danced with The Washington Ballet and later Ballet Arizona before joining Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a Coryphée.

Lewis performed Sugar Plum and Dew Drop Fairy in Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker, Juliet in Ib Andersen’s Romeo and Juliet and Gamzatti in Andersen’s La Bayadere. She also danced featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Anna-Marie Holmes, Twyla Tharp, Edwaard Liang and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Lewis was awarded a bronze medal at the World Ballet Competition 2011.

Thomas GIUGOVAZ – Coryphée
Born in Trieste, Italy, Thomas Giugovaz graduated from La Scala Ballet School Academy. He previously danced with The Washington Ballet and was a Coryphée at The Sarasota Ballet. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a Coryphée in 2019.

His repertoire includes Blue Boy in Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, Puck in Ashton’s The Dream, principal role in Ashton’s Monotones I, Peasant Pas de Deux in Peter Wright’s Giselle, Shy Boy in Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, lead in Paul Taylor’s Airs, Spring Pas de Deux in Christopher Wheeldon’s There Where She Lovedand soloist roles in George Balanchine’s Diamonds, Theme and Variations and Bugaku. With The Washington Ballet, he has danced lead and featured roles in Septime Webre’s Carmen, Coppèlia, The Nutcracker, Fluctuating Hemlines and D-Construction.

Miyako TAMAMURA – Corps de Ballet
Born in Fukui, Japan and grown up in Kanazawa, Japan, Miyako Tamamura trained at The Australian Ballet School. She joined Alberta Ballet II in 2016 and then Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a member of the Corps de Ballet.

Tamamura performed in Edmund Stripe’s Don Quixote with Alberta Ballet II and Swan Lake and Paquitarestaged by Dale Baker with The Australian Ballet.

XU Shentian – Corps de Ballet
Born in Guangdong, China, Xu Shentian trained at Beijing Dance Academy on scholarship and performed in Hong Kong Ballet’s Giselle in 2018. Xu joined Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a member of the Corps de Ballet.

ZHU Jiaying – Corps de Ballet
Born in Liaoning, China, Zhu Jiaying received her ballet training at Shanghai Theatre Company and Shenyang Conservatory of Music. She joined Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a member of the Corps de Ballet.

Ethan CHUDNOW – Corps de Ballet
Born in Napa, CA, US, Ethan Chudnow trained at San Francisco Ballet School. He danced with Boston Ballet II and San Francisco Ballet before joining Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a member of Corps de Ballet.

His repertoire includes Helgi Tomasson’s The Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker, Harald Lander’s Etudes, Trey McIntrye’s Your Flesh Shall Be A Great Poem, Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein, John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid, Tomasson/Possokohv’s Don Quixote, Justin Peck’s Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes and more.

WANG Zi – Corps de Ballet
Born in Shenzhen, China, Wang Zi graduated from the Shenzhen Art School and trained at The Washington School of Ballet. He danced with Columbia Classical Ballet before joining Hong Kong Ballet in 2019 as a member of the Corps de Ballet.

His repertoire includes The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Don Quixote and Le Corsaire, to name a few. Wang received the Fonteyn Prize at Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition 2016 and in 2018, he won silver medals at Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition and World Ballet Competition Orlando.

YUEN Ao Xin Hennes – Apprentice
Born in Hong Kong, Yuen Ao Xin Hennes received numerous scholarships and graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts with honours. She joined Hong Kong Ballet as an Apprentice in 2019.

Yuen danced with the Company in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Julietand Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire. She received two gold awards in the 44th and 45th Open Dance Contest in Hong Kong and a bronze award at the Star of Canaan Dance International Ballet Competition 2016.

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Photo 1: Yuh EGAMI, Ballet Master, Ms Daisy Ho Artist

Hong Kong Ballet Announces 2019/20 Season Company Members and Guest Artists

Biographies – Promotions

Biographies – New Company Members

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Hong Kong Ballet Announces

2019/20 Season
Company Members and Guest Artists