Mara Galeazzi (The Royal Ballet, London)
Galeazzi was born in Italy and studied at “La Scala”, Milan, where she earned her diploma with honors. She joined the Royal Ballet in 1992 and was promoted to First Artist in 1995, Soloist at the end of the 1997/98 Season and Principal in September 2003. She retired from the Royal Ballet in June 2013. In addition to her work with the Royal Ballet, Galeazzi frequently appeared as a guest artist with other ballet companies around the world including the Stuttgart Ballet, the Scottish Ballet. She has also performed with such notable dancers as Irek Mukhamedov, Carlos Acosta, and Tetsuya Kumakawa. She performed with the Opera di Roma the new production of Le Corsaire and Carla Fracci Giselle.
Within the classical repertory, Galeazzi has performed such roles as the title role in Fokine’s The Firebird, the Sugarplum Fairy in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, the title role in Adolphe Adam’s Giselle, Gamzatti in Natalia Makarova’s production of La Bayadere, the title role in Edouard Deldevez’s Paquita, and the Bluebird in Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the role of Anastasia, the role of Manon to name just a few.[2] and Paquita Grand Pas.
She is also known for her performances of more contemporary pieces, especially the works of Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, Twyla Tharp, Wayne McGregor, Glen Tetley, Christopher Wheeldon, Alastair Marriott, Ashley Page, and Alexei Ratmansky.
Her television performances have included a live BBC broadcast from The Royal Opera House when she danced Aurora in Ninette de Valois’ Coppelia, Ashton’s Thais pdd, Voices of spring and Sylvia. Her performance of Symphony in C was broadcast live in many big squares all over the UK in June 2005. The director Philip Cox produced the documentary Facing Mara.
Galeazzi has been actively involved in several charitable outreaches. In 2005 she organized a charity gala which raised money to help children with leukemia. The success of this gala led her to start the organization Dancing for the Children which focuses on raising money to help children effected by the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Galeazzi performance in 2013 with the Royal Ballet was projected live on BP Screens and seen by more than 6,000 people across the UK. Since retiring she has returned to The Royal Ballet create the role of Mother (Ludovic Ondiviela’s Cassandra) and to collaborate in Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works. In 2014 she was created in a new work for the film Adore from Tim Podesta. In 2015 a new creation for Covent Garden Dance Company and Mara Galeazzi&Friends by Tim Podesta: ” Alta Stare ” and ” From the Shade”. On the 15th july 2016 world premier at Hatch House UK with CGDC Mara Galeazzi first choreography “REMEMBRANCE” In January and February 2017 return as a guest principal artists at the Royal Opera House with the Royal Ballet to perform “Woolf Works” choreography by Wayne Mcgregor .
Adam Thurlow
Adam is a principal guest artist with the Melbourne Ballet Company. Born in Melbourne and first trained with Lorraine Blackburn before entering the Australian Ballet School. Adam’s professional career began with the Australian Ballet under the direction of Ross Stretton where he performed many soloist and principal roles and was promoted to soloist after only two years. In 2002 Adam joined the English National Ballet as a soloist dancing many lead classical and contemporary roles. In 2003 Adam became the first Australian to join the Opera National de Paris where he worked with many of the world’s top choreographers. In August 2006 Adam returned to the Australian Ballet before leaving for a freelance career in 2008. Adam has had the great pleasure of working with choreographers such as Nureyev, Balanchine, Cranko, MacMillan, Killian, Bejart, Forsythe, Duato and Taylor, and, Hoy.
Leonardo Laurent Mancuso
Leonardo studied at La Scala Ballet School, Milan and has worked as a professional dancer at Teatro alla Scala, West Australian Ballet, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Theater Magdeburg, Germany, and has guested with Teatro Maggio Musicale fiorentino and the Melbourne Ballet Company.
Sharon Fernandez
Sharon has been a dancer with the Melbourne Ballet Company since its inception with Project One. She trained at the Gay Wightman School of Ballet winning many major scholarships and awards. Sharon’s professional career began early, at age 11, with the Australian Ballet in Graham Murphy’s The Nutcracker. She has been a Principal Dancer with the Melbourne Ballet Company since May 2007 and had new works choreographed for her by Simon Hoy, Robert Kelly, Tim Harbour, Kim Vincs, Justine Miles, Simone Pulga and Remi Worthmeier. Sharon has also studied and performed in the USA, Asia and New Zealand, working with many inspiring teachers and choreographers. Sharon has herself choreographed several works for Melbourne Ballet Company: Premiere Amore, 2XU, Wall 2 Wall and Pause and Effect.
