Xander Parish
Encyclopedia
Xander Parish is an English ballet dancer. He is most notable for being the first British dancer to be employed by the Mariinsky Ballet
.
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
. He began dancing at the age of 8, at the Skelton-Hooper School in Kingston upon Hull
, under the direction of Principal and former Royal Ballet and Northern Ballet Theatre
soloist, Vanessa Hooper
. In 1998, he was accepted into the Royal Ballet School
, first attending the lower school at White Lodge, Richmond Park, then continuing his training at the upper school. He graduated into the Royal Ballet in 2005, as a member of the corps de ballet
. He remained with the company for five years, before joining the Mariinsky Ballet
in St Petersburg, Russia
in January 2010. He made his debut with the company performing the role of the poet in the ballet Chopiniana, and is now ranked as a Coryphee. Xander has a sister, Demelza Parish, who is also a ballet dancer, currently employed by the Royal Ballet.
Mariinsky Ballet
The Mariinsky Ballet is a classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's leading ballet companies...
.
Background
Xander Parish was born in North FerribyNorth Ferriby
North Ferriby is a village and civil parish in the Haltemprice area of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.-Geography:It is situated on the north bank of the Humber Estuary, approximately to the west of Hull city centre. To the north, atop a hill, lies Swanland via the B1231. South Ferriby is...
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He began dancing at the age of 8, at the Skelton-Hooper School in Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, under the direction of Principal and former Royal Ballet and Northern Ballet Theatre
Northern Ballet Theatre
Northern Ballet, formerly Northern Ballet Theatre, is a dance company based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, with a strong repertoire in theatrical dance productions where the emphasis is on story telling as well as classical ballet...
soloist, Vanessa Hooper
Vanessa Hooper
Vanessa Hooper, FIDTA, ARAD, is a retired English ballerina and theatre dancer who now works as a dance teacher, freelance choreographer, lecturer and examiner...
. In 1998, he was accepted into the Royal Ballet School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
, first attending the lower school at White Lodge, Richmond Park, then continuing his training at the upper school. He graduated into the Royal Ballet in 2005, as a member of the corps de ballet
Corps de ballet
In ballet, the corps de ballet is the group of dancers who are not soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers. A corps de ballet works as one, with synchronized movements and corresponding positioning on the stage...
. He remained with the company for five years, before joining the Mariinsky Ballet
Mariinsky Ballet
The Mariinsky Ballet is a classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's leading ballet companies...
in St Petersburg, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in January 2010. He made his debut with the company performing the role of the poet in the ballet Chopiniana, and is now ranked as a Coryphee. Xander has a sister, Demelza Parish, who is also a ballet dancer, currently employed by the Royal Ballet.
Repertoire Includes
- The NutcrackerThe NutcrackerThe Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
- Arabian Dance, Waltz of the Flowers - The Sleeping Beauty - Lilac Fairy Cavalier
- Swan LakeSwan LakeSwan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
- Cadets, Mazurka - Les SylphidesLes SylphidesLes Sylphides is a short, non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with music by Frédéric Chopin orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Glazunov had already set some of the music in 1892 as a purely orchestral suite, under the title Chopiniana, Op. 46...
- The Poet
Created Roles
- DGV, Danse a Grand Vitesse - Choreographer: Christopher WheeldonChristopher WheeldonChristopher Wheeldon is an international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Born in Somerset, England, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. He attended the Royal Ballet School between the ages of 11 and 18...
- Seven Deadly Sins - Choreographer: William Tuckett
Awards
- Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award - 1st Prize, 2003
- Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award - 2nd Prize, 2004
- Genee International Ballet CompetitionGenée International Ballet CompetitionThe Genée International Ballet Competition is one of the world's most prestigious classical ballet competitions. Organised and promoted by the Royal Academy of Dance, the competition is held annually, and is named in memorial to Dame Adeline Genée, one of the founders of the Academy.-Overview:The...
- Finalist, 2003 - Genee International Ballet CompetitionGenée International Ballet CompetitionThe Genée International Ballet Competition is one of the world's most prestigious classical ballet competitions. Organised and promoted by the Royal Academy of Dance, the competition is held annually, and is named in memorial to Dame Adeline Genée, one of the founders of the Academy.-Overview:The...
- Silver Medal, 2004 - Young British Dancer of the Year - 2nd Prize, 2004