Yosvani Ramos

Yosvani Ramos

Yosvani Ramos in Swan Lake, Mexico, April 2012
Born (1979-06-23) 23 June 1979
Camagüey, Cuba
Nationality Cuban
Occupation Ballet dancer
Current group Colorado Ballet
Former groups The Australian Ballet
English National Ballet
Paris Opera Ballet
Jeune Ballet de France
Cincinnati Ballet

Yosvani Ramos (born Yosvani Sabdiel Ramos Fontes on 23 June 1979) is a Cuban ballet dancer. He was a principal artist with The Australian Ballet from January 2008 until April 2013, after nine years as a principal with the English National Ballet. He joined Cincinnati Ballet as a principal dancer in August 2014 where he remained until the end of that season - May 2015. He is currently contracted to Colorado Ballet in Denver as a principal dancer, having commenced in August 2015.

Early life and training

Ramos was born to Juan Ramos Barba and Gisela Fontes Lopez in Camagüey, Cuba. He studied dance at the Vocational School of Arts there from 1989, and in 1994 won the gold medal at the Vignale Festival of Dance. He was then admitted to study ballet at the Cuban National Ballet School under the direction of Ramona de Sáa, graduating in 1997.

Professional ballet career

In September 1997 Ramos joined the Jeune Ballet de France, a French touring company. Started by Robert Berthier with the assistance of Rosella Hightower, the dancers trained for three months and toured for nine - a Professional Year type of training. Ramos remained with the company for two years, leaving in April 1999 for the Paris Opera Ballet. He performed Nureyev's Swan Lake as a surnuméraire (extra member of the corps de ballet).

Ramos was invited to join English National Ballet as a soloist in August 1999 by Derek Deane, and was promoted to senior soloist in 2000, then principal in 2003 after a performance of Coppélia at the Sadler's Wells Theatre.

The Australian Ballet had only two male principals at the end of 2007, and artistic director David McAllister invited Ramos to join the company as a principal artist from February 2008.[1] He also had many opportunities to perform as a guest artist outside Australia, frequently taking The Australian Ballet's Leanne Stojmenov as his partner. Ramos left The Australian Ballet in April 2013.[2]

Since leaving The Australian Ballet, Ramos danced around the world on a freelance basis. He debuted as James in La Sylphide with Bangkok City Ballet in Thailand in July 2013 and also performed at the 18th International Ballet Festival in Miami in September 2013.

Awards

Companies and roles

After graduating from the Cuban national school, Ramos toured with the Jeune Ballet de France, both domestically and internationally - Africa, South America, and St Petersburg, Russia. The company performed classical excerpts and commissioned contemporary works. Ramos' roles included pas de deux from La Fille mal Gardée, Harlequinade, Le Corsaire, Flower Festival at Genzano, The Flames of Paris, Stars and Stripes, Don Quixote, and Variations for Four.

As a surnuméraire (short term contract corps de ballet member) with Paris Opera Ballet, Ramos danced in Nureyev's Swan Lake.

English National Ballet

At the invitation of Derek Deane, Ramos joined English National Ballet as a soloist, eventually being promoted to principal in 2003. Roles with ENB included:

The Australian Ballet

Invited to join the company as a principal, Ramos expanded his repertoire to include

and has continued to dance

May 2013 until August 2014

After his last performance as Basilio in Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote with The Australian Ballet on April 24, 2013, Ramos spent some time dancing freelance all over the world.

He made his debut as James in August Bournonville's La Sylphíde with Bangkok City Ballet in Thailand in July 2013, danced Giselle second act pas de deux and Lizzie MacKenzie's Adherence.Process at the International Ballet Festival in Miami, USA in September 2013, guested as the Prince in The Nutcracker with various companies in the USA in December 2013 and performed in ballet galas in London, Cork, Denver and Vienna as well as teaching in England and the USA.

Cincinnati Ballet 2014-2015 season

Colorado Ballet

Television and film performances

The Poet in Les Sylphides, included in The Australian Ballet's triple bill Firebird and Other Legends.

References

  1. ↑ "Aussie Dance News!". Dance Informa.
  2. ↑ Tulk, Jasmin. "Farewell Yosvani". Behind Ballet. The Australian Ballet. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Betancourt, Jose Luis Estrada. "Timida y magnifica". Desde Cuba. blogspot. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  4. 1 2 Boccadoro, Patricia. "Paris International Dance Competition". Culturekiosque. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "1998 Medalists". List of USA International Ballet Competition medallists. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "1999 winners". Japan International Ballet Competition website. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  7. 1 2 Mackrell, Judith (26 April 2002). "Charm and the Maiden". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  8. ↑ Watts, Graham. "English National Ballet in The Nutcracker, London Coliseum". Londondance.com. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  9. ↑ Mackrell, Judith (18 December 2002). "English National Ballet at the Royal Opera House". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  10. ↑ Mackrell, Judith (26 April 2002). "ENB Mixed Bill". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  11. ↑ Parry, Jann (26 June 2005). "There is nothing like a Dane". The Observer (London). Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  12. ↑ Brown, Ismene (19 October 2007). "The Snow Queen: a few icicles short of a magic trip". The Telegraph (UK) (London). Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  13. ↑ Roberts, Jo (13 February 2008). "Our man from Havana". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  14. ↑ Angear, Cheryl. "Cupcakes and Conversation with Yosvani Ramos, Principal, The Australian Ballet". Ballet News. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  15. ↑ Smethurst, Chloe. "Don Quixote". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  16. ↑ Potter, Michelle. "'Don Quixote': The Australian Ballet". Michelle Potter ... on dancing. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  17. ↑ Lawson, Valerie. "British ballet at its best - and one from the museum". Dancelines. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  18. ↑ Sykes, Jill. "Coppelia". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  19. ↑ Jones, Deborah (6 May 2010). "Living doll makes the heart sing". The Australian. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  20. ↑ Brookes, Darren. "Ballet: The unbearable lightness of being "Giselle"". Media Culture. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  21. ↑ Brissenden, Alan (2 March 2009). "Electrifying leaps of the imagination". The Australian. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  22. ↑ Lyman, David. "Review: This 'Nutcracker' anything but routine". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 9 February 2016. Ramos is hilarious, a consummate professional
  23. ↑ Lyman, David (20 May 2015). "Is ballet's 'Director's Choice' season's best?". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  24. ↑ Bows, Bob. "The Nutcracker". Colorado Drama.com. Retrieved 9 February 2016.

External links


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