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A group of ballet dancers from Akram Khan’s Giselle is divided into two distinct formations on stage. In the foreground, female dancers in cream-colored dresses gather tightly together, their heads thrown back in unison. Behind them, a line of male dancers dressed in grey coats hovers midair against a dark, textured backdrop.

Nominations Are In For The 25th National Dance Awards

Artists of English National Ballet in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo

17 April 2025

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Home / Nominations Are In For The 25th National Dance Awards

We are delighted to receive nine nominations for our Company at the 25th National Dance Awards.

The Awards celebrate works performed in the UK between 1 January and 31 December 2024.

Four of our dancers are nominated: Lead Principals Francesco Gabriele Frola, Sangeun Lee and Erina Takahashi (in her final season with us as a dancer), and First Soloist Ivana Bueno.

Our Music Director Maria Seletskaja has also been recognised with a nomination. Collaborators Dick Bird (who designed our new Nutcracker) and Tom Visser (whose lighting design could be seen in Johan Inger’s Carmen) also earned nominations.

We have received nominations in the following categories:

BEST MALE DANCER

Tommy Franzén

Francesco Gabriele Frola

Aakash Odedra

Marcelino Sambé

Joseph Sissens

 

BEST FEMALE DANCER

Rebecca Bassett-Graham

Francesca Hayward

Sangeun Lee

Erina Takahashi

Eva Yerbabuena

Sangeun Lee as Odette and Gareth Haw as Prince Siegfried in Derek Deane's Swan Lake in-the-round © Laurent Liotardo

EMERGING ARTIST AWARD

Ivana Bueno (dancer)

Daichi Ikarishi (dancer)

Caspar Lench (dancer)

Kennedy Junior Muntanga (dancer & choreographer)

James Pett & Travis Clausen-Knight (as choreographers)

 

Ivana Bueno as Clara and Francesco Gabriele Frola as Nutcracker Prince and English National Ballet in Aaron S. Watkin and Arielle Smith's Nutcracker © Photography by ASH

OUTSTANDING FEMALE CLASSICAL PERFORMANCE

Marge Hendrick as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire

Aditi Mangaldas in Mehek

Rocío Molina in Al Fondo Riela

Beatrice Parma as Lise in La Fille mal gardée

Erina Takahashi as Giselle in Akram Khan’s Giselle

 

Erina Takahashi and English National Ballet in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo

OUTSTANDING MALE CLASSICAL PERFORMANCE

William Bracewell as Des Grieux in Manon

Francesco Gabriele Frola as Albrecht in Giselle

Johan Kobborg as Il Matto in La Strada

Aakash Odedra in Mehek

Marcelino Sambé in Different Drummer

 

OUTSTANDING CREATIVE CONTRIBUTION

Sam Amidon (Singer/Songwriter, Nobodaddy)

Dick Bird (Design, Nutcracker)

Maria Seletskaja (Conductor)

Joseph Sissens for The Legacy Project

Tom Visser (Lighting Design)

A group of six costume sketches of elegantly dressed individuals wearing fashionable Edwardian outfits from Nutcracker. The costumes feature various elements such as ruffles
Sketches of Nutcracker party guests' costumes. @Dick Bird

A huge congratulations to all of this year’s nominees!

The winners of all National Dance Awards will be announced at a ceremony to be held on Monday 9 June at a London venue to be announced shortly.