Anna Rose O'Sullivan (born 16 April 1994) is an English ballet dancer and is a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet.[1] Her promotion to principal dancer took effect in September 2021.

Anna Rose O'Sullivan
as Clara in The Nutcracker (2018)
Born (1994-04-16) 16 April 1994 (age 30)
EducationThe Royal Ballet
OccupationBallet dancer
Career
Current groupThe Royal Ballet

Early life

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O'Sullivan was born in Harrow, London and raised in Ickenham. Her father is a construction contracts manager and her mother works in the NHS. She has two younger brothers and a younger sister. She started dance at age two, and performed with London Children's Ballet. She has also performed in musical theatre, and appeared as Cosette in Les Misérables and in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on the West End.[1][2] She entered The Royal Ballet School at age 11.[3]

Career

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O'Sullivan graduated into The Royal Ballet in 2012. In 2015, she danced her first major role, Clara in The Nutcracker. Her performance was endorsed by Peter Wright, the production's choreographer.[4] She was named First Artist in 2016, Soloist in 2017, First Soloist in 2019, and Principal in 2021. Her first principal role was Alice in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and she went on to portray other lead roles such as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty and Swanida in Coppelia.[1][5] In May 2021, the Royal Ballet announced that O'Sullivan's promotion to principal dancer will take effect in September 2021.[6] In March 2022, she debuted as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake.[7]

Selected repertoire

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O'Sullivan's repertoire with The Royal Ballet includes:[1]

Created roles

  • Multiverse
  • Woolf Works
  • Symphonic Dances
  • Gertrudis in Like Water for Chocolate[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Anna Rose O'Sullivan". Royal Opera House. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Anna Rose O'Sullivan interview: 'There's a difference between wanting to reach your full potential and getting to the top'". Evening Standard. 27 November 2020.
  3. ^ "A day in the life: Anna Rose O'Sullivan". Bloch. 23 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Anna Rose O'Sullivan: I dreamed of dancing in Darcey Bussell's shoes... now I'm the Royal Ballet lead in The Nutcracker". Evening Standard. 4 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Cupcakes & Conversation with Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Soloist, The Royal Ballet". Ballet News. 19 April 2018.
  6. ^ Woodfield, Ashley (18 May 2021). "The Royal Ballet announces Company promotions". Royal Opera House.
  7. ^ "Swan Lake | Cast List | 09.03.2022 19:30".
  8. ^ "Like Water for Chocolate". American Ballet Theatre. Retrieved 25 June 2024.