Tamara Rojo CBE

Artistic Director

Tamara Rojo was appointed Artistic Director of English National Ballet in 2012. She combines this role with her dancing career, performing as Lead Principal with the Company.

Trained in Madrid at the Victor Ullate School.

She won a Gold Medal at the Paris International Dance Competition and a Special Jury Award unanimously given by a judging panel led by Natalia Makarova, Vladimir Vasiliev and Galina Samsova, who asked her to join Scottish Ballet.

Within six months of joining English National Ballet, Tamara was promoted to Principal, and went on to dance the full range of the Company’s principal roles. Derek Deane created the roles of Juliet (Romeo & Juliet) and Clara (The Nutcracker) for her. Her performances as Clara broke all box office records at the London Coliseum and The Times named her “Dance Revelation of the Year.”

Tamara joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal at the invitation of Sir Anthony Dowell shortly after her highly acclaimed Guest Artist debut with the Company in Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle, and danced there for 12 years.

Tamara has been repeatedly recognised for her artistic excellence. Her awards include: the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production; Spain’s three highest Honours, The Prince of Asturias Award, the Gold Medal of Fine Arts and Encomienda de Número de Isabel la Católica; the Benois de la Danse Award; Critics’ Circle National Dance Award; Barclay’s Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award; Positano Dance Award; Leonide Massine Premio al Valore; the Italian Critic’s Award; and from the City of Madrid, both the International Medal of the Arts and the Interpretation Award.

She is on the Board of One Dance UK, the Anglo-Spanish Society, a Patron of the Ipswich-based DanceEast Academy, Patron of the Flamingo Chicks and Adviser to Spain’s Superior Council of Artistic Studies.

In January 2016 Tamara Rojo became D.A. Magna Cum Laude, presenting her thesis ‘Psychological Profile of the Elite Dancer – Vocational Characteristics of the Professional Dancer’ at Rey Juan Carlos University, and was awarded a CBE for her services to ballet in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours.

Carlos Valcárcel

Director of Dance, 3rd Year Men’s Tutor / Ballet

Following an illustrious performing career where he danced principal roles with Victor Ullate Ballet, Balletto di Toscana and Stuttgart Ballet, Mr Valcárcel became Director and principal teacher of his own ballet school in Madrid before joining the Showa School for Performing Arts in Tokyo. At the Showa School, he was the Principal Tutor and Lecturer of the Ballet Department. He later joined The Washington School of Ballet, teaching, mentoring and choreographing students and dancers from the company as Ballet Master of the Trainee Program at The Washington School of Ballet.

Mr Valcárcel has also been credited with coaching principal ballerinas and has served as a judge of international ballet competitions. He has also choreographed pieces and coached participants for elite competitions. 

He joins English National Ballet School from Ballet Arizona where he has been Director of its School since 2011.  Mr Valcárcel is enthusiastically committed to preparing the next generation of young professional dancers for their careers.

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Elizabeth Marshall

Head of Studies

Elizabeth Marshall BA (Hons), PGCE, FCIPD, MTeach (Distinction), FSET, AISTD

Elizabeth trained at London College of Dance and Drama; she was awarded a First Class BA Honours in Dance in Society from the University of Surrey and Distinction in the Master of Teaching from the Institute of Education.

Elizabeth has worked at English National Ballet School since 1996 and is currently employed as Head of Studies and Head of Pastoral Care. She is also External Examiner for the QTS element of the Royal Academy of Dance’s Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Dance Training. She has been a Principal A Level Dance examiner for NEAB/AQA and Chief Examiner for the ISTD History of Western Dance examination.

Elizabeth has written education resources and articles for BBC Education, the Royal Opera House and University of Surrey, The Royal Ballet, the Royal Ballet School, the National Resource Centre for Dance, Adventures in Motion Pictures, Dance Matters and Dancing Times. Elizabeth has also transcribed conference sessions from Following Sir Fred’s Steps, Ashton’s Legacy; Siobhan Davies in Residence Seminar Programme and Ninette de Valois: Adventurous Traditionalist.

Nathalia Barbara

1st Year Women’s Tutor / Ballet

Brazilian-born Nathalia Barbara has taught dance for more than 25 years, a profession she believes is founded on love, commitment and dedication. Her classical training was based on the Vaganova system and Cecchetti method, infused with Cuban methodology. Before becoming a teacher, she toured with Ballet Metropolitano de Sao Paulo and Grupo Uirapuru, performing in many classical, neo-classical and contemporary ballets.

The education and artistic development of young dancers has been her lifelong endeavour. She has held positions as Head of Teachers Training Program (1994-98) and Artistic Director of the Ballet Program (1991-98) in Sao Paulo, In Canada she was co-director of the DIWC Ballet Company (1998-03) and Assistant of Director to the Jeunesse Ballet Company (2003-04). In 2004 she received an invitation to work in London where she now teaches with English National Ballet School.

Nathalia has coached several students for international ballet competitions including the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Competition (Cuba); YBDY, Phyllis Bedells Competition, Adeline Genée Ballet Competition (England); Prix of Lausanne (France), International Ballet Competition Beijing (China); and Brasilia International Dance Competition, Grand Prix Brazil, International Festival of Dance Joinville (Brazil). She has also been on the jury panel for ballet competitions in both England and Brazil, and teaches regularly on summer programs in Brazil, Canada and Italy.

Nathalia has helped nurture and inspire numerous students, many of whom now work for major ballet companies worldwide.

Juan Eymar

1st Year Men’s Tutor / Ballet

Juan Eymar was born in Madrid where he trained as a dancer with Lola De Ávila and Carmen Roche who took him in her company as a principal  dancer at the age of 14. After three years gathering experience on the Spanish stage Mr Eymar continued his professional career  in leading European companies like Zurich Ballet, The Bavarian State Ballet and the Dutch National Ballet where he performed group, soloist and principal roles in most classical ballets and works by renoun choreographers such as  Balanchine, Cranko, MacMillan, Van Manen, Ek, Forsythe and Kylian amongst many others . In 2012, Mr Eymar ventured into other areas of dance including choreography and injury recovery. He became a certified GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructor in 2012 and was awarded the equivalence to a High Education in Dance by the Government of Spain. Before joining English National Ballet School, Mr Eymar worked for 2 years  as a teacher and choreographer at the High Conservatory of Dance in Madrid and was an international guest teacher in various international companies and schools like the Royal Ballet of Flanders, Zurich Ballet and Estonian National Ballet.

Taina graduated from the Cuban National Ballet School and joined the Corps de Ballet at Cuban National Ballet. She danced with the company for ten years during which time she became a Principal. She then went on to dance with Compañía Nacional de Danza and Canada's Royal WinnipegBallet performing classical and neo-classical repertoire in internationally renowned theatres around the world.

David Yow

2nd Year Men’s Tutor / Ballet

David was born in Liverpool and trained at both The Royal Ballet Lower and Upper Schools. He graduated into the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet in 1982 and relocated with the company when it became Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990. He rose to the rank of Principal Dancer, and went on to dance with Cleveland/San Jose and Hong Kong Ballet companies.

He returned to the Royal Ballet School to complete their teaching diploma for professional dancers. He holds a Licentiate qualification (Cecchetti Society Classical Ballet Faculty) from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, a degree in psychology from Goldsmith's College, University of London, and is currently studying for his Cecchetti Fellowship.

He started teaching at English National Ballet School in September 2017 having previously taught at Elmhurst Ballet School, The Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, The Laban Centre, and London Studio Centre. In 2015 he was invited to be a member of the assessment panel at The Danish Royal Ballet School, Copenhagen.

David has also taught for the Hong Kong Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Michael Clark companies. In addition, he regularly teaches at Easter and summer schools around the world, especially in Japan, and has been a regular member of the jury for the Asian Grand Prix in Hong Kong.

Larissa Bamber

3rd Year Women’s Tutor / Ballet

Larissa Bamber was born on the Wirral and was accepted into the Royal Ballet School at age 11 and graduated in to the Royal Ballet company aged 18.

Larissa performed nationally and internationally, from corps de ballet to principal roles and guested with Irek Mukhamedov, creating roles for William Tuckett, Matthew Hart and Ashley Page and also for David Bintley in The Planets.

After her 13 year career with The Royal Ballet Larissa then gained a distinction from The Royal Academy of Dance after completing the Professional Dancers Teachers Course in 2000 and has been teaching at English National Ballet School full time for the past 7 years.  Larissa has staged her own works for English National Ballet School and Central School of Ballet, has staged productions for The Classical Road Show at the Festival Hall and other productions at Her Majesty’s, The Dorchester and the Beck.

Carlos Valcárcel

Director of Dance, 3rd Year Men’s Tutor / Ballet

Following an illustrious performing career where he danced principal roles with Victor Ullate Ballet, Balletto di Toscana and Stuttgart Ballet, Mr Valcárcel became Director and principal teacher of his own ballet school in Madrid before joining the Showa School for Performing Arts in Tokyo. At the Showa School, he was the Principal Tutor and Lecturer of the Ballet Department. He later joined The Washington School of Ballet, teaching, mentoring and choreographing students and dancers from the company as Ballet Master of the Trainee Program at The Washington School of Ballet.

Mr Valcárcel has also been credited with coaching principal ballerinas and has served as a judge of international ballet competitions. He has also choreographed pieces and coached participants for elite competitions. 

Mr Valcárcel joined English National Ballet School from Ballet Arizona where he was been Director of its School since 2011.  Mr Valcárcel is enthusiastically committed to preparing the next generation of young professional dancers for their careers.

Olga Semenova

Character

Olga Semenova moved from St.Petersburg to London when Lady Sainsbury invited her to study at The Benesh Institute of Choreology.  There she pioneered an exam based Character syllabus for students up to 18 years old and trained teachers to implement this.

Olga also helped to develop a Vaganova- based Syllabus for the Senior school at Central School of Ballet.

Olga trained as a professional ballet dancer at St.Petersburg's prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy, Alma Mater of many of today's international ballet stars. Interestingly, her mother was one of the last students to study under the great Vaganova. After a ballet career Olga completed four years of professional teaching/ coaching course at the Vaganova Ballet Academy and was awarded the PDTC Diploma with Distinction and MA ( Hons).

Olga taught ballet for Junior and Pre-graduation classes at The Vaganova Ballet Academy. Her former students are now dancing in leading Russian and International Companies. In London she was taught at different ballet schools and professionals ballet companies. Currently Olga is teaching at English National Ballet School and Central School of Ballet. Also she is Character and Ballet guest teacher at different UK and International schools.

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Brazilian choreologist Tatiana Novaes Coelho made her Royal Opera debut in 2014 on Turandot, having previously assisted Ann Whitley in reviving original choreography for the production by Kate Flatt.

Novaes Coelho studied classical ballet in São Paolo and moved to London in 1994 to study dance. She completed a diploma in Musical Theatre at the London Studio Centre and then trained at the Benesh Institute of Choreology. She has worked as a choreologist and rehearsal director with companies including Northern Ballet, Boston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Lithuanian National Ballet and Washington National Opera, on productions including Carmen, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Dracula and Romeo and Juliet.

Novaes Coehlo is a qualified Pilates instructor and runs her own fitness business. She has been a guest speaker at many dance and Pilates conferences.

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Liesl Dowsett

Liesl began dancing at the age of five and was a Junior Associate at The Royal Ballet School, where she performed with The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and with The Northern Ballet. Liesl went on to train at The Royal Ballet Upper School, and in her graduate year danced with the Royal Ballet Company in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella and Don Quixote.

After her graduation Liesl made her professional debut as a Ballet Girl in The Phantom of the Opera in Manchester and a year later premiered the show in Edinburgh. She then joined the London production of Phantom where she also understudied the role of Meg Giry. 

After leaving Phantom Liesl played the part of Susan the Silent in Finian’s Rainbow at the Fortune Theatre and appeared in On Your Toes with Adam Cooper in Japan. Liesl was thrilled to be involved in the filming of Joel Schumacher’s 2004 film version of The Phantom of the Opera creating the roles of a Ballet Girl and Masquerade Dancer. She also danced at the Royal Albert Hall in Phantom's 25th Anniversary production. Liesl most recently was the Dance Captain on the UK tour of the new version of Phantom of the Opera working with Scott Ambler and Matthew Bourne.

Liesl has taught at the Kensington School of Ballet, Emma Northmore's Ballet School and has been an assistant teacher at South West School of Ballet. Liesl has been involved with English National Ballet School for two years, assisting and covering classes at our Chelsea branch of ENBS Juniors. Liesl is delighted to be teaching at our new branches in Putney and Richmond.

Ellen Elphick

ENBS Juniors Teacher

Ellen trained at Elmhurst School for Dance and The Royal Ballet Upper School where she graduated in 2012. Whilst at The Royal Ballet School Ellen was a finalist in The Young British Dancer of The Year performing the Lilac Fairy Variation from Sleeping Beauty and Queen of the Dryads Variation from Don Quixote.　

Upon graduating from The Royal Ballet School Ellen joined Hong Kong Ballet where she performed in many Classical productions including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Merry Widow, Theme and Variations, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake.　 In 2014 she joined Scottish Ballet under the direction of Christopher Hampson.　

In 2016 Ellen completed the Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma and has been teaching across London ever since. Ellen has a passion for teaching and passing on all the knowledge that she has gained whilst being a professional dancer.

Rebecca Peters

Rebecca started dancing at the tender age of two and a half at the Carol May School of Dance and Performing Arts, following the RAD ballet syllabus and the ISTD tap and modern syllabus.

Rebecca trained as an Associate of The Royal Ballet School, and then went on to gain a place at White Lodge, The Royal Ballet Lower School.  As a student Rebecca danced with The Royal Ballet in The Nutcracker for three seasons.  She also danced at the opening ceremony of the Royal Opera House in front of Her Majesty The Queen.  Another highlight from her time at White Lodge was dancing in the opening of Mick Jagger’s performing arts school, and being in a BBC television documentary with Jennifer Saunders.

Rebecca continued her training at Elmhurst School in association with The Birmingham Royal Ballet. Here she gained her Trinity College London Diploma in Professional Dance.  As a student Rebecca went on tour with Birmingham Royal Ballet dancing numerous roles. 

Upon graduation, Rebecca successfully auditioned for the Estonian Vanemuine Ballet Company. Rebecca danced as a professional ballet dancer for three years with this company; dancing many roles in a range of classical and neo-classical ballets. Since leaving Estonia, Rebecca has performed with Cork City Ballet and London Ballet Ensemble.

Rebecca gained Distinction in all her RAD exams and achieved the ARAD (Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance) in 2006.  Rebecca has been teaching ballet in London and Surrey for the last 3 years, and has recently completed the Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma (PDTD) with the Royal Academy of Dance gaining her RAD registered teacher status.

Rebecca brings with her a wealth of performance and technical knowledge and looks forward to sharing these attributes with the children of ENBS Juniors.

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