For the love of ballet

Etiole of the day, Laetitia Pujol

The National Ballet of Canada’s Giselle

Xiao Nan Yu

Eleonore Guerineau and Monique Loudières in rehearsal for Giselle

Hannah O'Neil Premiére Danseuse à l'Opéra de Paris. © Edward Lane

her leg is so beautiful :oo

Wendy Whelan

Nuñez is the epitome of everything I’d like to have been. She never allows self-doubt or nerves to undercut her performance. It’s hard to transfer all the courage and bravery of the rehearsal studio to the stage and maintain it in front of several thousand eyeballs. I would often feel frustrated when I didn’t achieve what I was capable of. Nuñez, however, shows total courage and fearless conviction every time the curtain rises. Her dancing is characterised by a luscious femininity and a radiant warmth. It has a softness, richness and velvetiness underpinned by a steely strength. She excels across the repertoire – her White Swan is the equal of her Black Swan – and it’s a tribute to the intelligence of her approach that she has not been typecast in the “tougher” roles, to which her formidable technique is well suited.

Francesca Hayward

Laura Hecquet, Hugo Marchand

Duo Concertant