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FEB R U A R Y 2013

FO R IM M ED IA TE R ELEA SE

O n Poin te and Picture PerfectO n Poin te and Picture PerfectO n Poin te and Picture PerfectO n Poin te and Picture Perfect

R oyal B allet D an cer R oyal B allet D an cer R oyal B allet D an cer R oyal B allet D an cer to releaseto releaseto releaseto release book book book book of photograph sof photograph sof photograph sof photograph s revealing a revealing a revealing a revealing a

unique in sigh t inunique in sigh t inunique in sigh t inunique in sigh t in to th e C om pany an d its dancersto th e C om pany an d its dancersto th e C om pany an d its dancersto th e C om pany an d its dancers....

R oyal B allet dancer A n drej U spen skiA ndrej U spen skiA ndrej U spen skiA ndrej U spen ski’s’s’s’s passion for photography began as a

child w hen he w ould spend hours in his father’s photographic studio. A love

for photography flourished in parallel w ith his dancing career and over the last

tw o years he has been taking photographs of R oyal B allet dancers in rehearsal

and on stage.

The release of his book D an ceD an ceD an ceD an cers: rs: rs: rs: B ehind th e Scen es w ithB ehind th e Scen es w ithB ehind th e Scen es w ithB ehind th e Scen es w ith The The The The R oyal B allet R oyal B allet R oyal B allet R oyal B allet

brings together A ndrej’s im ages for the first tim e, revealing an in tim ate

photographic record of The R oyal B allet. Published by O beron B ooks and

released in A pril 2013 this beautifully produced book takes us into the unseen

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w orld of The R oyal B allet, revealing behind the scenes im ages of the dancers as

they attend m orning class, rehearsals, costum e fittings, hair and m akeup

through to the thrill of live perform ance.

D an cers: B eD an cers: B eD an cers: B eD an cers: B ehind th e hind th e hind th e hind th e Scen es w ithScen es w ithScen es w ithScen es w ith The R oyal B alletThe R oyal B alletThe R oyal B alletThe R oyal B allet, includes an introduction

by A ndrej U spenski and a forew ord by JJJJean etta L auren ceean etta L auren ceean etta L auren ceean etta L auren ce, A ssociate D irector

of The R oyal B allet. The book contains m ore than 200 photographs, both black

& w hite and colour including backstage im ages and breathtaking glim pses

taken from the w ings.

This photographic record celebrates the w orld of ballet and features som e of

The R oyal B allet’s finest dancers. A s a R oyal B allet dancer him self, A n drejA ndrejA ndrejA ndrej

U spen skiU spen skiU spen skiU spen ski has a unique perspective on photographic com position of dance

im agery as w ell as unrivalled access not only to The R oyal B allet’s productions,

but also to the dancers w ho perform in them .

Ends

Pictu re credits:Pictu re credits:Pictu re credits:Pictu re credits: Top im ages left to right: C laire C alvert – Soloist. Photo by A ndrej U spenski. D ancers: B ehind the Scenes w ith The R oyal B allet – B ook C over. Edw ard W atson – Principal and M elissa H am ilton – Soloist in rehearsal. Photo by A ndrej U spenski.

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N otes to E ditorsN otes to E ditorsN otes to E ditorsN otes to E ditors A ndrej U spenski is available for in terview . A selection of im ages are available for press use, please refer all requests to A shley.W oodfield@ roh .org.uk Tel 020 7212 9165 D an cers: D an cers: D an cers: D an cers: B ehind th e Scen es atB ehind th e Scen es atB ehind th e Scen es atB ehind th e Scen es at Th e R oyal B allet Th e R oyal B allet Th e R oyal B allet Th e R oyal B allet Published by O beron B ooks Publication D ate A pril 2013 Price £35

ISB N -13 9781849433884

H ardback, 144 pages

A n drej U spen ski A n drej U spen ski A n drej U spen ski A n drej U spen ski A ndrej U spenski is a First A rtist w ith The R oyal B allet and w as born in St Petersburg and trained at the V aganova B allet A cadem y and subsequently in D resden and B erlin . H e has been a m em ber of The R oyal B allet for ten years. H e w on second prize at the R ieti International B allet C om petition, 1998, and second prize at the Y alta International B allet C om petition, 1999. H e joined R oyal D anish B allet in 1999, then The R oyal B allet in 2002, prom oted to First A rtist, 2004. H is repertory includes B luebird and Florestan pas de trios (The Sleeping B eauty), G en tlem an (M anon), Sw an Lake (pas de trois), O fficer (M ayerling) and roles in La B ayadère, R om eo and Juliet, C inderella, The Prodigal Son, Sym phony in C , G iselle (pas de six), Scènes de ballet, R hapsody, Them e and V ariations, O negin, C oppélia and Stravinsky V iolin C oncerto. H is photographs can be seen in R oyal O pera H ouse program m es as w ell as national m agazines and new spapers O beron O beron O beron O beron B ooksB ooksB ooksB ooks O beron B ooks is the U K 's m ost exciting independent dram a publisher specialising in dram a and the perform ing arts. W ith a backlist of over 1000 books including the latest m odern plays and classics from som e of the w orld's leading dram atists, as w ell as a w ide range of handsom ely produced publications covering the theatre, opera, dance, biography, perform ance studies, m onologues, practical guides and fiction . w w w .oberonbooks.com

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PR ESS O FFIC E C O N TA C TS

A shley W oodfield

A cting H ead of Ballet Press

The R oyal B allet

Tel: 020 7212 9165

A shley.W oodfield@ roh.org.uk

O beron B ooks

Sophie O ’R eirdan

Sales & M arketing M anager

Tel: 020 7607 3629

Sophie@ oberonbooks.com