Rupert Pennefather

Rupert Pennefather is one of only two male British principal dancers in the Royal Ballet Company. He was promoted to principal status alongside his pas-de-deux partner Laura Cuthbertson in July 2008, following well-received performances in Romeo and Juliet at the Tokyo Bunka-Kaikan. This has affirmed his status as a 'Jewel in the Crown' ['The Jewel in the Crown', Clifford Bishop, Sunday Times Culture Magazine 2005-12-18] of the Company, the 'heir apparent' to Jonathan Cope, who retired recently.

Rupert has gained this status despite several setbacks, including failing the annual assessment at the company's White Lodge school at 12, and 'being asked to leave' [Clifford Bishop, Sunday Times Culture Magazine 2005-12-18] The Arts Educational School in Tring at 15. Rupert continued his training in his home town of Maidenhead under Julie Rose, a former Royal Ballet member, and his tenacity saw him accepted into the Royal Ballet Company in 1999. He sustained a tendon injury as a soloist in 2002, and was out of action for 18 months. Upon full recovery in 2004 he was selected for the principal role of Paris in Romeo and Juliet by prima ballerina Syvlie Guillem, and Aminta in Sylvia by director Dame Monica Mason, which 'proved to be his breakthrough'. [The Times, 2007-11-27]

Rupert's potential to enter the canon of great British ballet dancers alongside such greats as Anthony Dowell, David Wall and Jonathan Cope, is closely coupled with the fact that his peer and pas-de-deux partner Ms Cuthbertson is also British-born, bringing them progressively more attention as the next Anthony Dowell and Antionette Sibley in the British media. According to Jonathan Cope, "they are very much in sync with each other... I'm quite excited about it". [http://www.londondance.com/content.asp?CategoryID=2569&ArticleID=31638]