Quiet is probably not the first word you would choose to describe Marianela Nuñez. Bubbly, giggly, enthusiastic, generous, passionate, fun
- all these most definitely apply. But quiet? Marianela, however, assured me of her quietness more than once in the course of this interview: 'I have to say, you are not going to believe me, but I am actually very quiet!' Well, for a quiet person, she is certainly wonderful to interview.
Marianela has been making headlines for the last year and a half, during her rapid rise through the ranks of the Royal Ballet, becoming a First Soloist in July 2000, at the age of 18. And, after some stunning performances this season, some say it's only a matter of time before she becomes a Principal. The twenty-year-old from Argentina started dancing early, at the age of 3, attending a local school near her home where she did a bit of everything. 'Mum thought it would be good for me to do something else.' There is no history of dance in her family (she has 3 brothers), but,'Mum always loved dancing, although she never did it herself.' At the age of six, however, Marianela announced that she wanted to be a ballet dancer and...'My Mum freaked out.' (Not surprising when you consider
that Marianela had never, at that point, watched any ballet at all.) Seeing her determination, her Mother finally arranged for her to attend a dance school which specialized in ballet. There her talent was soon spotted, shocking her Mother yet again. Two years later, Marianela auditioned for Teatro Colon, the Argentine equivalent of the Royal Ballet School. And two years after that, at the age of 14, she joined Ballet Clasico - where she immediately began dancing soloist and principal roles while still a member of the corps de ballet.
After auditioning for the Royal Ballet a year later (aged 15) Marianela was told she was too young to join the company and invited to join the Royal Ballet School. She accepted. Just before arriving there she had been dancing the Diana and Actaeon pas de deux in a gala in Japan - performing immediately before Sylvie Guillem - so it felt strange to be going back to school. 'It was hard for me and I hated it in a way, but it was good for me to finish my training.' She knew that she wasn't ready to dance principal roles with the Royal Ballet. 'I was
very young, but to go from the stage...to go back to the school...it was very hard. It was upsetting.' The first few months at the Royal Ballet School were difficult for a home-loving girl like Marianela and she confesses that her family had huge phone bills for a while. (They are a very close family.) Now she spends quite a bit of time on the internet keeping in touch by e-mail - and her Mother generally visits once a year. Her Father and youngest brother were over for her 'Sugar Plums' but she commented that it seemed strange for them to be sitting in the Opera House. 'Ballet is something they had never seen. My Dad - he likes Football.' And, even now, she says her Mother, 'can't believe all this happened!''
A year later she joined the Royal Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet. Her first role, however, was in the pas de trois of Raymonda. ('I got quite lucky.') After that, though, it was back to the corps be ballet. She fondly recalls being one of the stars (of the corps de ballet variety) in Cinderella although she had trouble staying in line; she remembers Christopher Carr shouting at her in rehearsals. As a member of the corps, she danced in most ballets that season but was most nervous in Swan Lake since it was her first big corps de ballet number. That wasn't her only worry, however; the costume changes in Romeo and Juliet sent shivers down her spine: there was so little time to do them! Like many other dancers, Marianela picked up roles when other dancers were injured, often learning parts with only two days' notice. Her first big successes were The Vertiginious Thrill of Exactitude (again at short notice) and her scheduled performances of one of the solos in Coppélia. Her promotion from Artist to First Soloist at the end of that season came shortly after a gala performance with Carlos Acosta where she stepped in for an injured Leanne Benjamin. Marianela had known Carlos for a while but, 'I didn't know him actually that much.' He always used to tell her that she had better be ready as, 'if something comes up I will ask for you.' I get the distinct impression, however, that Marianela thought he was joking!
The next season was hard for her, despite her promotion. She was getting some roles, (the pas de trois in Swan Lake, for instance), but would have liked more. At times she felt very low. 'Last season was quite hard for me. Still, I was getting my chances but I wasn't very happy until Coppélia was my really big thing at the end of the season.' She also, of course, had the chance to dance 'Sugar Plum' in Nutcracker that season, replacing Darcey who pulled out because of her pregnancy. Although she loved the part, Marianela was very aware that 'it was Darcey's show - they bought the tickets to see her.' By the end of the run, however, she had stopped worrying: 'Once you are up there you just forget about it.... you are in another world.''
This season has been very busy for Marianela and, until a recent injury, she performed in nearly every show. 'That's what I have been loving, actually, about this season...I'm getting the chance to be on the stage every night and that's what you want.' (The injury has been disappointing. It's awful not being able to dance, but 'I don't want to go stage not looking my best.' Fortunately, she's an avid fan of the television show 'Friends' and has just purchased their latest videos. They always cheer her up!) Highlights of the year so far have been Don Quixote, (in which she danced Kitri), Onegin (dancing Olga) and La Bayadère(Gamzatti). She loves the challenge of a role that calls for acting as well as dancing. She was so looking forward to dancing Myrtha in Giselle but injury kept her out of the run at the Opera House. There are still the performances in Australia, however, where she now hopes she will make her debut. This season has also brought her first chance to perform in modern works. The demands on her technique were so different that they at first felt strange to her, but she soon came to love dancing them.
When asked about working with specific choreographers Marianela says she would have loved to have worked with Kenneth MacMillan; she has heard so many stories about him and how much he was loved and respected. Christopher Wheeldon is someone else she admires. Having missed a chance earlier to work with him on There Where She Loves, she is hoping for other chances in the future. To have a part created on you - or be taught a role by the choreographer himself - is every dancer's dream. Working with William Tuckett was great fun: 'we spent so much time laughing it was hard to work.' Marianela admits to spending some of her time laughing in rehearsals, especially if things go wrong!!
Click here to find out what Marianela has to say about partners and working with Darcey.
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