‘The Messi of ballet’: Marianela Núñez, the Buenos Aires bombshell shaking up British dance
Marianela Núñez, the Royal Ballet's Argentine-born principal dancer, is preparing to headline her own show, Timeless, at the Royal Opera House – a rare career milestone she is only reaching now, aged 44, after 28 years with the company. Known in Argentina as "the Messi of ballet" for her extraordinary skill and evident joy in performing, Núñez has remained a leading figure in British dance for decades, and this show marks a significant personal and professional moment as she finally takes centre stage under her own name.
Núñez moved from Buenos Aires to England at 15 and became a principal dancer at 20, having performed leading roles at Teatro Colón by the age of 14. Unlike many top dancers, she has no agent or personal PR, which she says explains why the solo show has taken so long to materialise; she cites the example of Sylvie Guillem, who also worked without an agent. She now has five days at the Royal Opera House with the orchestra and free choice of repertoire, describing the wait as ultimately "the perfect way" for it to happen. Núñez remains fiercely proud of her Argentine roots, from an Argentina-inspired leotard to naming her cat after Lionel Messi.
- Royal Ballet star Marianela Núñez, 44, finally stages her own show, Timeless.
- Argentine-born dancer has spent 28 years with the Royal Ballet.
- She has no agent, unlike many peers, delaying this solo milestone.
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Marianela Núñez is a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet who has been with the company for 28 years. The Argentine-born dancer moved to England at 15 after performing at Teatro Colón, and became a principal at the Royal Ballet at 20. In Argentina, she is known as "the Messi of ballet" for her skill and evident passion for dance.
Major solo shows at prestigious venues are significant career milestones for principal dancers, yet the timing of such opportunities varies across dancers' careers. Núñez's experience differs from many of her peers regarding when this particular milestone has arrived. Her case reflects how factors beyond talent can shape the timing of career opportunities.
Núñez has worked throughout her career without an agent or personal PR team, which distinguishes her from many other principal dancers. She has cited Sylvie Guillem as another prominent ballet dancer who similarly worked without professional representation. She credits the lack of such professional representation as partly accounting for why a solo show opportunity has taken so long to materialise.
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