The new principal dancers of Estonian National Ballet are Laura Maya and William Newton
May 31
After the performance of "Giselle", the artistic director of the Estonian National Ballet, Linnar Looris, announced the new principal dancers of the troupe, who are the current soloists of the National Ballet, Laura Maya and William Newton.
Laura Maya began her dance studies at the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp (2006-2014) and obtained her bachelor's degree at the Ballet Academy of the Munich School of Music and Theater (2016). She has worked in several theaters, including the Royal Ballet of Flanders, the Landestheater Linz and the Bavarian State Ballet. In 2018, she joined the troupe of the Estonian National Ballet, and in 2020 she became a soloist of the National Ballet.
Laura Maya has received several awards, including a bronze medal at the Biarritz International Classical Dance Competition (2012), the IV prize at the Tanzolymp competition in Berlin, and a special prize for the summer courses of the Royal Ballet in London in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2020, she was nominated for the Estonian Theater Annual Awards, in 2021, Estonia received Klaudia Maldutis award of the society foundation and MyFitness dance award in 2024.
William Newton received his dance education in the USA at the New Albany Ballet and at the Houston Ballet Academy under the guidance of Claudio Munoz and Andrew Murphy. He joined Houston Ballet in 2009, BalletMet in 2017 and Estonian National Ballet in 2020.
In 2024, Newton received the annual award of the Estonian Theater for the roles he created in the Estonian National Ballet: Vronski in the production "Anna Karenina", Stanley in the production "A Streetcar Named Iha", Mees in the short ballet "Open Door" and adagio in the short ballet "Suite en blanc" in the production "Black/White", Dietz von Egloff in the play "Nightingale Houses" and the Nutcracker Prince in the play "The Nutcracker".
Laura Maya began her dance studies at the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp (2006-2014) and obtained her bachelor's degree at the Ballet Academy of the Munich School of Music and Theater (2016). She has worked in several theaters, including the Royal Ballet of Flanders, the Landestheater Linz and the Bavarian State Ballet. In 2018, she joined the troupe of the Estonian National Ballet, and in 2020 she became a soloist of the National Ballet.
Laura Maya has received several awards, including a bronze medal at the Biarritz International Classical Dance Competition (2012), the IV prize at the Tanzolymp competition in Berlin, and a special prize for the summer courses of the Royal Ballet in London in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2020, she was nominated for the Estonian Theater Annual Awards, in 2021, Estonia received Klaudia Maldutis award of the society foundation and MyFitness dance award in 2024.
William Newton received his dance education in the USA at the New Albany Ballet and at the Houston Ballet Academy under the guidance of Claudio Munoz and Andrew Murphy. He joined Houston Ballet in 2009, BalletMet in 2017 and Estonian National Ballet in 2020.
In 2024, Newton received the annual award of the Estonian Theater for the roles he created in the Estonian National Ballet: Vronski in the production "Anna Karenina", Stanley in the production "A Streetcar Named Iha", Mees in the short ballet "Open Door" and adagio in the short ballet "Suite en blanc" in the production "Black/White", Dietz von Egloff in the play "Nightingale Houses" and the Nutcracker Prince in the play "The Nutcracker".