English National Ballet announces Aaron Watkin as new artistic director

The 52-year-old Canadian will succeed Tamara Rojo in August 2023 and arrives after 16 years as artistic director of Semperoper Ballett in Dresden

Diversity of people and repertoire are at the heart of my vision," says Aaron Watkin, announced on Wednesday as the new artistic director of English National Ballet, successor to Tamara Rojo, who is leaving in November to take up the directorship at San Francisco Ballet having shaken up ENB over the last decade.

Canadian Watkin, 52, is not as starry a name as Rojo - one of the leading ballerinas of her generation - but he has a solid career behind him. He has been artistic director at Semperoper Ballett in Dresden for the last 16 years and previously danced with William Forsythe's Ballett Frankfurt, Dutch National Ballet and National Ballet of Canada. He danced with ENB for two seasons 30 years ago and it's an experience that stuck with him. I love the pioneering spirit of ENB. You really become a family. Even though I was there a short time, the friendships I forged have been lifelong."