Yuanyuan Zhang promoted to principal dancer
Yuanyuan Zhang has been promoted to the rank of principal dancer with Dutch National Ballet. The director of Dutch National Ballet, Ted Brandsen, announced her promotion immediately after a performance of the ballet The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
Ted Brandsen, director of Dutch National Ballet:
“From the moment she joined the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet in 2014, it was clear that Yuanyuan Zhang is an extraordinary talent. Over the years, she has steadily grown as a dancer in a wide range of very different roles and styles, always standing out for her pure technique, natural stage presence, versatility, and great discipline. Yuanyuan is a gem and has proven herself ready to take on the responsibilities of a principal dancer. It’s wonderful to be able to appoint another dancer who has progressed from the Junior Company to principal dancer!”
Yuanyuan Zhang – short biography
Zhang trained in her home country of China, first at the Sichuan Dance School (Chengdu) and later at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Her career with Dutch National Ballet began in 2014, when she was accepted for the Junior Company, after winning the South African International Ballet Competition (gold medal). Just five years later, she was already promoted to the rank of soloist.
Zhang is set to perform the lead role of Clara in The Nutcracker and the Mouse King on Tuesday 24 December 2024 at Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam.
