Arielle Smith

Havana-born Arielle is an Olivier award-winning choreographer who crosses dance theatre and film.

Arielle came to prominence when she choreographed Jolly Folly for The English National Ballet, for which she won the Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.

She has also been celebrated in The Stage 25 list as one of 25 individuals to become the future stars of the UK theatre industry, having also been named on The Guardian’s ones to watch for 2022.

Arielle is currently choreographing Jack and the Beanstalk for the Lyric Hammersmith. Other recent credits include Orfeo (Garsington Opera), Blackmail (Mercury Theatre), directed by Anthony Banks, and has a number of classical commissions and theatre projects in development moving forward into 2023. She has already choreographed for some of the largest ballet companies around the world, including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures where she was Associate Choreographer on his Romeo & Juliet. Other credits include Lots.Of.Varied.Expectations and Mañana Iguana.

Alongside Aaron S. Watkin, she has choreographed English National Ballet’s new Nutcracker in 2024.