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Aitor Arrieta

Lead Principal
The company Dancers Aitor Arrieta

Birthplace
Errenteria, Spain (Basque Country)

Training
Mariemma Royal Conservatory of Professional Dance, Madrid

English National Ballet
Joined 2016, promoted to Soloist 2017, First Soloist 2019, Principal 2022, Lead Principal 2023.
Joint winner of Emerging Dancer 2017.

Roles include
Albrecht in Akram Khan’s Giselle, Nephew/Prince and Nutcracker in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, Prince Siegfried in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake, the title role of Des Grieux in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, Albrecht in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle, Paris in Rudolph Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet, one of the Four Fates and Prince Guillaume in Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella and Lankendem inAnne-Marie Holmes’s Le Corsaire. Also danced George Balanchine’s Theme & Variations, David Dawson’s Four Last Songs, William Forsythe’s Blake Works I. Created roles include William Forsythe’s Playlist (Track 1, 2)

Previous company
Compañía Nacional de Danza, Madrid, leading roles included Delibes Suite; Raymonda Variations and Don Quixote by José Martínez as well as works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin and Tony Fabre

Other info
Received The Professional Dancers’ Association of Gipuzkoa Discover Award in 2015; the 2015 Dancer Revelation of Gipuzkoa Prize; Gold Medal at the International Dance Contest of Biarritz, 2013 and 1st place Championship of Euskadi Aurresku, 2011.

Upcoming performances

Explore

Nutcracker: Sugar Plum Fairy and Sugar Plum Cavalier Extract | English National Ballet
Extract: Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux
Mary Skeaping's Giselle: Production Trailer | English National Ballet
Mary Skeaping's Giselle: Trailer
Mary Skeaping's Giselle Trailer
Katja Khaniukova and Aitor Arrieta in Mary Skeaping's Giselle Image © Laurent Liotardo
In Pictures: Mary Skeaping's Giselle
In Pictures: David Dawson's Four Last Songs
Our Voices: Teaser | English National Ballet
Our Voices: Teaser
Creature by Akram Khan: Tackling the challenging title role | English National Ballet
Aitor Arrieta and Rentaro Nakaaki tell us what it's like dancing the title role of Akram Khan's Creature.
Creature: Tackling the challenging title role
Aitor Arrieta as Creautre and Emily Suzuki as Marie in Creature by Akram Khan © Laurent Liotardo
In Pictures: Creature
Nutcracker: Clara and Nutcracker pas de deux (extract) | English National Ballet
Erina Takahashi and Aitor Arrieta performing as Clara and the Nutcracker.
Nutcracker: Clara and Nutcracker pas de deux (extract)
Rhys Antoni Yeomans and Georgia Bould in Arielle Smith's Joly Folly as part of ENB's Reunion © Laurent Liotardo
On Stage: Reunion at Sadler's Wells
Playlist (Track 1, 2): William Forsythe's Electrifying Work | English National Ballet
Find out what it's like performing William Forsythe's playful and groovy work Playlist (Track 1, 2).
Playlist (Track 1, 2): On dancing William Forsythe's electrifying work
Raymonda: Rehearsal Insight | English National Ballet
Loipa Araújo leads this short insight into Raymonda. Featuring dancers Emma Hawes, Aitor Arrieta and Fernando Carratalá Coloma, with Julia Richter on piano.
Raymonda: Rehearsal Insight
Grand Pas Classique (extract) | English National Ballet
Julia Conway and Aitor Arrieta performing Victor Gzovsky's Grand Pas Classique for Emerging Dancer: A Celebration.
Grand Pas Classique (extract)
Emma Hawes & Aitor Arrieta in Blake Works I for The Forsythe Evening © Laurent Liotardo
In Pictures: THE FORSYTHE EVENING
English National Ballet dancer Erik Woolhouse in Playlist (Track 1, 2) by William Forsythe © Laurent Liotardo
In Pictures: Playlist (Track 1, 2)
Artists of English National Ballet rehearsing Stina Quagebeur's Take Five Blues © Laurent Liotardo
In rehearsals: Stina Quagebeur's Take Five Blues
Akram Khan and Jeffrey Cirio in rehearsals for Creature by Akram Khan © Laurent Liotardo
Creature in rehearsals
English National Ballet in rehearsals for Liam Scarlett's No Man's Land © Laurent Liotardo.
Lest We Forget in rehearsals
Jurgita Dronina and Isaac Hernandez in rehearsals for The Sleeping Beauty © Laurent Liotardo
The Sleeping Beauty rehearsal images
Song of the Earth: Photoshoot | English National Ballet
Song of the Earth: photoshoot
La Sylphide: Frank Andersen on the story | English National Ballet
Frank Andersen on the story of La Sylphide
Song of the Earth: Photoshoot | English National Ballet
Song of the Earth: photoshoot
Aaron Robison in rehearsals for La Sylphide © Laurent Liotardo
La Sylphide rehearsal images
Rina Kanehara and Aitor Arrieta performing the Esmeralda pas de deux © Laurent Liotardo
Emerging Dancer 2017 Production Images
Aitor Arrieta – Emerging Dancer 2017 Winner | English National Ballet
Meet Aitor Arrieta – Emerging Dancer 2017 finalist
Emerging Dancer 2017: Meet the Boys | English National Ballet
The male finalists of Emerging Dancer 2017
Emerging Dancer 2017: Trailer | English National Ballet
Video by Laurent Liotardo
Trailer for Emerging Dancer 2017
Nutcracker - January 2025 - Sugar Plum pas de deux