Marianela Núñez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marianela Núñez OBE
as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty
Born	(1982-03-23) 23 March 1982 (age 43) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Citizenship	Argentina United Kingdom
Education	Teatro Colón Ballet School The Royal Ballet School
Occupation	Ballet dancer
Spouse(s)	Thiago Soares ​ ​ (m. 2011; div. 2015)​
Current group	The Royal Ballet
Former groups	Colon Theater Ballet

Marianela Núñez celebrating 20 years with The Royal Ballet in 2018.

Ballerinas (L-R) Lauren Cuthbertson, Marianela Núñez, Laura Morera and Samantha Raine in Dances at a Gathering, Royal Ballet, 2008.

Marianela Núñez is a famous ballet dancer from Argentina and Britain. She was born on March 23, 1982. She is a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet in London. This means she holds the highest rank for a dancer in the company.

Early Life and Training

Marianela Núñez grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has three older brothers. Her mother first sent her to ballet classes when she was just three years old. At first, she learned to dance in her teacher's garage.

When she was five, Marianela decided that ballet was what she truly wanted to do. She then joined the Teatro Colón Ballet School at age six. This is a very famous ballet school.

Her Amazing Career

Joining a Professional Company

When Marianela was 14, she was still training. However, a lead dancer from the Colon Theater Ballet, Maximiliano Guerra, chose her to dance with him. Soon after, the company asked her to join them. She performed with them in Buenos Aires and on tours. She even danced lead roles with the company's main dancer.

In 1997, at age 15, she tried out for The Royal Ballet. This was when the company was visiting Los Angeles. Marianela did not even speak English at the time! She was offered a contract to join. But because of UK laws, she could not work in the UK until she was 16. So, she went to The Royal Ballet School instead. She was promised a contract the next year.

Rising Through the Ranks

In 2000, Marianela was promoted to First Soloist. This is the second-highest rank in a ballet company. Just one year later, in 2001, she got a big chance. Another dancer was hurt, so Marianela stepped in to dance the role of Kitri in Don Quixote. She danced with the famous Carlos Acosta.

Because of her amazing talent, she was promoted to principal dancer the very next year, in 2002. She has since danced many main roles. These include parts in both classic and modern ballets. She has worked with famous choreographers like Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan.

Awards and Celebrations

In 2013, Marianela won a special award. It was the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. She won it for her performances in ballets like Viscera and Aeternum.

In 2018, Marianela celebrated a big milestone. She had been with The Royal Ballet for 20 years! This was after a performance of Giselle. The artistic director, Kevin O'Hare, called her "one of the greats of her generation." Many important people were there to celebrate with her.

Dancing Around the World

Besides her work with The Royal Ballet, Marianela has also performed as a guest dancer in many countries. She has danced in Austria, the U.S., Italy, Argentina, and Australia. She often performs with the La Scala Theatre Ballet. She also frequently dances with Roberto Bolle. Marianela has even returned to dance with the Colón Theater Ballet, where her career first began.

What Critics Say

Dance critics often praise Marianela's performances.

• About her role in Don Quixote, The Guardian newspaper said she is "a brilliant exponent of rubato dancing." They noted how she stretches dance phrases and then moves with "ecstatic abandon."
• When she danced in American Ballet Theatre's Cinderella, New York Times wrote that her "effortless attack and enthusiastic impetus made the sequence thrilling."
• The Times also praised her in Swan Lake.
• For her role as Nikiya in La Bayadère, The Independent newspaper noted her "luscious musical phrasing and floating line."

Personal Life

Marianela Núñez married fellow Royal Ballet principal dancer, Thiago Soares, in 2011. They were married in Buenos Aires. The couple separated in 2014 and announced their divorce in January 2016. However, they remain good friends and still dance together. Marianela is also a British citizen.

Selected Ballets and Roles

Marianela has danced many roles with The Royal Ballet, including:

Roles Created for Her

Some roles were created especially for Marianela, including:

Awards and Honors

Marianela Núñez has received many awards for her dancing:

• Best Female Dancer at the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards in 2005, 2012, 2018, and 2022.
• Konex de Platino for Best Dancer of the Decade in Argentina, 2009.
• María Ruanova Award, 2011.
• Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance, 2013.
• She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty The King’s New Year’s Honours, 2025. This was for her great contributions to dance.

See also

In Spanish: Marianela Núñez para niños