Principal Casey Herd is the winner of the Alexandra Radius Prize 2012. Alexandra Radius presented Herd with the prize prior to the premiere of the Dutch National Ballet’s programme A master’s touch on 21 September 2012 in The Amsterdam Music Theatre. Herd received € 2500 and a work of art.
casey herd
The American dancer Casey Herd (Salt Lake City, Utah) has been a principal with the Dutch National Ballet since 2008, before which he performed as a guest artist with the company.
Casey trained at the Ballet West Academy in his hometown and at the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C. Before coming to the Netherlands, he danced with American Ballet Theatre and Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, where he became one of the most prominent dancers of the company.
Last year, the leading dance magazine Dance Europe put Casey at number 19 on their list of international top 100 dancers who had given outstanding performances.
from the jury’s report
‘For some years, Herd has proved to have a consistently sound technique, a strong and engaging stage presence, phenomenal partnering skills and versatility in both the classical and modern repertoire, and he has demonstrated all these qualities exceptionally well in the demanding 2011-2012 season.
His interpretations of Siegfried in Swan Lake and Albrecht in Giselle are more human and vulnerable than most, and show us a prince whose sincerity and emotions go way beyond the footlights and directly touch the audience. In the grand pas de deux, he puts himself completely at the service of the ballerina, allowing her to take maximum risk on stage. His exceptional partnering technique, which is an art in itself, is wonderful to watch and creates an apparently effortless beauty.
He shone in the ballets Steptext by Forsythe, day4 by Dawson and Symphony in Three Movements by Balanchine. His dynamism, and technical lightness and speed, combined with his masculine sex appeal gave us some exciting performances.
At the end of the season, Herd gave a moving performance in Meisner’s Canta Ballet, particularly in his gallant partnering of Marisa Lopez and Karin Spaink. He filled the huge stage with his presence and expansive movements, being totally absorbed while reaching the furthest corners of the auditorium.
This year, the Alexandra Radius Prize jury comprised: Alexandra Radius (former principal with the Dutch National Ballet), Caroline Iura (former principal with the Dutch National Ballet), Eddie Vetter (musicologist and dance critic) and Fiorenza Timmer (Friend of the Dutch National Ballet).
friends of the dutch national ballet
Almost 2000 ballet-lovers are united in the Friends of the Dutch National Ballet. The Friends’ support for the only classical ballet company in the Netherlands is very important and is steadily gaining in importance.
The annual highlight is the presentation of the Alexandra Radius Prize, which is awarded to the most outstanding dancer from within the Dutch National Ballet’s ranks. But the Friends do far more than that. For instance, contributions from the Friends have enabled us to commission the new production of Cinderella this season, and to stage past productions of Giselle and Don Quichotte. They have also provided the company’s dancers with a fully equipped fitness studio. The Friends enable us to invite guest teachers to come and give classes, and thanks to a Travel and Study Fund dancers can take part in international courses and competitions, which enhances their dancing qualities considerably.
> casey herd's biography
> casey herd on network dance
> friends of the dutch national ballet
