A COMPANY BORN IN FLORENCE

At the heart of the initiative stands a profound conviction that art remains a force capable of transcending the fractures of history by uniting peoples and cultures around a shared ideal of beauty and humanity.

At the heart of Nouveaux Ballets Russes lies the belief that art continues to possess the power to transcend the divisions of history, bringing together different peoples and cultures through a shared ideal of beauty and humanity. At moments of historical fracture, culture gathers in cities of light. Magnificent Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, from whose Renaissance courts ballet first emerged, provides a natural setting for this renewal. Just as Paris in the 1920s became the city in which the Ballets Russes were born, Florence will become the birthplace of this new Company in 2027. It is significant that the Company’s baptism should take place at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, an institution synonymous with excellence in music and the arts, where the performing arts find their fullest expression and new projects are given an extraordinary platform on which to flourish.

The Nouveaux Ballets Russes draw inspiration from the international and multidisciplinary spirit of the Ballets Russes, founded in 1909 by Sergei Diaghilev. The Ballets Russes revolutionised the arts by bringing together the most important creative figures of the time, breaking down boundaries between disciplines and transforming ballet’s expressive possibilities. Their groundbreaking collaborations with artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Coco Chanel left a lasting mark on twentieth-century culture.

The Nouveaux Ballets Russes seek to carry that spirit into the modern era, reinterpreting the classical repertoire through bold and visually distinctive new productions. Dance, music, visual art, fashion and technology will be brought together at the highest level as a single creative force for a new generation, driven by the pursuit of artistic excellence. The Company is also committed to creating tangible opportunities for young dancers at a crucial stage in their careers, providing a bridge between the world’s leading ballet schools and the professional stage and enabling emerging artists to gain experience, develop their careers and perform at the highest level.

Alexander Parish — known as Xander — was born in 1986 in Beverley, East Yorkshire. He began his ballet training at the age of eight in Hull, attending classes alongside his sister Demelza. At 11, he moved to London to join the Royal Ballet School at White Lodge, graduating from the Royal Ballet Upper School with honours in 2005.

In 2010, at the personal invitation of Artistic Director Yuri Fateev, Xander made history as the first British dancer to join the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. He rose through the ranks to become a Principal Dancer in July 2017, a promotion announced after the opening night of Swan Lake during the Mariinsky Ballet’s London season at the Royal Opera House.

In September 2022, Xander was appointed Artistic Director of Reunited in Dance, a company dedicated to supporting displaced dancers who formerly worked with Russian ballet companies before the invasion of Ukraine. Under his direction, the company appeared at prestigious venues internationally, including the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, Festival Napa Valley, and the Teatro della Pergola in Florence as part of the New Generation Festival.