Daria Klimentová to Retire

Even ballet fans far from the U.K. know and love longtime English National Ballet star Daria Klimentová.

We know her by her dancing, of course: She is supremely elegant, expressive, and precise. During her 25 years with the company, she brought a jewel-like sparkle to nearly every role in the classical repertoire.

But Klimentová also developed an electric partnership with Vadim Muntagirov, a talented danseur 20 years her junior, earning the pair comparisons to Fonteyn and Nureyev. Dance fans around the world were able to see the two of them in action—and witness Klimentová’s stoicism in the face of choreographer Derek Deane’s startlingly callous treatment—in the BBC docu-series “Agony and Ecstasy.” (The show was one of the inspirations for “Breaking Pointe,” which had the same team of producers.)

Klimentová just announced that her final performances will be in Romeo and Juliet this June. Muntagirov, who last week left ENB for the Royal Ballet, will return to dance Romeo beside her.

Here’s a compilation of clips of Klimentová and Muntagirov dancing Giselle, Cinderella, The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet. Best wishes, Daria! We’ll miss you onstage.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=lKPZqFRW3uo