Marianela Núñez, the Royal Ballet principal dancer often called the Messi of ballet, is finally presenting her own show, Timeless, at the Royal Opera House from 29 July to 2 August. At 44, she reflects on her enduring passion for dance, her Argentine heritage, and the resilience that has kept her at the top for 28 years.
A lifelong love affair with ballet
Núñez, who moved from Buenos Aires to London at 15, says ballet is her oxygen. “Just give me my ballet shoes and I’m in love,” she says, drawing a parallel to Lionel Messi’s joy in playing football. She named her cat after the Argentine footballer and proudly shares her Argentina-inspired leotard on Instagram. Despite being a British citizen, her loyalties remain clear.
Her career began early: at five she decided to take ballet seriously, and by 14 she was dancing leading roles at Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colón. She became a Royal Ballet principal at 20, a position she has held for over two decades.
Why Timeless took so long
Unlike many top dancers who have agents and personal PRs, Núñez has never had an agent. She cites Sylvie Guillem as an inspiration, noting that Guillem never had one either. “So perhaps it has taken longer, but now I have five days at the Royal Opera House, with the orchestra and my pick of repertoire,” she says. “I’m glad that I had to wait this long.”
Núñez’s sunny temperament is legendary. Even when feeling unwell, she laughs and smiles. “Ballet class is where I can really feel the body,” she says. “It has that ritual feeling. You have your same spot at the barre that you had when you first joined the company.” She calls class a safety net and a form of meditation.
Age brings self-acceptance
With age, Núñez has learned to accept nerves and insecurities. “Now I’m like, well, yeah, you feel insecure. What are you gonna do?” she says. She refuses to dwell on what she feels insecure about, closing that door firmly.
For Timeless, she chose partners who have given her confidence: Vadim Muntagirov, Matthew Ball, William Bracewell, and new principal Patricio Revé. “Each of them, maybe without knowing, helped me a lot through really hard times,” she says.
A programme of surprises
The programme remains partly a surprise, but Núñez will dance Jerome Robbins’ In the Night, set to Chopin nocturnes, and Frederick Ashton’s Marguerite and Armand, a dramatic piece about an ageing courtesan and her young lover. Some retiring dancers choose the latter as a farewell, but Núñez insists she is not retiring. “There’s no expiry date!” she says.
Núñez’s resilience and passion shine through. “Ballet doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful,” she notes. Her love affair with dance is as strong as ever.
