News Archive - February 2012

UK visa secures ballet dancer's position

24 Feb 2012 | Posted by Carl Thomas

Access to UK visas and work permits can affect people from all walks of life. But it can be a particular issue for those working in the most competitive of industries.

Ballet, for example, is notorious for the demands it places on dancers, with those given a place in the top productions guarding them closely.

But for those who are tied to their current position through a UK visa, there are other issues to consider. Ukrainian star Sergei Polunin, for example, had his right to perform in Britain revoked when he resigned from the Covent Garden ballet company.

Mr Polunin, 21, had danced with the company since the age of 13 and it appears that his UK visa was tied to this position.

Fortunately, reports in the Evening Standard suggest that the dancer has now acquired new immigration paperwork to secure his place on the British ballet scene.

The star has worked with the Sadler's Wells company to fulfil the requirements for a new three-year visa, which is not tied to any specific group.

As a result, Mr Polunin will be returning to Sadler's Wells, where he appeared the weekend of his departure from Covent Garden, next month for a second run of the Men in Motion show. The Ukrainian will appear alongside fellow former Royal Ballet principal Ivan Putrov.