for the year 2005
		De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement Richard Sherrington Award for Best Female Dancer Best Male Dancer Best Choreography (Classical) Best Choreography (Modern) Best Choreography (Musical Theatre) Best Foreign Dance Company Outstanding Male or Female Artist (Classical) Outstanding Male or Female Artist (Modern) Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Classical) Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Modern)   The 2005 winner is Rupert Pennefather The nominations for 2005 were: Deirdre Chapman, Sarah Lamb and Rupert Pennefather More information about each artist is given below: Deirdre Chapman (The Royal Ballet) Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Deirdre started her career with San Francisco Ballet where she danced for six years, reaching Soloist position. She then set off across the Atlantic to join Rambert Dance Company and was soon spotted for her brilliant, exacting technique, and for her musicality. In 2002, she was offered a position as First Artist with The Royal Ballet and was then shortly promoted to Soloist. Her performances have shown her to be a sensitive lyrical dancer in the classics, while in the contemporary works, she has proved herself a fleet and conscientious performer, as demonstrated on several occasions during The Royal Ballet’s 2004/05 season. Sarah Lamb (The Royal Ballet) First soloist Sarah Lamb joined The Royal Ballet from Boston Ballet in August 2004 and performed in Requiem, Sylvia, the Thaïs pas de deux, and as a big swan in SwanLake. But in May 2005, she was given the opportunity to dance the dual roles of Odette/Odile when principal Jaimie Tapper took maternity leave. In her three performances, Lamb expounded the Russian training she had first received in Boston from Tatiana Legat and then polished by The Royal Ballet repetiteur Alexander Agadzhanov, in detailed, neat technique, eloquent port de bras and astute characterization. Rupert Pennefather (The Royal Ballet) Rupert Pennefather was born in Maidenhead, and trained with Julie Rose and at the Royal Ballet School. In 1999 he danced Albrecht (Act II, Giselle) and the pas de trois from Theme and Variations at the School's annual performance. He joined The Royal Ballet that same year and was promoted to First Artist in 2004. During the 2004-05 season he leapt to attention as Aminta in the revival of Ashton's Sylvia, partnering Marianela Nuñez, and made an impressive debut as Beliaev in A Month in the Country, partnering Darcey Bussell. He combines a fine classical technique with an ardent stage presence, ideal qualities for many of the romantic leads in the Covent Garden repertoire. Picture credits Lauren Cuthbertson © Dee Conway, Deirdre Chapman © Bill Cooper, Sarah Lamb © Dee Conway, Rupert Pennefather © Dee Conway. All text is © copyright of the Critics' Circle / National Dance Awards.