Agnes
Oaks
Benois de la Danse nominee
She joined the Estonian Opera Ballet in 1989 and made her debut as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
At the 1990 International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, she was awarded the Best Couple prize with Thomas Edur, with whom she started a partnership at the school. Later that year Agnes joined English National Ballet as Principal Dancer. In 1996 she joined Birmingham Royal Ballet and in 1997 became a Freelance guest artist. In 2001 President of Estonia presented Agnes with the Third Class Order of White Star for her achievements in ballet and she was chosen in 2000 and 2001 as one of Dance International Magazine's Dancer of the Year. Agnes received Best Partnership award by London Critics' Circle (2002), with Thomas Edur, and has been nominated for Best Female dancer in 2002 & 2003.
She frequently returns to the English National Ballet as a guest artist. She has performed most of the classical ballerina roles. Danced world premiere of Raissa Struchkova's Swan Lake, created the role of Aurora in Roland Hynd's Sleeping Beauty and Giselle in Derek Deane's production and role of Cinderella by Heinz Spoerly with the Zurich Ballet. Wayne McGregor created 2-Human modern duet for her and Thomas.
Her repertoire includes Ben Stevenson's The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Four Last Songs and Three Preludes, Hynds's Coppelia, Nureyev's Romeo and Juliet, Derek Deane's Paquita, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, and Impromptu, Michael Corder's Cinderella, and Melody on the Move, Tetley's Sphinx and Voluntaries, Balanchine's Apollo, Who Cares, and Tchaikowsky pas de deux, Makarova's La Bayadere, Veronica Paeper's Don Quixote and Romeo & Juliet, Bianca in John Cranko's The Taming of The Shrew and Olga in Onegin, Christopher Dean's Encounters, Mai Murdmaa's Wedding Journey and Mark Morris's Drink to Me. She has also danced in Les Sylphides, Our Waltzes, Etudes and other ballets.
She has been invited to perform in many productions and gala performances around the world Including Australia, Japan, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Korea, South Africa, USA, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, Russia, France, Hungary, Netherlands, Switzerland, New Zealand and Estonia.
Agnes Oaks is the Winners of the 2004 Olivier Awards — 2004 Laurence Olivier Awards — presented by the Society of London Theatre. The results were announced on Sunday February 22 at a star studded ceremony held at the Hilton, Park Lane, London. Outstanding Achievement in Dance Winner: Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks for their performances in English National Ballet's 2 Human at Sadler's Wells. «English National Ballet offered absolutely splendid dancing. The troupe is playing with verve and an infectious delight that restores one's faith in ballet itself — and inspires gratitude for the past and hope for the future», Clement Crisp, Financial Times, 17 January, 2002.
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