Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, has announced the upcoming retirement of Principal Character Artist Alejandra Perez-Gomez. She will leave a 25-year legacy of roles brought to life with a unique combination of dance and acting artistry.
Alejandra will retire at the end of the 2022/23 season by performing the role of Lady Capulet in Alexei Ratmansky’s Romeo and Juliet. Her last performance will be on June 25 at 2:00 p.m., and the entire company will join Perez-Gomez onstage for her final farewell.
“After 25 years at the National Ballet, this company will always be close to my heart. I’ll forever treasure the memories I carry with me from the stage and the studio, and especially the lifelong friends I’ve made along the way,” said Perez-Gomez in a statement.
“I feel very grateful that for so many years, I was able to share the stage with such an amazing community of artists. I look forward to celebrating with my colleagues and our audience, as I take my final bow dancing one of my favourite roles.”
A 25-year career in ballet
A native of Toronto, Perez-Gomez trained at L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec, the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco, and San Francisco Ballet School in California. Her professional career brought her back home;
- Joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1998;
- Became a Second Soloist in 2006;
- Promoted to Principal Character Artist in 2013.
She has performed as part of the ensemble in the Corps de Ballet, in featured roles as Second Soloist, and in the character roles she would become most associated with as Principal Character Artist, including Baba in The Nutcracker, the Step.m.other and the Stepsister in James Kudelka’s Cinderella, and Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, along with Lady Capulet. Her repertoire includes roles in several works by James Kudelka, such as The Four Seasons, which she counts among her favourites.
Her work has often been noted for its vivid characterizations, and her dramatic as well as dance skills. She has recently begun assisting the senior coaches in a teaching role, as well as rehearsing the other dancers.
Alejandra Perez-Gomez will perform the role of Lady Capulet on June 17, 24 at 7:30 p.m./June 22, 25 at 2:00 p.m. and the role of Nurse on June 15, 16, 21, 23 at 7:30 p.m./June 18 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available [HERE].
Alejandra is currently working on a degree in Psychology from Queen’s University. We wish her all the best for her final performances, and into the future.
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