Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, has announced the roster of dancers for the 2023/24 season. The list includes 13 young artists new to the NBC.
“It is my great pleasure to welcome seven new Corps de Ballet members and six RBC Apprentices to the company as we launch our 2023/24 season,” said Muir in a statement.
“These talented young artists join us from around the globe, many having trained at Canada’s National Ballet School as well as respected institutions in New York City, San Francisco, The Netherlands and Brazil. I looked forward to working with them in the studio and seeing their artistry develop onstage.”
New Corps de Ballet Members
Joining the Corps de Ballet represents a leap from training and apprenticeship into a professional dance career.
- Born in Chengdu (Sichuan), China, Liya Fan was 10 years old when she began to train at Beijing Dance Academy, which she continued for five years. She was the Scholarship Winner of Prix de Lausanne in 2021. Liya trained at The Royal Ballet School before joining the National Ballet.
- Nio Hirano was born in Tokyo, Japan, and grew up in Duncan, BC. She has trained at ballet and dance schools in Victoria, BC, as well as in Amsterdam and New York City.
- A native of Annecy, France, Matthieu Pagès studied at the Paris Opéra Ballet School and the Tanz Akademie Zürich. After graduating, he joined the Junior Ballett Zürich. His repertoire includes works by Christian Spuck, Hans van Manen, Crystal Pite and Cathy Marston.
- Aidan Tully was born in New Zealand. He studied at the New Zealand School of Dance and subsequently joined the National Ballet. As a student, he was selected to take part in the Prix de Lausanne 2023 for its 50th-anniversary edition.
Three members of the RBC Apprentice Programme are joining the Corps de Ballet.
- Born in Los Angeles, Connor Hamilton moved to Toronto at 13. She trained at Canada’s National Ballet School. In 2020, she joined as a RBC Apprentice, and also received both the Erik Bruhn Memorial Award and Peter Dwyer Award.
- Isabella Kinch was born in Smithers, British Columbia. She trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, joining as a RBC Apprentice in 2022. She has performed at the Ballet Asteras Gala in Tokyo (2019), and the Biennale Tanzausbildung in Hamburg, Germany in 2020.
- Oliver Yonick is a native of Toronto. He trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, joining the RBC Apprentice programme in 2020. As a student in 2020, he received both the Erik Bruhn Memorial Award and Bernard Ostry Award.
New RBC Apprentices & Promotions
- Maisee Anderson, Luiz Anselmo, Graydon George, Ayami Goto, Ewan Hartman and Anna McKinney will join the RBC Apprentice Programme.
- Previously announced dancer promotions include Christopher Gerty to Principal Dancer and Josh Hall, Peng-Fei Jiang and Larkin Miller to Second Soloist.
New Artistic Staff
Along with the new dancers and promotions, former Dancer Lise-Marie Jourdain will take on the role of Rehearsal Director. She will work chiefly with the Corps de Ballet, and act as a liaison for the YOU dance programme.
A native of France, Lise-Marie trained at l’École de Danse de l’Opéra National de Paris, and joined Le Ballet de l’Opera National de Paris. There, she earned her Diplôme d’Etât de Professeur de Danse. She joined The National Ballet of Canada in 2002, and became part of Canada’s National Ballet School’s Ballet Staff after her retirement from the stage in 2017.
Stephanie Hutchison, newly retired as Principal Character Artist, has also been named as Rehearsal Director.
Congratulations to all the new and promoted company dancers and staff.
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