Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada has announced that Principal Dancer Christopher Gerty has been awarded the 2024 Dancers First Award. The award was given in recognition of his work in two productions during the 2023/24 season: performing the title role in choreographer John Cranko’s Onegin and the role of Espada in Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote.
Gerty received the award on September 9, 2024 at a special dinner and presentation.
“Christopher has had an exceptional year with The National Ballet of Canada and it was impossible to separate his poetic debut of Eugene Onegin with that of his grandiose portrayal of Espada in Don Quixote, so I am thrilled that we can honour him with the 2024 Dancers First Award for both of these significant roles,” said Muir.
A jury made up of member’s of the National Ballet’s Artistic Staff selects the recipient of the Dancers First Award to recognize outstanding performance each year. Along with the recognition, the prize comes with a $5,000 cash award.
National Ballet of Canada dancers Heather Ogden and Christopher Gerty perform The Four Seasons — Summer in 2020:
Principal Dancer Christopher Gerty
Born in Britain, Gerty moved with his family to Australia as a child. There, cousins persuaded him to join ballet classes, a pursuit that became serious by the time he turned 15. He studied at the New Zealand School of Dance for two years, then headed to San Francisco. While studying at the San Francisco Ballet School’s trainee program win his teens, he was hit by a car, and broke two ribs in the accident. Subsequently, a torn meniscus sidelined him for the better part of a year. Luckily, he was able to overcome the physical challenges and move on in his training.
Christopher had visited Canada during his time in the US, and was impressed by the National Ballet — impressed enough that he auditioned in 2014, and became part of the corps de ballet in 2015. He performed his first starring role in 2017, and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2023.
Gerty has become known for his versatility as well as thoughtful interpretations. His repertoire includes Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, the title role in Romeo and Juliet, Lewis Carroll/The White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Diamond Man in The Sleeping Beauty, A Man in The Four Seasons, Rodolphe Boulanger in the world premiere of Helen Pickett’s Emma Bovary and Leo in William Yong’s world premiere of UtopiVerse.
NBC Fall 2024
Gerty will be performing during the NBC’s fall 2024 calendar.
Productions include a mixed program that spotlights the Canadian premieres of Sol León and Paul Lightfoot’s Silent Screen, and Sir Frederick Ashton’s Rhapsody, and Guillaume Côté’s Body of Work from November 9 – 16, 2024, and Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle, from November 20 – 24, 2024.
Find out more about Silent Screen [HERE], and Giselle [HERE].
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.
