The National Ballet of Canada Artistic Director, Karen Kain, announces six promotions for the 2018/19 season:
- Skylar Campbell and Francesco Gabriele Frola to Principal Dancer
- Jack Bertinshaw to First Soloist
- Christopher Gerty, Spencer Hack and Miyoko Koyasu to Second Soloist
Skylar Campbell will be promoted to Principal Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada. Recently, Mr. Campbell danced in the world premiere of Frame by Frame by Robert Lepage and Guillaume Côté.
Mr. Campbell created the title role in the world premiere of Pinocchio by Will Tuckett last season and has also danced the title roles in Le Petit Prince and Nijinsky.
His repertoire includes Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Hilarion in Giselle, Gurn in La Sylphide, White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Florizel in The Winter’s Tale, Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty and Alan in A Streetcar Named Desire.
A California native, Mr. Campbell trained with Victor and Tatiana Kasatsky in Orange County before he joined The National Ballet of Canada as a RBC Apprentice in 2009.
He was awarded the Bronze Medal in the Pas de Deux category at the 2009 Youth American Grand Prix and was a finalist at the 2009 Prix de Lausanne.
Francesco Gabriele Frola will be promoted to Principal Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada.
Mr. Frola’s roles include the title role in Nijinsky, Albrecht in Giselle, Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker and Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty.
His other roles include Lensky in Onegin, Florizel in The Winter’s Tale, James in La Sylphide, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and Lescaut in Manon.
Born in Italy, Mr. Frola joined the company as a RBC Apprentice in 2010 after training at Professione Danza Parma in Italy, The School of the Hamburg Ballet in Germany and Fomento Artistico Cordobés in Mexico.
His awards include the Silver Medal at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in 2012, Bronze Medal in the 2010 International Ballet Competition in Cuba, semi-finalist at 2008 Prix de Lausanne and the prize for Best Male at the Grand Prix Pavlova in 2006 and 2003.
Jack Bertinshaw, who made his debut as Norman McLaren in the world premiere of Frame by Frame, will be promoted to First Soloist.
Christopher Gerty , Spencer Hack and Miyoko Koyasu will be promoted to Second Soloist. This season, Mr. Gerty made his debut as Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, A Man in The Four Seasons and Diamond Man in The Sleeping Beauty.
Mr. Hack performed in The Dreamers Ever Leave You by Robert Binet and Cacti by Alexander Ekman andMs. Koyasu made her debut as Princess Florine and the Second Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty and she performed in the world premiere of Frame by Frame.
Joining the Corps de Ballet from the RBC Apprentice Programme are Brenna Flaherty, Hannah Galway, Larkin Miller, Teagan Richman–Taylor and Alexander Skinner.
In addition to being promoted to Principal Dancer, Francesco Gabriele Frola will dance with both The National Ballet of Canada and the English National Ballet next season as a Principal Dancer.
Emma Hawes will also perform with both The National Ballet of Canada and English National Ballet as a First Soloist.
Principal Dancer Jurgita Dronina, who performed with both companies last season, will continue to perform in both Toronto and London in 2018/19.
First Soloist Alexandra MacDonald is the recipient of the 2017/18 David Tory Award, named for David Tory, former Vice-Chairman of The National Ballet of Canada’s Board of Directors, who passed away in 2006.
Ms. MacDonald is recognized for her consummate professionalism and dedication to the company as well as the inspiration her exemplary behaviour provides for her fellow company members. Ms. MacDonald receives an award of $3,500.
Miyoko Kayasu and Christopher Gerty have been awarded the Patron Award of Merit by the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada.
The award is given to one male and one female Corps de Ballet member at the end of each season for their progress.
Ms. Koyasu and Mr. Gerty each receive $1000 and an additional donation of $1000 is made in their names to the Dancer Fund of The National Ballet of Canada, Endowment Foundation.
Their names will be inscribed on an award generously donated by Myles Mindham that is on display at The Walter Carsen Centre.