Lorna Geddes (born 1943) is a Canadian ballerina who worked with the National Ballet of Canada for 59 years. [1] [2]
Geddes was born in Waterloo, Ontario and began dancing at the age of three. After training with National Ballet School of Canada co-founder Betty Oliphant, Geddes joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1959 as a member of the Corps de Ballet at the age of 16 under the Artistic Director and company founder Celia Franca. She was appointed Assistant Ballet Mistress in 1984, and became Pointe Shoe Manager in 1998. She was promoted to Principal Character Artist in 2005, and was known for her "signature role" as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. She retired at the end of the 2018/2019 season. [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Geddes is married to Hazaros Surmeyan. Surmeyan joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1966, and later became Principal Character Artist in 1986. Together, they have one son, André. [3] [9]
In 2008, Geddes received the inaugural David Tony Award. [5] [8]
The National Ballet of Canada is a Canadian ballet company that was founded in 1951 in Toronto, Ontario, with Celia Franca, the first artistic director. A company of 70 dancers with its own orchestra, the National Ballet has been led since 2022 by artistic director Hope Muir. Renowned for its diverse repertoire, the company performs traditional full-length classics, embraces contemporary work and encourages the creation of new ballets, as well as the development of Canadian dancers and choreographers.
Chan Hon Goh, C.M. D.Litt, is a Chinese-born Canadian ballerina. Goh was most notably a principal dancer with The National Ballet of Canada before going on to become a published author, director, teacher, executive producer, and entrepreneur.
Natalia Romanovna Makarova is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of Dance, published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest ballerina of her generation in the West."
Greta Hodgkinson O.Ont is an American-Canadian ballet dancer. She was a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada until she stepped down in 2020. She will continue to perform freelance and become the artist-in residence of the National Ballet.
Sonia Rodriguez is a Canadian ballet dancer. She joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1990 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2000. In 2022, she retired as the longest serving dancer the company.
Johan Kobborg is a Danish ballet dancer, choreographer, director and visual artist. He is most noted as a ballet dancer, having been a principal dancer with both the Royal Danish Ballet and the Royal Ballet in London, as well as making guest appearances with other ballet companies. Following his departure from the Royal Ballet in 2013, he was the artistic director of the Romanian National Ballet Company until 2016.
Laura Morera is a Spanish ballet dancer who is currently a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, London.
Cesar Corrales is a Cuban-Canadian ballet dancer and actor. He starred as "Young Billy" in the Chicago and Toronto productions of Billy Elliot the Musical and has been a principal dancer with English National Ballet. He is now a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet.
Jurgita Dronina is a Russian-Lithuanian ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, having previously danced with Royal Swedish Ballet, Dutch National Ballet and English National Ballet.
Maia Makhateli is a Georgian ballet dancer. After terms with the Colorado Ballet and the Birmingham Royal Ballet, she joined the Dutch National Ballet in 2006, where she now is a principal dancer.
Dores André Rodríguez is a Spanish ballet dancer. She is currently a principal dancer at the San Francisco Ballet.
Carlo Di Lanno is an Italian ballet dancer. He is a former Principal Dancer with the San Francisco Ballet and Dresden Semperoper Ballett. He trained and graduated at Accademia Teatro alla Scala, and danced with Teatro alla Scala and Staatsballett Berlin.
Francesca Hayward is a Kenyan-born English ballet dancer and actress. She is a principal dancer in the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in London. In 2019, she starred as Victoria the White Cat in the musical film Cats, an adaptation of the stage musical of the same name.
Ming Luke is an American conductor who is the Principal Guest Conductor of the San Francisco Ballet, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Nashville Ballet, founder and Program Director of Festival Napa Valley's Blackburn Music Academy, Music Director of the Merced Symphony, Music Director of the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra, and Education Director and Conductor of the Berkeley Symphony
Petra Conti is an Italian ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer with Los Angeles Ballet. Conti was previously a principal dancer with the Boston Ballet. Before moving to the United States, Conti danced as a principal with La Scala Theatre Ballet and as a corps de ballet dancer with Bavarian State Ballet.
Devon Teuscher is an American ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.
Heather Ogden is a Canadian ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer at the National Ballet of Canada.
Guillaume Côté is a Canadian ballet dancer and choreographer. He is currently a principal dancer and a Choreographic Associate at the National Ballet of Canada.
Elena Lobsanova is a Russian-Canadian ballet dancer. She joined the National Ballet of Canada in 2004 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2015. In 2020, she joined the Miami City Ballet.
Fumi Kaneko is a Japanese ballet dancer. She joined the Royal Ballet in London in 2011, and was named a principal dancer in 2021.