Christopher Gerty Promoted to Principal Dancer at the National Ballet of Canada

Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced promotions for the 2023/24 season: Christopher Gerty to Principal Dancer and Josh Hall, Peng-Fei Jiang and Larkin Miller to Second Soloist.  

“As my inaugural season as Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada comes to a close, I reflect on what an honour it has been to work the incredible artists of this company. One of the great privileges of my role is to recognize the exceptional contribution of individual artists with promotions,” said Muir. “Following his assured debuts in many leading roles and in recognition of his versatility and commitment, it is my pleasure to promote Christopher Gerty to Principal Dancer. I am also thrilled to promote Corps de Ballet members Josh Hall, Peng-Fei Jiang and Larkin Miller to Second Soloist. All three of these talented artists have shown tremendous growth this past season and I look forward to watching their careers blossom in the coming years. My sincere congratulations to all!”  

2023/24 Promotions     

Christopher Gerty is promoted to Principal Dancer. Gerty was born in Watford, England and trained at Newcastle Dance Academy in Australia, New Zealand School of Dance and San Francisco Ballet School. He joined The National Ballet of Canada as an RBC Apprentice in 2014 and was promoted to First Soloist in 2022. Noted for his “enigmatic presence” (Toronto Star) and “intense physicality” (Ludwig Van Toronto), his roles include Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Romeo 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, Ancestor Zeb in MADDADDAM and Stiva in Anna Karenina. In 2018, Gerty was awarded the Patron Award of Merit. 

Josh Hall is promoted to Second Soloist. Hall was born in Syracuse, New York and trained at University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He danced with Charlotte Ballet before joining The National Ballet of Canada as a Corps de Ballet member in 2022. Hall’s repertoire includes Uncle Nikolai in The Nutcracker and recent debuts as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Guy Glover and René Jodoin in Frame by Frame.  

Peng-Fei Jiang is promoted to Second Soloist. Born in Anhui, China and trained at the Beijing Dance Academy and the New Zealand School of Dance, Jiang danced with The Royal New Zealand Ballet and The Hong Kong Ballet before joining The National Ballet of Canada as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2017. He has performed such roles as Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty and an Icicle in The Nutcracker and recently made his debut as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. 

Larkin Miller is promoted to Second Soloist. He was born in Los Angeles, California and trained at The School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City, New York. Miller joined The National Ballet of Canada as an RBC Apprentice in 2016 and became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2018. This season, he made his debut as Peter/The Nutcracker in The Nutcracker and Prince Charming in Cinderella. 

2022/23 Award Winners  

Principal Dancers Svetlana Lunkina and Harrison James are the 2022/23 recipients of the David Tory Award. The award is named after the late David Tory, former Vice-Chairman of The National Ballet of Canada’s Board of Directors, who passed away in 2006. Lunkina and James are recognized for their consummate professionalism, dedication to the company and exhibiting the many qualities that inspired the creation of the award. They each receive $3,500.  

Emma Ouellet and Albjon Gjorllaku 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 female and one male Corps de Ballet member at the end of each season for their progress. Ouellet and Gjorllaku will each receive $1,500. Their names will be inscribed on an award generously donated by Myles Mindham that is on display at The Walter Carsen Centre.  

Retirements and Departures     

As previously announced, Principal Character Artists Stephanie Hutchison, Alejandra Perez-Gomez and Rebekah Rimsay, and First Soloist Tanya Howard will retire from the National Ballet stage at the end of the 2022/23 season. Hutchison begins a new role as Rehearsal Director in July. 

Corps de Ballet member Teagan Richman-Taylor will be retiring from the stage to pursue a degree in Chemical Biology at the University of British Columbia. Richman-Taylor was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, Goh Ballet Academy and Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, British Columbia. danced with Stuttgart Ballet as an Apprentice in 2016 before joining The National Ballet of Canada as an RBC Apprentice in 2017. He became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2018. This season, he made his debut as Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet.  

Corps de Ballet member McKhayla Pettingill will be joining Ballet Zürich and Corps de Ballet member Arianna Soleti will be joining Balletto di Milano.