Greta Hodgkinson
Greta Hodgkinson | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 1973 (age 50) |
| Citizenship | United States Canada[1] |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer |
| Years active | 1990-present |
| Spouse | Etienne Lavigne |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| Former groups | National Ballet of Canada |
| Dances | Ballet |
Greta Hodgkinson O.Ont (born 1973) is an American-Canadian ballet dancer and was a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. She left the company in 2020, after 30 years with the company, but still dances as a guest artist.[1]
Early life and training
Hodgkinson was born in Providence, Rhode Island. Her maternal grandparents are Armenian.[citation needed] She took part in dancing, ice-skating and gymnastics as a child. She left her family and started training at Canada's National Ballet School in Toronto, skipping seventh grade.[1][2]
Career
Hodgkinson graduated into National Ballet of Canada in 1990, shortly before her 17th birthday.[1] In 1996, she was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer. During her career, she has danced classical roles such as the title role in Giselle, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, as well as contemporary work by choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Christopher Wheeldon and Wayne McGregor.[3]
Outside of the company, Hodgkinson has danced with multiple companies as a guest artist, including Mariinsky Ballet, Teatro alla Scala, The Royal Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet. She has also appeared in many international galas. One of her frequent partner is Roberto Bolle.[3]
In 2009, Hodgkinson portrayed Margot Fonteyn in TV movie Nureyev. She also appeared in 2013 documentary Ballet's Greatest Hits, dancing excepts from Giselle, with Matthew Golding as Albrecht and Stella Abrera as Myrtha.[4]
In 2017, Hodgkinson was appointed to the Order of Ontario.[3]
In March 2020, Hodgkinson danced her final performance with the National Ballet. She chose to dance Marguerite in Marguerite and Armand, as she wanted to dance a new role rather than reprising a past role. Guillaume Côté partnered her in that performance. She is set to work on several independent projects with her former colleagues, Skyler Campbell and Côté.[1][5] She will assumed the role of Artist-in-Residence with the National Ballet in the 2020-21 season.[6]
Personal life
Hodgkinson is married to Etienne Lavigne, a principal character artist with the National Ballet of Canada. They have two children.[7] She is a dual citizen of United States and Canada.[1] She enjoys hosting dinner parties and going to the movies, where she claims that she never walks out because she likes the entire cinema-going experience. Although she finds the task demanding, Hodgkinson attempts to answer all her fan mail. She says she is flattered when ballet fans take the time to write her.[citation needed]
Honours
- Two Citations from the State of Rhode Island, in recognition of her extraordinary talents, accomplishments and outstanding contribution to arts and culture in the US
- Order of Ontario, 2017
References
- ^ a b c d e f "A perfectionist in pointe shoes: after 30 years and many, many plum roles, Greta Hodgkinson leaves the National Ballet of Canada". Toronto Star. 26 February 2020.
- ^ "What It's Really Like To Be A Professional Ballerina". Best Health.
- ^ a b c "Greta Hodgkinson, O.Ont". National Ballet of Canada. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Ballet's Greatest Hits - YAGP Gala". Youth American Grand Prix. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "As National Ballet of Canada Star Greta Hodgkinson Retires, She Reflects on Her 30-Year Career". Pointe Magazine. 5 March 2020.
- ^ "Spencer Hack and Siphesihle November Promoted to First Soloist". National Ballet of Canada. 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Greta Hodgkinson on Her 30-Year Career With The National Ballet of Canada". Fashion Magazine. 28 November 2019.
External links
- Official website
- Article on Greta Hodgkinson from Dance Magazine
- Greta Hodgkinson page at National Ballet of Canada website
- Rhode Island Dance website article on Greta Hodgkinson
- National Ballet's Greta Hodgkinson weds fellow dancer
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- American ballerinas
- American female dancers
- Canadian ballerinas
- Canadian female dancers
- American people of Armenian descent
- Canadian people of Armenian descent
- American emigrants to Canada
- American expatriates in Canada
- 1973 births
- Living people
- People from Providence, Rhode Island
- National Ballet of Canada principal dancers
- Members of the Order of Ontario
- Dancers from Rhode Island
- Prima ballerinas
- 21st-century ballet dancers
- 21st-century American dancers
- 21st-century Canadian dancers