Biography

Tomas Schramek was born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (Slovakia) and has been a professional dancer since the age of 15. Tomas started studying with The National Theatre Ballet School and continued at Slovak Folk-Dance Ensemble SLUK, where he became a professional dancer. While performing, he studied for and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Academy of Musical and Theatrical Arts (VSMU) in Bratislava. He joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1969 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1973. Tomas became a Principal Character Artist in 1990 and a Guest Principal Artist in 2020. He was appointed Company Teacher in 1992 and was the Assistant Ballet Master from 2005 to 2010.

“Veteran dancer Tomas Schramek gave poor old Catalubutte a perplexed and discombobulated sadness that made us feel sorry for all creatures set upon by wicked fairies.”
The Hamilton Spectator

As a Principal Dancer, Tomas performed most of the leading male classical roles, including Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, James in La Sylphide, Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Colas in La Fille mal gardée, Franz in Coppélia and Catalinon in John Neumeier’s Don Juan.

As a Principal Character Artist, his roles include Yslaev in A Month in the Country, Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Gremio in The Taming of the Shrew, Widow Simone in La Fille mal gardée, the title role in Don Quixote, Dr. Coppelius in Coppélia and the lead role in The Concert.

In 2004, Tomas was honoured by the Slovak Republic at a gala celebration for his accomplishments as a dancer living abroad.