Biography
A native of Yugoslavia,
Aleksandar Antonijevic studied at the National
Ballet School
in Novi Sad and
joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1991. He has been a Principal Dancer
since 1995.
Mr.
Antonijevic has danced in most of the major works in the company’s repertoire
including principal roles in Giselle, Onegin, Romeo and Juliet,
The Sleeping Beauty, La Sylphide, Manon and Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland and
numerous George Balanchine ballets, including Apollo, Diamonds and Rubies from Jewels, Theme and Variations and Stravinsky
Violin Concerto. He has danced lead roles in Opus 19/The Dreamer, the second detail, Forgotten
Land, Etudes,Song of a
Wayfarer and Chroma and has created several roles in
works by James Kudelka, including Prince Ivan in The Firebird and
Siegfried in Swan Lake.
An
accomplished international guest artist, Mr. Antonijevic has performed with
English National Ballet, Inoue Ballet Japan,
Ballet Santiago of Chile and PACT Ballet South Africa
and has partnered many of the world’s finest prima ballerinas, including Susan
Jaffe, Vivana Durante, Lucia LaCarra and Evelyn Hart.
Mr.
Antonijevic is also a photographer. His work has been featured at CONTACT, Toronto’s annual
international photography festival and in four private exhibitions. He has photographed
the company as well as the Principal Dancers.
In
2011, Mr. Antonijevic was awarded the Rolex
Dancers First Award for his role as the White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and in
2009, he won the Dancers First Award
for his portrayal of Don José in Carmen.
Quotes
Apollo
“Antonijevic gets closer to the
unattainable with each performance.”
The Toronto Star, 2011
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
“Aleksandar Antonijevic's manic movements as The White Rabbit reveal this longtime
Principal Dancer's range and versatility.”
National Post, 2012
“Aleksandar Antonijevic twitched and leapt into character as
a very rabbity White Rabbit.”
Maclean's Magazine, 2011
Onegin
“Aleksandar Antonijevic gives the
performance of his career. He is a narcissistic Onegin filled with dark
passions and lost threads of human connection… He dances with fresh vigour and
attack creating in the ballet's exquisite pas de deux visceral poetry. He is
one of the most complex yet understandable Onegins I've ever seen.”
The Hamilton Spectator, 2010