Biography
A native of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Jillian Vanstone trained at the Kirkwood Academy
of the Performing Arts and Canada’s
National Ballet School.
She joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1999 and was promoted to Principal
Dancer in 2011.
Ms. Vanstone’s repertoire includes principal roles in Giselle,
The Sleeping Beauty, The Taming of
the Shrew, Onegin, The Nutcracker, La Fille mal gardée and The Seagull.She has performed lead
roles in Jewels, The
Four Seasons, Symphony in C
and Theme and Variations as well as featured roles in Swan
Lake, Apollo, The
Firebird and Les Sylphides.
Ms. Vanstone danced the title role
in the North American premiere of Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland by Christopher Wheeldon and performed in company premieres by such choreographers as Alexei
Ratmansky, John Neumeier and Jerome Robbins.
In 2011, Ms. Vanstone was the recipient of the Rolex Dancers
First Award for her role as Alice
in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Quotes
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“Vanstone is an absolute charmer … Her
Alice is a feisty girl who isn’t afraid of anything, and who throws herself
into every new adventure with gusto. She seems absolutely alive on stage,
glowing with youth.”
The Globe and Mail, 2011
The Sleeping Beauty
“Canadian First Soloist Jillian Vanstone romped through her own Aurora debut with irresistible, almost coquettish, high spirits.”
Dancing Times, 2010
The
Four Seasons
“Jillian Vanstone captur[es] the delicate innocence of
Spring”
The Globe and Mail, 2010