Biography
A native of Toronto, Sonia Rodriguez
studied dance in Madrid with Pedro de la Cruz and at the Princess Grace Academy
in Monaco. She joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1990 and was promoted to
Principal Dancer in 2000.
Ms. Rodriguez has danced the principal
roles in Swan Lake, Romeo
and Juliet, La Fille mal gardée, The
Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Song of the Earth and Opus
19/The Dreamer. She has danced lead roles in numerous George
Balanchine ballets, including Apollo,
Mozartiana, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Theme
and Variations, Serenade, the Sanguinic variation in The Four Temperaments and Diamonds from Jewels.
Recently, she danced the role of Juliet in the world premiere
of Romeo and Juliet by Alexei
Ratmansky, the title role in the North American premiere of Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland by
Christopher Wheeldon, as well as the role of Ophelia in Hamlet by Kevin
O’Day. Ms. Rodriguez has had many roles created on her, including the
title role in Cinderella, Princess
Vasilisa in The Firebird and roles in
An Italian Straw Hat and The Four Seasons. In 2005, she danced the role of Dulcinea in the world premiere of
Suzanne Farrell’s re-staging of Balanchine’s Don Quixote at the Kennedy
Center in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Rodriguez has
held numerous guesting engagements, including the Stars of the 21st Century
Gala in New York City, International Ballet Gala
in Madrid, Spain,
Gala of International Dance Stars in Cincinnati
and the International Ballet Festival of Miami.
Ms.
Rodriguez was inducted into Canada’s
Walk of Fame in 2012. In 2011, she was honoured with Spain’s Officer’s Cross of the
Civil Merit and wrote her first children’s book, T is for Tutu: A Ballet
Alphabet.
Principal Dancer Sonia Rodriguez answers the National Ballet Version of the Proust Questionnaire:
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Watching my children play and laugh.
What is your biggest fear?
Not being good enough.
Which living person do you most admire?
The Dalai Lama.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My home.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
My fear to disappoint people.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My children.
If you died and came back as something else, what would it be?
A bird.
What is your most treasured possession?
My father’s necklace – a cross he wore every day.
Which words or phrase do you most overuse?
Are you sure?
What talent do you wish you had?
A singing voice.
What trait do you most admire in others?
Empathy and awareness.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
A lack of compassion and being overly critical.
What is your favourite journey?
Driving to my cottage for the summer holidays.
Quotes
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
"Principal dancer Sonia Rodriguez tirelessly appeared onstage for most of the night, perfectly capturing the mix of playful innocence and bewilderment as she encountered one strange scene after another during her journey."
Los Angeles Magazine, 2012
Nijinsky
“Sonia
Rodriguez gives the performance of her life as poor, desperate Romola,”
The
Hamilton Spectator,
2013
Cinderella
"Sonia Rodriguez, who created the title
role, remains youthfully fresh but also finds opportunities to refine her
interpretation”
The
Toronto Star, 2010