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’s repertoire with the
National Ballet includes 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.
Ms. Rodriguez created the title role in Cinderella, Princess
Vasilisa in The Firebird and roles in
A Delicate Battle, The Comforts of Solitude, The Four Seasons, Pur ti Miro and Watch her. She danced the
title role in the North American premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. 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, most recently including the
Gala of International Dance Stars in Cincinnati
and the International Ballet Festival of Miami.
In 2011, Ms. Rodriguez 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.
Quotes
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“Sonia Rodriguez gave Alice a sense of youthful enthusiasm without
ever trying to be real children … danced the role with conviction, forging
believable relationships with the exotic Wonderland characters.”
The Hamilton
Spectator, 2011
Mozartiana
“As always, Rodriguez is exquisite with her
perfect placement.”
The Globe and Mail, 2011
The Sleeping Beauty
"Sonia Rodriguez… portrayed [an] excited young princess… Rodriguez… nailed the third balance so reassuringly that… she could have declined the hand of the fourth suitor.”
Dance Europe, 2010