Media Release
Final Awards for the 2024/25 Season Announced
Nio Hirano and Oliver Yonick Win Patron Award of Merit
Clare Peterson Wins David Tory Award
Ryan Kao Cheng and Karin Laldjising Win RBC Emerging Artist Award
September 18, 2025… Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, announced last night the winners of the 2024/25 Patrons’ Council Award of Merit, David Tory Award and RBC Apprentice Award.
“These important awards are a wonderful way to honour and celebrate exceptional achievement by our dancers in the past season. The five recipients are recognized for the commitment, professionalism and artistry they show every day in the studio and on the stage. My huge congratulations to all!” said Muir
Corps de Ballet members Nio Hirano and Oliver Yonick have been awarded the Patron Award of Merit by the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada. The award is given to two Corps de Ballet members at the end of each season who have shown exceptional growth and progress over the past year. The award was presented by Geneviève McKillop, former Chair, Patrons' Council Committee, and Hirano and Yonick will each receive $1,500. Their names will be inscribed on an award generously donated by Myles Mindham that is on display at The Walter Carsen Centre.
Corps de Ballet member Clare Peterson is the 2024/25 recipient of the David Tory Award. The award is named after the late David Tory, former Vice Chair of The National Ballet of Canada’s Board of Directors, who passed away in 2006. Peterson is recognized for her consummate professionalism, dedication to the company and exhibiting the many qualities that inspired the creation of the award. The award was presented by his son, Matthew Tory, and she receives $3,500.
RBC Apprentices Ryan Kao Cheng and Karin Laldjising have won the 2025 RBC Emerging Artist Apprentice Award, which recognizes them for their artistic growth and exceptional talent as Apprentices during the 2024/25 season. The award was presented by Caroline Paxton, VP, Marketing, Client Strategy & Innovation, RBC Wealth Management, and Cheng and Laldjising will each receive $1,000.
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2025/26 Season Sponsor: BMO
Clare Peterson is sponsored through Dancers First by an anonymous donor.
The RBC Apprentice Programme is sponsored by The RBC Emerging Artists Project.
The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.
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Media@national.ballet.ca