Celebrating Chelsy Meiss

Beloved First Soloist Chelsy Meiss retires this season after The Nutcracker, closing a 16-year chapter with The National Ballet of Canada that saw her excel in such roles as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Mad Hatter in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the female lead in Paz de la Jolla, among many others. The entire company will celebrate Chelsy onstage following her performance as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis in the matinee of Giselle on Saturday, November 23. Here, Chelsy reflects on her life in dance.

What is your earliest memory of dance and what made you want to pursue it?

I was around three years old. My mother had her own dance studio in Melbourne, Australia where I grew up studying tap, jazz and ballet. I have such fun and joyous memories of my childhood at the dance studio. I was onstage at the age of three with my first solo, a song and tap number titled “On the Good Ship Lollipop.”

Over the years I attended another dance studio, Thelma Williams School of Dance (now known as Trilogy Dance Company), as well as my mother’s studio, Karen Curlis School of Dance, where I did many dance competitions.

In grade seven I was accepted into The Victorian College of Arts Secondary School, which is a performing arts school like the one in the movie Fame. Being surrounded by some of Australia’s most talented and likeminded individuals was very inspiring. Growing up in a bustling arts city like Melbourne, I was fortunate to see many musical theatre shows and ballet performances that inspired me and opened my mind. Continuing my studies and graduating from The Australian Ballet School was a pivotal moment for me. It was here that I knew with every fibre of my being I wanted to become a professional ballet dancer.

You have performed many iconic roles with the National Ballet. Has one been particularly close to your heart?

I have been so fortunate to have performed an array of leading roles with the National Ballet and they all hold a special place in my heart. Juliet was particularly special as it was a dream role of mine ever since I was a teenager. We studied a lot of Shakespeare at school which helped me gain a deeper understanding of the characters and story. Prokofiev’s score is perhaps my favourite. I am constantly amazed how one person was able to translate the human psyche and range of emotion so brilliantly into a musical score. It’s all there in the music.

The experience of being cast by Alexei Ratmansky for his world premiere of Romeo and Juliet was like a dream. Rising to that challenge was what got me noticed and opened more doors to principal roles. I am forever grateful to Alexei for seeing something distinguishable in me. This is part of the magic of being in a ballet company. It can just take one moment for a choreographer or director to look in your direction and your whole career trajectory can change.

I am fortunate to have danced this production many times in Toronto and on tour with four different Romeos: Brendan Saye, McGee Maddox, Harrison James and Ben Rudisin. Building these partnerships daily in the studio, making discoveries through the choreography and cultivating these onstage relationships are part of what I will treasure most from my career.

You won the David Tory Award in 2016 for your professionalism and dedication to the company and your fellow dancers. What has been your career philosophy?

Winning this award meant a great deal to me. To be considered for it, your peers and staff must write an essay on why you, as the recipient, are deserving of such an award. Knowing I made a positive impact on multiple people in the company was so touching. Although there is competition in a ballet company, we are very much a family and team. Being the sort of company member my colleagues and director could always rely on was important to me and I believe helpful in my career. My career philosophy would be to always bring my best to every role. Every single artist on the stage matters and is a piece of the puzzle that brings the performance to life. Digging deeper into my technique and staying motivated throughout a 20-year career not only served me well, but also leaves me deeply fulfilled in my career and what I have been able to contribute.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would start by saying to keep going and always listen to your instincts. After graduating from The Australian Ballet School, I had a long journey auditioning all over the world for ten months trying to get a job in a ballet company. Having the support and encouragement of my family after all they had sacrificed was what enabled me to overcome this difficult start to my career. I have always worked hard and fortunately attracted wonderful mentors into my life to help guide me. I would quietly tell my younger self that even with all the diligent hard work to remember that isn’t everything. In life being at the right place at the right time also plays its part. There will be many things you can’t control along the way, which is not an easy concept to accept. However, I would balance this by saying always be ready for every opportunity that presents itself to you. This is where we show what we are made of and THIS is what counts.

Do you have any immediate plans for the future?

My main focus is to commit more time to my family. To be a ballerina in a company like ours requires the utmost dedication. After nearly 17 years with the National Ballet and an additional three years prior to that dancing with San Diego Ballet, I want to be more present as a wife to my husband Gabriel and mother to our three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Juliette. I will continue to live in Toronto and support The National Ballet of Canada in their future performances and endeavours.

Learn More About Chelsy Meiss

Top photo: Chelsy Meiss in Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Bruce Zinger.