Guillaume Côté: Highlights From a Life in Dance

Summarizing Guillaume Côté’s contribution to The National Ballet of Canada and international dance is no small feat. Yet, the qualities behind his significant and varied successes are clear – artistry, drive, creative risk-taking and a passionate commitment to Canada. As Guillaume prepares his final performances with the company he has called home for 26 years, it is a fitting moment to celebrate his ever-evolving career. 

A graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School, Guillaume joined the company in 1998, quickly rising through the ranks to become Principal Dancer in 2004. He has since danced nearly every leading role in the classical repertoire, his famous athleticism never overshadowing the generosity or depth of feeling that make him a cherished partner and pull audiences into his world. 

Several of Guillaume’s signature roles were created for him, such as Prince Charming in James Kudelka’s Cinderella and the lead in Romeo and Juliet by Alexei Ratmansky, who calls him “my best Romeo, pride of Canada.” Others came at opportune times and became career-defining, especially the title role of John Neumeier’s Nijinsky – a tour de force reserved for very few dancers worldwide. A noble Prince Siegfried, tortured Onegin and divine Apollo, Guillaume is a creature of the stage and he always delivers. 

When the wider dance world came calling, Guillaume launched an impressive international career, partnering the world’s best ballerinas at top companies such as The Bolshoi Ballet, Teatro alla Scala, The Hamburg Ballet and many others. His participation in prestigious galas strengthened his reputation as a ballet star of his time, with unforgettable appearances in Kings of the Dance, Roberto Bolle and Friends and Gala des Étoiles, Stars of the 21st Century. Guillaume is also Artistic Director of the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur, the largest summer dance festival in the country, and he continues to represent Canada on the world stage through Côté Danse, the company he founded in 2021.

Côté Danse is a creative hub for Guillaume’s choreography and embodies his core passions – Canada, multidisciplinary collaboration and fearless creativity. In 2013, Guillaume became one of the National Ballet’s first Choreographic Associates, a testament to then Artistic Director Karen Kain’s confidence in his choreographic promise. His works for the company span the searing Being and Nothingness to the full-length Le Petit Prince and Frame by Frame, the National Ballet’s first collaboration with Robert Lepage. Guillaume’s fascination with film has produced several high-profile projects with Canadian filmmaker Ben Shirinian, including the world premiere of Grand Mirage this spring. 

Integral to these pursuits is a deep desire to elevate Canadian cultural talent. As Guillaume puts it, “I love this country and I’m deeply thankful to have spent my career with the National Ballet. The arts here are uniquely strong and diverse in a way that is truly special to us.” 

How fitting, then, that Guillaume will take his final bow in an all-Canadian programme dedicated to new work. Curated by Artistic Director Hope Muir, Adieu features world premieres by Guillaume himself, Jennifer Archibald and the company’s newest Choreographic Associate, Ethan Colangelo. More than a farewell, Adieu amplifies the visionary spirit and momentum of Guillaume’s life’s work shaping the future of dance. 

Adieu is onstage May 30 – June 5

Top Photo: Guillaume Côté. Photo by Matt Barnes.