Introducing Our New Dancers!

There is so much to look forward to in our 2024/25 season, from our bold new brand to the dynamic repertoire and talent in our dancer roster. Joining the company this season are First Soloist Shaakir Muhammad from the Norwegian National Ballet and Corps de Ballet member Erica Lall, who joins from American Ballet Theatre. Four graduates of the RBC Apprentice Programme are also joining the Corps de Ballet: Ayami Goto, Hamish Lowe, Keira Sanford and Pravda Tranfield. Finally, we are welcoming six dancers to the RBC Apprentice Programme from around the globe: Tom Cape, Ryan Kao Cheng, João Massei, Seunghee Han, Yeju Jang and Karin Laldjising.

Shaakir has excelled in a range of featured roles, from Hilarion in Giselle to the Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker, and his repertoire overlaps with several works at the National Ballet, including Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon and Alexander Ekman’s Cacti. Shaakir has also performed the work of Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, who make their choreographic debut with the National Ballet this fall with Silent Screen.

“What attracted me most about The National Ballet of Canada was the repertoire and being closer to my family after living abroad for the last seven years,” he says. “I’m looking forward to making new friends and connections in a new city, as well as developing my craft with new influences and perspectives. I also have former classmates in the company, so it will be nice to work with them after all this time. Let’s go 2024/25 season!”

Born in Brooklyn, Shaakir began his training at the Brooklyn Ballet School and went on to attend the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre with twin brother Naazir. Shaakir performed with Houston Ballet 2 and Norwegian National Ballet 2 before joining the full company in Norway.

Houston and New York City were also home to new Corps de Ballet member Erica Lall. Raised in Cypress, Texas, she trained at Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy and, like Shaakir, went on to attend the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. She has a connection to Canada through her mother.

“My mom moved from Jamaica to Canada where she spent several years as a child, so I’ve grown up hearing great stories about the country and the people. When I was able to travel to Toronto as an adult and experience the city for myself, I felt a keen sense of familiarity and nostalgia, as if I was already at home. I cannot wait to dance alongside and learn from the immensely talented dancers at the National Ballet. I feel I was destined to be here at this point in my life and that everything I have worked through in my career has led me to this moment.”

Erica performed with ABT Studio Company before joining the Corps de Ballet at American Ballet Theatre. Her repertoire includes the lead role in Kevin Thomas’ Firebird, Sally in Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works, Moyna in Giselle and created roles in Helen Pickett’s Desire and Christopher Rudd’s Lifted. Erica is co-founder of the non-profit organization Opportunitix, which provides arts students with free tickets to high level performances.

In addition to the new hires, Hope Muir has promoted five dancers in the National Ballet’s existing roster: Tirion Law to Principal Dancer, Hannah Galway to First Soloist and Emerson Dayton, Keaton Leier and Isaac Wright to Second Soloist. We recognize them along with our 2023/24 award recipients –  First Soloist Jenna Savella for the David Tory Award and Corps de Ballet members Monika Haczkiewicz and David Preciado for the Patron Award of Merit, presented by the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada.

Congratulations to all!

Top photo: Shaakir Muhammad. Photo by Einar Aslaksen.