STAR POWER

... our cherished principal artists. Get to know the dancers whose stunning technique, stage presence and ability to move an audience place them at the top of our firmament. 

Ako was born and raised in Nagoya, but studied at The Australian Ballet School. An ebullient dancer with a pyrotechnic jump, she had her first success as Kitri in Don Quixote, but quickly moved into the full breadth of the repertoire. She was promoted to principal artist in 2015, on the night of her debut as Giselle.  

Chen was born in China and studied at the Beijing Dance Academy. His abundant talents won him a slew of prizes, including a scholarship to study at The Australian Ballet School. He's a natural crowd pleaser - audiences gasp when he leaps - and is the ultimate Puck or Bluebird; he's also a prince, and has recently added the principal roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and La Sylphide to his repertoire. 

He's a powerful presence in contemporary works, shining in ballets by Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor and Tim Harbour. He also brings roles like Lescaut in Manon, Siegfried in Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake, and Onegin to vivid life. Andrew is something of a muse and is in high demand among visiting and resident choreographers. 

Speed, precision and a joyous quality: Leanne is a born comedienne, but also excels in tragic roles like Odette and Manon. She was chosen by Alexei Ratmansky to create the central role of his Cinderella in 2013, and danced the role on opening night of The Australian Ballet's London tour in 2016. She recently returned to the stage after the birth of her son Max. 

Lana's enviably poised technique, which makes her such an arresting stand-out in contemporary work, gives her the freedom to explore the depths of characters like Juliet, Manon and Baroness von Rothbart (Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake). David McAllister created the role of Aurora on her in his 2015 production of The Sleeping Beauty. Lana recently had a son, Velasco, with her husband Daniel Gaudiello, a former principal artist of The Australian Ballet. 

 Amber's presence on stage is otherworldly, luminous: it's little wonder that Stephen Baynes chose her as Odette in his Swan Lake, and that David McAllister created the role of the Lilac Fairy on her in his Sleeping Beauty. She has danced all the great heroines of the repertoire; recent career highlights include partnering David Hallberg, principal of American Ballet Theatre and Bolshoi Ballet, in The Australian Ballet's seasons of Coppélia and Cinderella.

Kevin is a strong and vibrant dancer, a famously steady and sensitive partner and an acclaimed interpreter of roles ranging from Romeo to Neumeier's Nijinsky. David McAllister chose him as Prince Désiré in his production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2015. Kevin recently danced des Grieux opposite Xiomara Reyes in American Ballet Theatre's season of Manon. 

Robyn was born and raised in South Africa but studied at The Australian Ballet School. Her endless extensions and tendril grace lend themselves equally to contemporary works like Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain and to the softest and most melting of classical roles. She was promoted to principal artist in 2016 after an unforgettable debut season as Odette/Odile in Stephen Baynes' Swan Lake. 

As a young dancer, the New Zealand-born Ty was chosen by Graeme Murphy to dance the principal role in The Silver Rose. The same year, Tim Harbour created the role of Ceyx in Halcyon on him. Ty's princely physique and clean technique have had him in demand ever since.