Alberta Ballet

The cast is set. The stage is ready. Giselle has arrived.
Meet the Alberta Ballet artists bringing Francesco Ventriglia’s new staging to life, from Giselle and Albrecht to Hilarion, Myrtha, and the haunting Wilis.
 
Curious who’s dancing your performance?
View the casting schedule through the link in bio.
📍 Edmonton | Sept. 18–19
📍 Calgary | Sept. 24–26
 
Come experience the magic live with us on stage.
Tickets through the link in bio.
Image by Eluvier Acosta featuring Alberta Ballet Principal Dancer Luna Sasaki.

The day has finally come.
 
Tonight, the curtain rises on Giselle.
After months of rehearsals, preparation and countless hours in the studio, Francesco Ventriglia’s brand-new staging takes the stage as Alberta Ballet opens its 60th Anniversary Season.
 
A timeless story. A fresh perspective. And a night we’ve been waiting for.
Tonight, Giselle comes to life.
📍 Edmonton | Sept. 18–19
📍 Calgary | Sept. 24–26
 
Tickets through the link in bio.
Images by Nanc Price featuring Alberta Ballet Artists.

Dario Rigatti - Apprentice
A WARM WELCOME || Originally from Padova, Italy, Dario began his ballet training at the age of nine at Padova Danza under the direction of Gabriella Furlan Malvezzi.

In 2017, he joined the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Ballet School under the direction of Laura Comi, where he trained with renowned teachers including Gerardo Porcelluzzi, Alessandro Molin, Francesco Vantaggio, Pablo Moret, Ofelia Gonzales, and Jacqueline Bulnes.

During his time at the school, Dario performed in numerous student productions and appeared in productions with the main company, including Cinderella, Le Rouge et le Noir, and Marco Spada.
Continuing his training in Rome, he further developed his classical technique while exploring a wide range of choreographic styles, including the Martha Graham and José Limón techniques.

In 2026, Dario graduated from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Ballet School under the direction of Eleonora Abbagnato.
He now joins Alberta Ballet as an Apprentice for the 2026/27 season.

Thanks to the support of the RBC Foundation, Alberta Ballet’s apprentices are gaining invaluable professional experience, developing their artistry, and taking meaningful steps toward the next chapter of their careers.

Kauan Jacques - Apprentice
A WARM WELCOME || Kauan Jacques was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He began his training at Studio Coreográfico Corpore Sano under the guidance and artistic direction of Mariana Ribeiro and Jolles Salles.

Through the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), he earned a scholarship to join the San Francisco Ballet School. Later, he completed his artistic training at the Cary Ballet Conservatory, a period during which he distinguished himself in major international competitions, placing in the Top 12 Senior Division at YAGP, where he was offered his contract with Alberta Ballet.

Additionally, he has built a strong technical and artistic foundation by performing on various national and international competition stages throughout his career. With every performance, he strives to bring a compelling blend of core essence and artistic expressiveness to the stage and is now an apprentice dancer with Alberta Ballet for the 2026/2027 season.

With the support of the RBC Foundation, a new generation of apprentices is gaining hands-on professional experience while building the skills and confidence needed for a career in ballet.

Mattia Valtancoli - Apprentice
A WARM WELCOME || Mattia Valtancoli, originally from Forlì, Italy, began his ballet training at 8 years old at Ateneo Danza under the direction of Stefania Sansavini.
In 2022, Mattia joined the John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart, directed by Tadeusz Matacz. There, he trained with teachers including Nicola Biasutti, Nataly Bratanova, Maria Eichwald, Dimitri Magitov and Galina Solovieva.
 
In 2024, Mattia continued his training at the European School of Ballet in Amsterdam, under the direction of Jean-Yves Esquerre and Artistic Director Olivier Wecxsteen. At ESB, he further developed his classical technique while exploring a wide range of choreographic styles through workshops with internationally recognised artists, including, Maurice Causey and Macarena Gonzalez.His repertoire includes classical works such as Esmeralda, Gottschalk, Napoli Tarantella and Waltz of the Flowers, alongside contemporary and collaborative creations.
 
During the 2025–2026 season, Mattia began his professional career with Kharkiv City Ballet, joining the Corps de Ballet and performing in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
In the 2026 season, he joins Alberta Ballet as an Apprentice, marking the next step in his professional career.
 
Thanks to the support of the RBC Foundation, Alberta Ballet’s apprentices are gaining invaluable professional experience, developing their artistry and taking meaningful steps toward the next chapter of their careers.
 
Image by Mike Hopkins featuring Alberta Ballet Artist Mattia Valtancoli.

Sophia Hudson - Apprentice
A WARM WELCOME || Sophia is from, Sydney, Australia and prior to joining Alberta Ballet as a trainee, she completed the prestigious full-time Pre-Professional Program at Tanya Pearson Academy where she trained under internationally respected faculty led by the Artistic Director Lisa-Maree Cullum.
Her dance education also includes advanced training at the San Francisco Ballet School, the Australian Ballet School, the Royal Ballet School, and Ecole Vocational Ballet,
providing her with a diverse and internationally recognized foundation in classical ballet and contemporary dance.
Sophia’s repertoire includes leading and corp roles in The Nutcracker, performing as Lead Flower, Snow Queen, Lead Arabian, Morning Pearl, and Clara, as well as performances in La Bayadère, Chaplin, Swan Lake, Notre dame de Paris, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet.
Sophia has gained invaluable experience through internationally acclaimed artists including Raffaella Renzi, Xavier Ferla, Rainer Krenstetter, Mario Schroeder, Paul Knobloch, Alexander Campbell and Christopher Powney.
Sophia is looking forward to performing in and celebrating  Alberta Ballet’s 60th Anniversary Season.
 
The RBC Foundation is helping nurture the next generation of ballet artists by supporting meaningful professional opportunities for our apprentices, both on and off the stage.
 
Image by Mike Hopkins featuring Alberta Ballet Artist Sophia Hudson.

Dohyun Kwon - Apprentice
A WARM WELCOME || Dohyun Kwon, born in Seoul, South Korea, began his ballet training at 14. In 2021, he performed as a guest artist with Universal Ballet Company before entering Korea National University of Arts in 2022. During his four years there, he performed Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Four Soloist Men, and the Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker. He’s also performed over 15 grand pas de deux, including Don Quixote, Esmeralda, and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux.
 
After graduating in February 2026, he’s excited to join Alberta Ballet as an Apprentice for the 2026/27 season, where he hopes to continue growing as a dancer and contribute to the company.
 
With the support of the RBC Foundation, a new generation of apprentices is gaining hands-on professional experience while building the skills and confidence needed for a career in ballet.
 
Image by Mike Hopkins featuring Alberta Ballet Artist Dohyun Kwon.