The
Dancers

Originating from Tokyo, Japan, this is Rikuto's third season with Alberta Ballet. He trained with Australian Ballet School and European School of Ballet before joining Alberta Ballet as an Apprentice. He's enjoyed performing roles like Karl in The Nutcracker, Fairy Cavalier from The Sleeping Beauty and the Forest ing Der Wolf. He was promoted to a Corps de Ballet dancers for the 2025/26 season.

Jolie Rose Lombardo was born in Tyler, Texas, the Rose Capital of America. She began her passion for dance at the age of four in Atlanta, Georgia. From ages nine to 14, she received private ballet training from Rebecca Metzger, a former soloist with the New York City Ballet. She then joined the International City School of Ballet under the direction of Georne Aucoin before moving to Florida, where she joined the Orlando Ballet School.

During her time at Orlando Ballet, she developed a special relationship with Deirdre Miles Burger. At just 14 years old, Miles Burger coached Jolie to become the youngest finalist at USA IBC as well as a gold medal at the YAGP Finals. This achievement earned her a full scholarship to the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany.

At 17, Jolie performed the principal role in the ballet Glazunov Suite for her graduation and was offered a contract with the Stuttgart Ballet. During her years in the Corps de Ballet in Stuttgart, she enjoyed dancing in beautiful ballets by Cranko, MacMillan, Marcia Haydée, Edward Clug, and Uwe Scholz.

Some of her most memorable roles include Concerto pas de deux by Kenneth MacMillan and a specially created soloist role in IFIMA by Louis Stiens & Shaked Heller as well as Corps roles in remarkable ballets such as Mayerling, Onegin, and The Taming of the Shrew.

She is thrilled to continue her ballet career on the North America continent in the beautiful country of Canada with Alberta Ballet.

Originally from Naples, Italy, Alfonso began his ballet training at home in 2016, at Teatro San Carlo di Napoli just a few steps from Torre Annunziata, his city.

In 2020 Alfonso relocated to Milan, when he trained for several years at La Scala Ballet Academy. He has had the opportunity to perform many beautiful roles including New Sleep duet by William Forsythe and Largo, a neoclassic solo by Matteo Levaggi, performed in Tokyo at New National theatre Tokyo in 2023 and in Dubai at Dubai Opera House in 2024 .

Alfonso appeared on TV in programs filming Venice Carnival in 2023 and Viva La Danza with Roberto Bolle in 2024.  Also in 2024, he graduated from La Scala Ballet Academy, with a graduate diploma in classical and contemporary ballet and joined Alberta Ballet that year.

His favorite roles are Mercutio and Romeo by Romeo and Juliet by Sir Kenneth Macmillan, Blake works and In The Middle Somewhat Elevated by William Forsythe, Alice in Wonderland by Cristopher Weeldon as the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit and Rubis and Serenade by  George Balanchine.

Horotu is from Okinawa in Japan and is in her third season with Alberta Ballet.

She trained at Staatliche Ballett Schule in Berlin before joining Alberta Ballet School for two years in the Trainee program.

Her most memorable roles with Alberta Ballet include Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz , Cupid in Don Quixote and Klara in Nutcracker. She especially enjoyed the Company's tour to Dubai in the spring of 2025, performing in Francesco Ventriglia's A Thousand Tales. Hotaru was promoted to Corps de Ballet in 2025.

Originally from Perth, Australia, Matthew began his ballet training with Samantha Leeman. In 2014 Matthew relocated to Brisbane, Australia where he trained for several years at the Annette Roselli Dance Academy. In 2020 he graduated from the Australian Ballet School with a Graduate Diploma in Classical Ballet.

After graduation, he joined Queensland Ballet as part of the Pre-Professional Program and in 2022 he became a Jette Parker Young Artist with the company.

During this time he had the opportunity to perform at The Royal Opera House in London as part of the Next Generation Festival.

Matthew first joined Alberta Ballet in the Spring of 2023. During his career, he has had several standout roles including: Bluebird in Christopher Anderson's Sleeping Beauty, Cavalier in Edmund Stripe's The Nutcracker and Hansel in Loughlan Prior’s Hansel and Gretel. Most recently he had the opportunity to perform Basilio in Francesco Ventriglia’s Don Quixote as part of Ballet in the Badlands.

Originally from Naples, Italy, Mirko graduated from Harmony Dance School of Arnaldo Angelini in 2019 and from Choreutic High School "Palizzi" in 2020. In 2023 he joined Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, Teatro Massimo in Palermo (Sicily) and Teatro San Carlo in Naples as Corps de Ballet. In 2024 he has had the opportunity to dance as guest Soloist at Tirana Opera House (Albany) for Peasant pas de deux in Agron Aliaj’s Giselle.

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Michael began his training at Victorian College Of The Arts Secondary School. He went overseas to train in Switzerland at Tanz Akademie Zurich, and The Netherlands at European School Of Ballet. Michael first joined the Alberta Ballet as a supplemental for Cinderella in March 2022. He was promoted from Apprentice to Corps De Ballet in November 2022. His most memorable performances with Alberta Ballet were Alysa Piers' Skyward, Cathy Marston's Moving Still, Hansel in Loughlan Prior's Hansel And Gretel, The Tinman in Francesco Ventriglia’s The Wizard Of Oz and Puss in Boots in Francesco Ventriglia’s Once Upon A Time. A personal achievement for Michael was performing at the Dubai Opera House on tour with the company.

Originally from Fukuoka, Japan, Hinata Takahara is now in her second season with Alberta Ballet. She honed her training at Alberta Ballet School and, in December, was promoted from Apprentice to the Corps de Ballet. Among her favorite roles to date are Klara in The Nutcracker, the Emerald City Couple in The Wizard of Oz, and a Friend in Don Quixote, each of which has been especially meaningful in her artistic journey.

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Isabel received her early ballet training at Edge School before moving to England at 17 to study at Elmhurst Ballet School, in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet. She is entering her third season with Alberta Ballet and was recently promoted to the Corps de Ballet for the 2025/26 season.

Her stage highlights include performing Mrs. Wolf in Francesco Ventriglia’s The Wizard of Oz, a Witch in Loughlan Prior's Hansel & Gretel, and in

Francesco Ventriglia’s Bolero. Isabel has also appeared in memorable productions such as Sir Frederick Ashton’s Birthday Offering and Studio Wayne McGregor’s Atomos.

In addition to her professional work, Isabel just recently earned her Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Ballet from Middlesex University in London, England, and was awarded her Solo Seal by the Royal Academy of Dance.