Heather Ogden to retire from the National Ballet of Canada after 29 years
Principal Dancer Heather Ogden will retire at the end of The National Ballet of Canada‘s 2026/27 season, bringing to a close a distinguished 29-year career with the company.
Her farewell comes during the National Ballet’s 75th anniversary season, with celebrations culminating in a special gala performance on 8 June 2027 at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
A farewell gala and a Kudelka premiere
The gala will feature excerpts from works that have marked key moments in Ogden’s career, alongside a new creation by former Artistic Director James Kudelka. The work has been made especially for Ogden, renewing a creative partnership that began when she joined the company in 1998.
Announcing her retirement, Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, described the evening as a tribute to an artist whose contribution has had a lasting impact on both the company and Canadian dance.
Nearly three decades with the company
Reflecting on her career, Ogden said:
The National Ballet of Canada has been such an important part of my life for nearly 30 years. I joined the company when I was very young and, in many ways, I grew up here – as a dancer, an artist and a person. I’m deeply grateful for the many incredible roles I have had the privilege to dance and, above all, for the artists, choreographers and colleagues who have shaped and inspired me along the way.
To take my final bow during the company’s 75th anniversary season feels especially meaningful. I am proud to be part of its history and hope that, in my own way, I’ve contributed something to a company that has given me so much.
A classical ballerina with contemporary range
Widely regarded as one of Canada’s leading ballerinas, Ogden is particularly associated with the great classical roles. Her portrayals of Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake have been central to her repertoire.
She has also been acclaimed in the works of George Balanchine and has demonstrated remarkable versatility in contemporary ballet, appearing in productions such as Nijinsky, MADDADDAM, and works by Crystal Pite.
As she prepares to take her final bow as a Principal Dancer, the National Ballet is celebrating a career that has spanned almost three decades and left a significant mark on the company’s history.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
