43 - Jillian Vanstone ~ Principal Dancer, National Ballet of Canada

Jillian Vanstone was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia where at age six she began ballet studies at the Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts. Within two years she had already determined that dance was her life’s calling. In 1994 she passed the rigorous audition process to be accepted into Canada’s prestigious National Ballet School in Toronto where she later earned two coveted awards. Following her graduation Vanstone entered the National Ballet of Canada in 1999, was promoted to second soloist in 2003, to first soloist three years later before being appointed a principal in 2011.