Sam O’Brien
Company Artist

Sam began his dance training in his hometown of Brisbane at the Trudy Constable School of Dance and then the Danzart Studio before commencing full time studies at the Australian Dance Performance Institute. Whilst a student there he completed his Royal Academy of Dance Advanced examinations with Distinction, was twice a semi finalist in the McDonalds Ballet Scholarships in Sydney and was a finalist in the Youth America Grand Prix in New York City. Sam then went on to train on full scholarship at the Joffrey Academy of Dance Chicago’s trainee program, learning and performing a wide variety of repertoire from classical ballet’s to new neoclassical and modern works.

After two years in Chicago Sam was offered a position with The Sarasota Ballet where he was a member of the Corps de Ballet for five seasons, learning and performing corps and soloist roles in ballets by Sir Frederick Ashton, Christopher Wheeldon, George Balanchine, Sir Kenneth Macmillan, Agnes De Mille, Paul Taylor, Anthony Tudor, Joel Layton and many more. Sam also performed with the company at Ballet Across America III at the Kennedy Center, the internationally renowned Sir Frederick Ashton Festival in Sarasota, the 11th and 13th annual Fall For Dance Festival at New York City Center and the company's A Knight of British Ballet engagement at the Joyce Theater in New York City.

He then went on to dance with Ballet San Antonio performing in works by then Artistic Director Willy Shives as well as Gerald Arpino and George Balanchine. In 2018 Sam was selected to compete in the Paris Opera Ballet’s annual Concours dancer recruitment competition held at the Palais Garnier.

Sam is also a certified Barre Attack instructor. He is grateful and excited to be joining the Melbourne City Ballet for the 2019 season.

Alexandra Rolfe
Company Artist

Alex began dancing at the age of five in Sydney,Australia at the Ku-ring-gai School of Dance before later training at Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy, St Leonards. At 15, Alex moved to Melbourne to commence full time studies at the Australian Ballet School, attaining the level 4 Award for Excellence in her first year. Several years later, Alex moved back to Sydney to attend the Australian International Ballet Academy before gaining a finishing year position at the Nationale Balletacademie in Amsterdam, Holland.

During this time Alex was fortunate to work with Het Nationale (Dutch National Ballet Company) as an extra in the companies productions of swan lake and nutcracker. Several months later Alex relocated to London, UK and was successful in receiving a short term contract with English National Ballet. Alex performed in the companies production of Swan Lake in -the-round choreographed by Derek Deane at the Royal Albert Hall. Following this, Alex moved to Lisbon, Portugal where she remained for 3 years as a corps de ballet member with the Companhia Nacional de Bailado.

Alex performed in a number of productions including Cinderella, swan lake, Firebird, Orfeu E Euridice, Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker. Alex's career highlights include performing George Balanchine's 'Serenade, Hans Van Manen's '5 Tangoes' and the iconic Queen of the Wilis.Before joining MCB Alex peformed with the Australian Ballet during their production of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' in Sydney.' Alex joined MCB this year as a junior artist.

Tristan Gross
Company Artist

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. He began his dance career early participating in the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. He attended the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) on a full-time dance scholarship, then full time at Dance World studios in Melbourne before completing three years of ballet study at the National Theatre Ballet School under the directorship of Beverly Fry where he Consolidated his partner schools with many roles including Giselle and Nutcracker and Cinderella.

In 2016 Tristan joined the West Australian Ballet as a young artist and in 2017 travelled to Europe to gain valuable experience returning to Melbourne to perform with the Australian Ballet in Christopher wheeldon Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the Sydney season of The Sleeping Beauty Before joining the royal New Zealand ballet in January 2018 where he performed in many ballets such as the piano by Jiri Bubenicek, Sechs Tanze by Juri Kylian, remember Muma by Danielle Rowe, The Long and the short of it by Lachlan prior, the Nutcracker by Val Caniparoli.

Tristan joins Melbourne City Ballet for 2019.

Olivia Johnstone
Junior Artist

Olivia grew up on the Gold Coast, Queensland. She started her dance training at the age of eight at her local dance school, Danielle's Studio of Dance. In 2013 was accepted into the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) where she spent two years studying and training. Graduating in 2015 with her Diploma in Dance.

Olivia then relocated back to Australia to join Melbourne City Ballet as a Finishing Year in 2016. She was promoted to Emerging Artist in 2017 and then to Junior Artist in 2018.

Some performance highlights include; Dancing in NZSD’s Graduation performance of George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto and Joseph Mazilier’s Paquita. Dancing and touring in MCB’s Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Madame Butterfly, Mid Summer Nights Dream and the Wonderful Wizard of Oz are just some of her favourite!

Junior Artist

Danielle began dancing at the age of 3 at Edwards Dance Studio, in her local town of Seymour. Over the years she trained at many schools around Victoria including the Carole Oliver School of Ballet, Carmel Amelia School of Dance, Jane Moore Academy of Ballet and the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School.

Danielle graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School in 2015 and went on to further her training with Melbourne City Ballet's Finishing Year & Emerging Artist Programs.

Some of Danielle's career highlights to date have been: 
•representing Australia by competing in the Cecchetti International Ballet Competition in the USA in 2014
•training with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada on a scholarship in 2015. 
•achieving the Gold medal at the Victorian Cecchetti Medals Awards 2015. 
•awarded a 'Premier's Award' for her end of year score in VCE VET Dance in 2015 
• completed her Advanced 2 Ceccehtti exam achieving 100% Honours.

Danielle is currently a Junior Artist with Melbourne City Ballet Company.

Soji Shinse
Junior Artist

Soji grew up in the city of Ikoma, Japan where he trained in dance from a young age. In 2009 Soji competed in the 3rd Ballet competition in Kyoto where he placed 2nd.

In 2013, Soji traveled to the Ukraine to join the Kiev National Ballet School under Serguey Lakhtionov. During his training years, Soji was fortunate to be chosen to appear in the Kiev National Theatre's Japan tours of Sleeping Beauty in 2014 & 2015.

In 2015 Soji competed in the Grand Prix Kiev International Competition where he was awarded the Vadim Pisarev Award.

Following completion of his formal classical training, Soji joined the National Opera Romania Iasi for their 2016-2017 season. Soji then relocated to Melbourne to join Melbourne City Ballet in 2018.

David Sims
Junior Artist

David joins us from Moss Vale, New South Wales Australia this year, in his first professional position. He began his training with Angus & Lucinda’s Academie de Danse. Where he completed his Advanced Diploma of Dance.

He then furthered his training internationally at Jeune Ballet D’aquitaine in Bordeaux, France for 2 years. Before continuing his studies at Ecole superieure de danse de Cannes Rosella Highwater.

We are excited to have him back in Australia to commence his career with us here at Melbourne City Ballet.

Siobhan Orgles
Emerging Artist

Siobhan started learning dance at the age of three at Toodyay Ballet School in the small West Australian town of Toodyay. At the age of 11 Siobhan started travelling an hour and a half three times a week to further her training at The Conservatoire in Perth joining their extension programme. From the age of 15 she began full time training at The Conservatoire before graduating and making the big move to New York City to become a Junior artist with Ajkun Ballet Theatre. When touring with the Company in New York Siobhan performed in many ballets such as, Giselle, Midsummers Night Dream, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Siobhan was offered a scholarship to attend a contemporary program in Rome, Italy with Choreographer Ellen Sinopoli.

Upon returning to Australia Siobhan auditioned and successfully gained a place in Melbourne City Ballet’s Finishing Year Program. Before making the big move to Melbourne from Perth she performed in Perth City Ballet’s season of Don Quixote as Cupid, performing for 10 days at the Quarry Amphitheatre.

Siobhan was promoted to Emerging Artist in 2018 and is looking forward to the year ahead.

Mako Sato
Emerging Artist

Mako Sato began dancing at the age of 7 at Hitomi Takeuchi School Of Ballet in Fukushima, Japan.

She participated in the Interstate Training Program (ITP) at the Australian Ballet School from 2009. In 2014 she was accepted into the Southland Ballet Academy in California, USA (summer Intensive) and then continued her training at The Washington Ballet School.

In 2017 she was accepted into the Australian Dance Performance Institute in Brisbane (full time program, Diploma of Dance course)and joined Melbourne City Ballet’s pre-professional (Finishing Year) program in 2018.

She is very excited to Join the Melbourne City Ballet company as Emerging artist in 2019.

Emerging Artist

Phoebe grew up in Melbourne where she started dancing at the age of 5 at the local Theatrix Dance Centre training in all dance styles. At the age of 14 she received a scholarship to the Victorian College of the arts Secondary School (VCASS) where she completed her VCE. After graduation Phoebe furthered her studies at VCA and progressed from there to Perth WA to attend the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) training under Nanette Hassall and Kim McCarthy.

After completing her Diploma she moved back to Melbourne where she began training with Melbourne City Ballet. In 2018 she was fortunate to perform as le travail in the Finishing Year and Fulltime student production of ‘Coppelia’ and also toured with the company.

Pheobe was promoted to Emerging Artist in 2019.

Rebecca Willis
Emerging Artist

Rebecca began her ballet training with Ann Judson School of Dance in Tai Tapu, New Zealand, at 5 years of age. With a move into the city after the Christchurch earthquakes, Rebecca continued her training with Sara Anderson School of Dance and worked towards her final British Ballet Organisation Examination (BBO).

In 2014, Rebecca took up full time training at Dance Masters International under the guidance of Frederic Jahn and Olivia Russell. With a move to Anneliese Gilberd Academy in 2015, Rebecca was successfully guided through the audition process and was accepted into the Melbourne City Ballet Full time Program.

The move to Melbourne City Ballet (MCB) was inspirational for Rebecca, where she was surrounded by the energy and passion of Company Members on a daily basis. In 2017, Rebecca was accepted into the MCB Finishing Year Program where she was given the opportunity to perform and tour with the company throughout Australia.

A highlight of 2018 for Rebecca was to perform the lead role of Tink in the Children's Ballet of Tink. Rebecca’s other ballet highlights include BBO Theatre Awards Senior Winner, BBO Excellence Award Advanced 2 Winner.

Rebecca is excited and delighted to be performing with MCB as an emerging artist in 2019

Jasmine Kyle
Emerging Artist

Originally from Wellington New Zealand In 2014, Jasmine began her full time Classical and Contemporary Dance Training moving to Christchurch, Coached by former RNZB member Anneliese Gilberd who inspired Jasmine's love of ballet. In 2016 Jasmine was accepted into Alegria in Sydney Australia, taught by Hillary Kaplan and Archie McKenzie. While at Alegria Jasmine got the opportunity to work with Paulina Quenteros on her ‘La Choreographia’ work. Jasmine performed in this piece which went on to win first place in the Sydney Fringe Festival. This sparked Jasmine's love for contemporary dance and choreography.

In 2017 Jasmine started as a Finishing Year Artist with MCB performing many exciting roles in both student and company productions, touring Nationally with the company. Choreographing 'Wildling' in 2017 as her first work exploring her Samoan Culture and in 2018 'The Giver' and 'Levels' working with Junior and Senior students of the MCB school, Jasmine was able to explore her creativity and passion for choreography. Now about to embark upon an exciting year with the company, she is excited to tour her homeland of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and further explore her creative skills.

Beth Docker

Emerging Artist

Beth began dancing at age 4, and completed her early dance training at Murray Youth Ballet in Albury, NSW. In 2014, she moved to Sydney to commence full-time training at the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy. During her time at TPCCA, Beth was fortunate to train under Tanya Pearson (OAM), Lucinda Dunn (OAM), and many other highly regarded teachers.

After the completion of her HSC, Beth joined Melbourne City Ballet's pre-professional (Finishing Year) program. In 2017 she was invited to guest as Aurora in Melbourne City Youth Ballet's production of 'The Sleeping Beauty', which was nominated for an Ausdance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Dance.

In 2018 Beth performed as Swanhilda in the Finishing Year and Full-time students' production of 'Coppelia', as well as touring and performing extensively with the company.

Beth is excited to join the company as an Emerging Artist in 2019.