Sydney Dance Company Reveals New Dancers

Sydney Dance Company has introduced five new dancers joining the ensemble: Mathilda Ballantyne, Mali Comlekci, Sonrisa Hubbard, Eka Perunicic and Sam Winkler. The dancers’ Company debut will be in Rafael Bonachela’s critically acclaimed work Somos, premiering in Melbourne and returning to Sydney this March.

With over 300 audition applications in 2024, Sydney Dance Company has established itself as one of the most sought-after companies internationally, attracting and working with dancers of exceptional talent and artistry.

With the energetic leadership of Artistic Director, Rafael Bonachela, the Company’s repertoire continues to astound audiences, evolving the artform on global stages.

Dancers from across Australia and the world are drawn to Sydney Dance Company, not only for its reputation but also for the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most talented creatives in the industry.

Sydney Dance Company’s new dancers for 2025

Australian-Chinese artist from Naarm/Melbourne, Mathilda Ballantyne’s movement blends classical ballet with contemporary dance. A graduate of the Australian Ballet School, they received the Graeme Murphy Award for Excellence in Contemporary Dance. After completing a Graduate Diploma in Classical Ballet, Mathilda shifted focus to contemporary dance, joining PROJECTion Dance Company in 2020. In 2022 they became a core member of Scimm. Dance Company, performing in works such as Paracosm and Mechorstra. In 2024 they collaborated with emerging choreographers Vourneen Ni’cainin and Ronan Armstrong for Lucy Guerin’s Out of Bounds seasons.

Born on the land of the Dharug people in Sydney and with Turkish background, Mali Comlekci began formal dance lessons at the age of ten attending Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. After Year 12 graduation, he pursued full-time training at New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD). During those two years, Mali was invited to be a guest dancer performing soloist roles with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company in their 2016 season of Wizard of Oz and their 2017 triple bill Three By Ekman. Graduating from NZSD, Mali joined Queensland Ballet Company where he had a successful career performing various soloist and principal roles from 2018 – 2024.

From Denver, US, Sonrisa Hubbard’s dynamic journey into the world of dance began at a young age. She attended Denver School of the Arts before earning a merit scholarship to attend Boston Conservatory, where she performed works by Aszure Barton, Bill T. Jones, Andrew Skeels and more. Sonrisa has participated in international intensives, including those at Arts Umbrella, The Juilliard School, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dart Dance Company and Orsolina28. She studied the repertoire of choreographers Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Pokorný, Jiří Kylián and more. She performed as a guest artist at the Young Choreographers Festival in 2024.

A dancer whose journey has been shaped by her Indian and Italian roots and her upbringing in Naarm/Melbourne, Eka Perunicic has trained at The National Theatre Ballet School and specialises in classical ballet and contemporary dance. Her professional career includes performing with West Australian Ballet, Ballet Cymru, and Kamea Dance Company (soloist) and collaborating with renowned, international choreographers.

Born in Naarm/Melbourne, Sam Winkler began dancing aged seven, eventually going on to join the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. His aspiration in dance led to him competing in the world’s biggest ballet competition, the Prix de Lausanne. Through this he was awarded a scholarship to the Hamburg Ballet School where he completed his dance training and found full-time work in Tanzcompany Innsbruck under Enrique Gasa Valga. Sam worked in the company as a soloist for two years performing a variety of works.

In addition, 2023 Trainee Lucy Angel will return to the Company as a full- time dancer, along with this year’s Pre-Professional Year Trainee, Amelia Russell.

Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela said; "We are proud to be a company that attracts top talent from Australia and around the world, with dancers internationally wanting to be a part of our journey. We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional new artists to the Company for 2025 and look forward to the incredible energy and creativity they will bring to our work."

Mathilda, Mali, Eka, Sonrisa and Sam will join Sydney Dance Company’s ensemble of leading contemporary dancers: Lucy Angel, Timmy Blankenship, Naiara de Matos, Riley Fitzgerald, Liam Green, Luke Hayward, Morgan Hurrell, Ngaere Jenkins, Sophie Jones, Ryan Pearson, Amelia Russell (2025 trainee), Piran Scott and Mia Thompson.

The Company’s first performance for the 2025 season will be the Melbourne premiere of Somos (13 – 23 March). Following the sold-out run in 2023, Somos will return to Sydney, performed up close, in the round, in the Company’s Neilson Studio (27 March - 6 April).

This will be followed by a tour of the acclaimed and monumental double bill Twofold in Ljubljana and Paris, presentation at the Helsinki Festival of Impermanence and Forever & Ever, as well as a tour of Bonachela’s momenta through Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.

More information sydneydancecompany.com

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