Mandy-Jayne Richardson Pursues Career As International Répétiteur And Coach

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced that after 20 years with the company, Senior Ballet Mistress Mandy-Jayne Richardson will pursue international opportunities as a répétiteur and coach at the end of the 2018/19 season.

"For the past 20 years, Mandy has been an important member of the National Ballet's artistic team. We will miss the professionalism, insight and care she contributed to the company over the past two decades and congratulate Mandy on her choice to pursue this rare opportunity. We look forward to welcoming her back as a guest répétiteur in the years ahead," said Ms. Kain.

Ms. Richardson joined the National Ballet's artistic staff in 1998 and was appointed Senior Ballet Mistress in 2005. During her two decades with the company, Ms. Richardson has set numerous ballets for the National Ballet, including Christopher Wheeldon's The Winter's Tale and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, John Neumeier's Anna Karenina, Alexei Ratmansky's Romeo and Juliet, James Kudelka's Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Cinderella, which she set to great acclaim on American Ballet Theatre and Boston Ballet.

A native of London, England, Ms. Richardson studied dance at The Royal Ballet School before joining Sadler's Wells Ballet, where her repertoire included leading roles in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Elite Syncopations, Brouillards and Five Tangos. In 1986, she became a member of Het Nationale Ballet before joining New York City Ballet in 1988. Ms. Richardson retired from the stage in 1991.

Ms. Richardson will return to set ballets, including Mr. Wheeldon's works, on the company in the future. The National Ballet wishes Ms. Richardson all the best in this new chapter of her career.