Robert Stephen is a Canadian choreographer.

His highly musical work is rooted in classical ballet, while drawing strongly from contemporary dance practices, fresh storytelling, and collaboration.

Robert was born in Burlington, Ontario and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School. He joined the National Ballet of Canada in 2004, where he danced for fourteen years, with a promotion to First Soloist in 2011. He has worked with many prominent choreographers, including Crystal Pite, Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon and James Kudelka.

During his time at the National Ballet, he also gained recognition as a choreographer. In 2010, he received a Creative Partnerships Commission from Dance Ontario, and in 2011, he won the Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award from the Banff Centre, as well as the Audience Choice Award for Choreography at the Erik Bruhn Competition.

In 2018, he joined Gauthier Dance/Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart for two years, where he performed works by Ohad Naharin, Hofesh Shechter and William Forsythe, among others.

Since his return to Canada, Robert has been commissioned by Ballet Kelowna three times, to create Celestial Mechanics (2021), In the Light of the Waking Sun (2022), and the story ballet Mustard (2024) based on the award-winning play by Kat Sandler. 


Since 2021, he has been an Artistic Staff member at Canada’s National Ballet School, where he teaches and choreographs for the Professional Ballet and Company Life programs. He has choreographed for Toronto Metropolitan University’s Performance Dance program, and is a regular guest teacher for the National Ballet of Canada’s company class. Upcoming projects include a new work for the Quinte Ballet School of Canada in spring 2026.

SELECTED CREDITS

CHOREOGRAPHER

NARRATIVE BALLET (50 minutes)

  • Mustard (2024) – Ballet Kelowna, based on the Dora-winning play by Kat Sandler

ONE-ACT WORKS (20-25 minutes)

SHORTER WORKS (under 20 minutes)

  • re:connection (2020) – Gauthier Dance/Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart

  • Chilly Dances (2018) – Evelyn Hart Conservatory

  • Origin (2018) – Echo Chamber Toronto

  • Suite in Old Style (2018) – The National Ballet of Canada, Five Creations

  • Chilly Dances No. 1 & 2 (2015) – The National Ballet of Canada Choreographic Lab

  • Acoustic Resonance(2012) – The National Ballet of Canada Choreographic Lab

  • Two Dances “En Plein Air” (2011) – dance: made in canada/fait au canada

  • Passacaglia (2011)– Erik Bruhn Competition, Audience Choice Award, Best New Choreography

  • On A Landing (2010) – The National Ballet of Canada Choreographic Lab

  • In the Cantina (2010) – Creative Partnerships Commission, Dance Ontario

  • Rubato (2008) – The National Ballet of Canada Choreographic Lab

  • City at Dusk (2007) – Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre Concert Series

  • Ravel Duets (2006) – The National Ballet of Canada Choreographic Lab

DANCER

The National Ballet of Canada (2004–2018)

Selected Credits:

  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Christopher Wheeldon) – Mad Hatter, White Rabbit

  • Hamlet (Kevin O’Day) – Title role

  • Pinocchio (Will Tuckett) – Title role

  • Emergence (Crystal Pite) – solo, world premiere

  • Chroma, Genus (Wayne McGregor) – solo, company premiere

  • numerous works by James Kudelka

  • works by Alexei Ratmansky, Aszure Barton, Jorma Elo, George Balanchine, Jiří Kylián, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp

Gauthier Dance / Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart (2018-2020)

Selected Credits:

  • Herman Schmerman Pas de Deux (William Forsythe)

  • Uprising (Hofesh Shechter)

  • Minus 16 and Decadance (Ohad Naharin)

  • For D (Guy Weizman and Roni Haver) – world premiere

  • works by Eric Gauthier, Andonis Foniadakis, Cayetano Soto, Virginie Brunelle, Po-Cheng Tsai

TEACHER

Canada’s National Ballet School

  • Part-time ballet staff, choreographer, repetiteur – 2023-present

  • Full-time staff, Professional Ballet & Company Life Programs – 2021-2023

  • Guest contemporary faculty – 2020-2021

The National Ballet of Canada

  • Regular guest teacher, company class – 2023-present

Quinte Ballet School of Canada

  • Guest ballet teacher – 2025-present

Photo: Aleksandar Antonijevic