Felipe Gonzalez is our 2026 ballet fellow. This summer, he joined the Summer Program at Canada’s National Ballet School. Together with him, we are discovering one of the world’s leading ballet schools and the city of Toronto.

My first week in Toronto has been an amazing experience so far. One of the biggest differences compared to Vienna is the area where I’m living. It’s much quieter, surrounded by houses and trees, and everything is within walking distance. I’m staying in the academy residence, which is only a one-minute walk from the school, and I share my room with another academy student.

The training facilities are honestly the biggest and most impressive I’ve ever seen. The studios are beautiful, and the campus has its own theatre, cafeteria, swimming pool, library, and so much more. It only takes me about two minutes to get from the residence to the studios.

Compared to my school in Vienna, which has a long tradition and a more classical atmosphere, everything here feels much more modern and spacious. There are more classes, different training styles, and the studios themselves are much larger.

A typical day starts with breakfast, and then I head to the school about an hour and fifteen minutes early to warm up. Most days begin with a 90-minute ballet class, followed by jumps, and then classes like contemporary, Afro Fusion, partnering, or repertoire. There are around 20 dancers in my classes, coming from Grade 12 and the Company Life Program. Most of them are international students, which makes the experience even more interesting.
Because it’s a summer intensive, there’s not a lot of free time, but I really enjoy the routine. In the evenings, I usually have dinner, stretch, spend some time with friends, and get some rest before the next day.
The most memorable moment of the week has definitely been my first ballet class here. The training approach is very different from what I’m used to in Vienna, and it’s already helping me understand things in a completely new way. I’m excited to keep learning and see how much I can grow over the next few weeks!