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DETAILS
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Name: Cristiano Occupation: currently Soloist dancer at Estonian National Ballet (since 2021)
Surname: Principato freelance choreographer at Novarts OÜ
Birthplace: Novara (NO), Italy (IT)
Nationality: Italian formerly Demi-soloist at Estonian National Ballet (2020)
Age: 30 years old (1995) Coryphée at Dutch National Ballet (2019)
Height: 1,82 m Corps de Ballet at Dutch National Ballet (2016)
Weight: 71 kg Élève at Dutch National Ballet (2015)
Languages: Italian, English, French, Dutch Junior Company at Dutch National Ballet (2014)
Corps de Ballet at La Scala Ballet (2014) ​
Degrees: graduation degree from La Scala Ballet School in Milan (29/30) Awards: 2017 Étoile del Domani award in Novara (winner)
grauation degree from Linguistic High School in MIlan (96/100) 2018 Varna International Ballet Competition (partner of the gold medal winner)
Italian/European B driving licence (car and motorbike) 2021 Estonian Annual Theatre Award (nominee)
2022 My Fitness Award as Best Male Soloist of Estonian National Ballet (winner)
2024 Ida Urbeli Award for Choreographic Achievements ​(winner)​
​ 2025 Sfera D'Oro Award as dancer and choreographer (winner)
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2006 – 2014 EDUCATION AT LA SCALA BALLET SCHOOL
°At the age of 9 Cristiano starts ballet in a private school in his hometown and then in 2006, at the age of 11, he starts attending La Scala Ballet School in Milan, under the direction of Frédéric Olivieri. In 2014, at the age of 19, he gratuades from the Academy (mark 29/30) and from the Linguistic Lyceum (96/100) after the full eight years program.
°At 12 years old he performs children parts with La Scala (Nutcracker and Don Chisciotte staged by Aleth Francillon) and Bolshoi Ballet during their tour to Milan (Pharaoh’s Daughter). °In Milan his teachers are Maurizio Vanadia, Leonid Nikonov, Frédéric Olivieri, Giampaolo Podini, Tatiana Nikonova, Loretta Alexandrescu, Paola Vismara, Amelia Colombini,
Elisa Scala and Bella Ratchinskaja (for classical ballet, repertoire and pas de deux classes), Emanuela Tagliavia (contemporary class), Antonella Stroppa (pilates), Alex D'Orsay (floor barre) and Andrea Forte (Feldenkrais method). At the Academy he also takes class with important guest teachers such as Nicole Cavallin (École de l’Opéra de Paris), John Clifford (NYC Ballet), Piotr Nardelli (Béjart Ballet), Victor Ullate (Ullate Ballet) and Paul Dennis (José Limón technique).
He also regularly attends summer intensives in Komiza (Croatia) where he both works on ballet (with Jozo Borcic from Teatro alla Scala) and on new modern styles with Deanna Losi (Martha Graham technique), Christian Ginepro (musical), Fabrizio Monteverde and Eugenio Buratti.
°Every year he performs in La Scala Academy’s productions in Milan or around Italy and Europe and from the age of 16 he dances the following solo parts.
Solo repertoire performed in La Scala Academy's productions
YEAR BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART STAGING THEATRE/PRODUCTION PARTNER
2011 Nutcracker Frédéric Olivieri Spanish Dance Loreta Alexandrescu Teatro Strehler, Milan Adele Fiocchi (ex demi-soloist at Wiener Staatsballett) Lead Flowers Tatiana Nikonova Elena Bottaro (now principal at Wiener Staatballett)
Pastorale PD3 Leonid Nikonov Arianna Maldini and Giulia Diana Frosi​
2011 Theme and Variations George Balanchine 4 Demi’s Nanette Glushak Teatro alla Scala, Milan Martina Ricci
2013 Serenade George Balanchine Waltz Man Patricia Neary Teatro alla Scala, Milan Martina Aduino (now principal at La Scala Ballet)
2013 Nutcracker Ivanovich Vainonen Prince (full PD2) Leonid Nikonov Teatro Strehler, Milan Elena Botaro
2013 Larmes Blanches Angelin Preljocaj 2 Couples Silvia Bidegain Théâtre de Nice, France Francesca Raule (ex soloist at Moravian Theatre Olomouc)
2013 Evening Songs Jiri Kylian 3 Couples Arlette Van Boven Teatros del Canal, Madrid Elena Bottaro
2013 Gaîté Parisienne Maurice Béjart Opera PD2 Piotr Nardelli Teatro Strehler Giorgia Sacher (now Teatro alla Scala)
6 Bim's Friends Teatro alla Scala
2014 Paquita Marius Petipa Full PD3 Leonid Nikonov Teatro alla Scala Martina Arduino and Emilie Tassinari
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2014 FIRST CONTRACT AS CORPS DE BALLET WITH LA SCALA BALLET
°During the last six months of school, Cristiano already signs his first contract with La Scala Ballet in Milan (director Makhar Vaziev) and starts performing with the company.
°Here he takes class with company ballet masters Laura Contardi, Vladimir Derevianko, Biagio Tambone, Lienz Chang, Sophie Sarrote, Laura Caccialanza and also with
guest teachers Maina Gielgud, Karl Burnett, Michael Denard and Johnny Eliasen.
Repertoire performed with La Scala Ballet
BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART STAGING THEATRE/PRODUCTION
Raymonda Sergei Vikharev Mazurka, Spanish Sergei Vikharev, Biagio Tambone Teatro alla Scala, Milano
Pink Floyd Ballet Roland Petit Group Luigi Bonino, Lienz Chang Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Swan Lake Rudolf Nureyev Waltz, Polonaise act1 Vladimir Derevianko, Laura Contardi Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Mazurka act3 Biagio Tambone
Don Chisciotte Rudolf Nureyev 6 Toreros, Fandango Maina Gielgud Astana Opera House, on Kazakhstan tour
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2014 – 2015 ONE SEASON WITH DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET JUNIOR COMPANY
°Starting from August 2014, while still 19 years old, he decides to move to Amsterdam to join HNB’s Junior Company with directors Ted Brandsen (main company), Ernst Meisner (junior company) and Jean Yves Esquerre (Dutch National Ballet School).
°During this first season he performs solo roles in the Junior Company Gala 20 times: once in Amsterdam (Staadschowburg), seventeen times around the Netherlands and twice in London (Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House).
Solo roles performed in the Dutch National Ballet's Junior Company Touring Gala
BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART STAGING PARTNER
Napoli August Bournonville Full PD6 (first solo) Ernst Meisner, Caroline Iura Emilie Tassinari, Riho Sakamoto
Swan Lake Rudi Van Dantzig White Swan PD2 Ernst Meisner Yuanyuan Zhang (now principal at Dutch National Ballet)
Visions Fugitives Hans Van Manen 3 Couples Mea Venema, Hans Van Manen Nancy Burer (now coryphée at Dutch National Ballet)
Surfacing Robert Binet 2 Couples Robert Binet Riho Sakamoto (now principal at Dutch National Ballet)
Blink Juanjo Arqués Group Juanjo Arqués, Ernst Meisner
Beginnings Ted Brandsen Group Ted Brandsen, Caroline Iura
Besides the JC tour, he also appears with the main company in Swan Lake, Cinderella and New Moves and in two more JC shows named De Kleine Grote Kist (by Ernst
Meisner) and Narnia (by Ernst Meisner and Marco Gerris), of which he dances 40 shows throughout Holland in the two solo roles of Peter and the Lampost Man.
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2015 – 2020 CAREER WITH THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET
°At the beginning of his second season (20 years old) he is directly promoted into the main company with an “Élève” contract without completing the two-years JC program.
He starts the following season with a promotion to “Corps de Ballet” and three years later he is promoted to the rank of Coryphée (Demi-Soloist).
°Through the years he takes class with the entire HNB staff: Ernst Meisner, Rinat Gizatulin, Larissa Lezhnina, Guillaume Graffin, Judy Maelor Thomas, Rachel Beaujean, Caroline Iura, Alan Land, Charlotte Chapellier, Igone De Jongh, Marijn Rademaker, Anna Tsygankova and Dario Elia. He also takes class with guest teachers Olga Evreinoff, Irek Mukhamedov, David Makhateli, Andrey Klemm, Felipe Diaz, Ainara Garcia Navarro, Raphaël Coumes-Marquet, Stéphane Phavorin, Christiana Stefanou, Kristian Ratevossian and Christpher Stowell.
While understudying the ballet Pas/Parts he also takes part to Forsythe style studio-workshops by stagers Ayman Harper and Christopher Roman.
Solo roles performed with the Dutch National Ballet
YEAR BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART STAGING THEATRE/PRODUCTION PARTNER
2019 Giselle Beaujean-Bustamante Peasants Pas act1 Guillaume Graffin DNB Holland Tour Yuanyuan Zhang (now principal at Dutch National Ballet)
2019 Swan Lake Rudi Van Dantzig PD6 act3 Aland Land NO&B Amsterdam Riho Sakamoto (now principal at Dutch National Ballet)
2019 Who Cares? George Balanchine 5 Soloists Maria Calegari NO&B Amsterdam Naira Agvanean (now soloist at Dutch National Ballet)
2019 Ballet Imperial George Balanchine PD3 Patricia Neary DNB Holland Tour Riho Sakamoto, Sho Yamada
2019 Romeo en Julia Rudi Van Dantzig Paris Rachel Beaujean NO&B Amsterdam Qian Liu (now principal at Dutch National Ballet)
2017 Sleeping Beauty Sir Peter Wright Puss in Boots Caroline Iura NO&B Amsterdam Khayla Fitzpatrick (now grand-sujet at Dutch National Ballet)
2019 Requiem David Dawson Angels Gladstone-Marchant NO&B Amsterdam Aya Okomura (now principal at Czech National Ballet)
2018 Embers Ernst Meisner Duet Ernst Meisner NO&B Season Opening Gala Jessica Xuan (now principal at Dutch National Ballet)
Solo roles performed guesting in galas and competitions while employed at Dutch National Ballet
YEAR BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART THEATRE/PRODUCTION PARTNER
2019 Esmeralda Marius Petipa Full PD2 Baltic Grand Prix / Riga, Latvia Elisabetta Formento (now principal at France Concert)
2019 Paquita Marius Petipa Full PD2 act3 Teatro Goldoni / Livorno, Italy Elisabetta Formento
La Bayadère Marius Petipa Shade PD2
étoiles at this gala: Jon Vallejo, Alessandro Riga, Claudio Cocino, Alessio Rezza, Susanna Salvi, Anbeta Toromani
2019 Satanella Marius Petipa Full PD2 Premio Sfera d’Oro / Padova, Italy Rebecca Storani (ex principal at Ballet de Catalunya)
étoiles at this gala: Silvia Azzoni, Valentine Colasante, Virna Toppi, Valentino Zucchetti, Victoria Ananyan
2018 Raymonda Marius Petipa Full PD2 act3 Summerschool Gala / Tallinn's Opera Elisabetta Formento
2018 Genzano Flower Festival August Bournonville Full PD2 Ballet Royal Gala / Tallin, Estonia Elisabetta Formento
étoiles at this gala: Oksana Bondareva, Ivan Vasiliev and artists from Mikhajloysky Theatre and Eifman Ballet
2018 Sleeping Beauty Marius Petipa Full PD2 act3 Varna IBC Round1 Jessica Xuan (now principal dancer at Dutch National Ballet)
Giselle Beaujean-Bustamante PD2 and Solo act2 Varna IBC Round 2 and IBC Gala Jessica Xuan
Swan Lake Rudi Van Dantzig Black Swan full PD2 Varna IBC Round 3 Jessica Xuan
He attends the 28th edition of Varna International Ballet Competition as partner of Yuan Zhe Zi Xuan (Jessica Xuan) who wins the Gold Medal.
They also dance in the two closing galas with the winners from the previous editions
2017 La Fille du Pharaon Pierre Lacotte Full PD2 act2 Luxembourg Gala Elena Bottaro (now principal at Wiener Staatsballett)
étoiles at this gala: Marianela Nunez, Yana Salenko, Lucia Lacarra, Marian Walter, Dinu Tamarzlacaru, Semyon Chudin and Vladir Malahkov (who also taught class)
2014 Coppelia Lev Ivanov Full PD2 act3 Vito Mazzeo & Friends / Legnago, Italy Emilie Tassinari (now soloist at Slovenian National Ballet)
étoiles at this Gala: Vito Mazzeo, Igone de Jongh, James Stout and Victoria Ananyan from Dutch National Ballet
2018 Full Moon Milena Sidorova Solo Ballet Royal Gala / Tallinn, Estonia
2018 Step Addition Sébastien Galtier Duet Varna IBC Round 2 and IBC Gala Jessica Xuan
2018 Embers Ernst Meisner Duet Varna IBC Round 3 Jessica Xuan
2016 Replay Ted Brandsen Duet Young Stars Gala / Fiesole, Italy Emilie Tassinari
2016 Elegie Ernst Meisner Duet Gala per Alessia / Trecate, Italy Emilie Tassinari
Group repertoire performed with Dutch National Ballet​
​​BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART STAGING THEATRE/PRODUCTION
La Dame Aux Camélias John Neumeier Blue and Golden Ball Kevin Haigen, John Neumeier NO&B Amsterdam
Country, Champs Elysées
Onegin John Cranko 8 Boys act1 & act2 Tamas Detrich, Jane Bourne NO&B Amsterdam Polonaise act3
Swan Lake Rudi Van Dantzig Waltz, Polonaise, Spanish Judy Maelor Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Czardas, Odile's 6 Cavaliers Sandrine Leroy
The Nutcracker Wayne Eagling & Flowers, Chinese, Russian Guillome Graffin, Alan Land NO&B Amsterdam
Toer Van Schayk Monteurs, Lantern PD2 Caroline Iura, Toer Van Schayk
La Bayadère Natalia Makarova Fakirs act1 Waltz act1 Judy M.Thomas, Natalia Makarova NO&B Amsterdam
Sleeping Beauty Sir Peter Wright 6 Cavaliers, Waltz act1 Charlotte Chapellier, Judy M.Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Don Quixote Alexei Ratmansky Seguidilla, Fandango Judy Maelor Thomas NO&B Amsterdam &on tour around Mexico
Giselle Beaujean-Bustamante Group act1 Judy Maelor Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Romeo en Julia Rudi Van Dantzig 4 Capulets Dance Alan Land NO&B Amsterdam
Cinderella Christopher Wheeldon Summer & Autumn 2 Couples Charlotte Chapellier NO&B Amsterdam &on tour in Hong Kong and
Courtiers Christopher Wheeldon London (Coliseum)
Ballet Imperial George Balanchine Group Patricia Neary, Judy M.Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Theme and Variations George Balanchine Group Patricia Neary, Larissa Lezhnina NO&B Amsterdam &on tour in Oviedo and Madrid
Stravinsky Violin Concerto George Balanchine 4 Small Men Bart Cook, Christopher Stowell NO&B Amsterdam &on on tour in Holland
Five Tangos Hans Van Manen 4 Couples Charlotte Chapellier, Hans V.Manen NO&B Amsterdam &on Holland tour, Spoleto – Italy
Frank Bridge Variations Hans Van Manen 3 Couples Rachel Beaujean, Hans Van Manen On tour at Hamburg Staatsoper, Granada’s Alhambra
On The Move Hans Van Manen Group Alan Land NO&B Amsterdam
Symphonieën d.N. Hans Van Manen Group Judy Maelor Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Requiem Toer Van Scayk Group Eleonora Demichelis, Caroline Iura NO&B Amsterdam
Concerto Concordia Christopher Wheeldon 6 Couples Guillaume Graffin NO&B Amsterdam
In Transit Ernst Meisner 6 Couples Ersnt Meisner, Marijn Rademaker NO&B Amsterdam
Tristan + Isolde David Dawson Pastorale, King’s Speech David Dawson, Raphaël C-Marquet NO&B Amsterdam
Ball Couples Rebecca Gladstone, C. Marchand
Piano Concerto Alexei Ratmansky 6 Couples Felipe Diaz, Alexei Ratmansky NO&B &on tour at Mariinsky (Diana Vishneva Context)
Ignite Juanjo Arqués Group José Carlos Blanco Martinez NO&B Amsterdam &on tour in Baden Baden
Last Resistance Annabelle L Ochoa Group Annabelle L. Ochoa NO&B Amsterdam
Frida Annabelle L. Ochoa 10 Male Fridas Luis Torres Ortiz NO&B Amsterdam
Mata Hari Ted Brandsen Group Ted Brandsen, Judy M.Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Coppelia Ted Brandsen Group Ted Brandsen, Judy M.Thomas NO&B Amsterdam
Space Between Bastiaan Stoop Duet Bastiaan Stoop, Lisa Ball NO&B New Moves
Purcell Suite Cristiano Principato 2 Couples Cristiano Principato, Dario Elia NO&B New Moves
3D Tango Milena Sidorova Duet Dario Elia NO&B New Moves
Mystery Movement Bruno Da R. Pereira 3 Couples NO&B New Moves
Introspection Elisabetta Formento Duet NO&B New Moves
Fidem Contra Fata Daniel Cook Trio NO&B New Moves
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2020 – 2026 CAREER WITH THE ESTONIAN NATIONAL BALLET
°From August 2020 he joins Estonian National Ballet in Tallinn as a Demi-Soloist (with director Linnar Looris) and the following season he is promoted to Soloist.
°Here he takes class with Linnar Looris, Jared David Matthews, Marina Kesler, Daniel Kirspuu, Agnes Oaks, David Jonathan, Gustavo Quintans, Luana Georg, Eve Tuga, Sergei Upkin, Nanae Maruyama, Cristina Krigolson, Ali Urata, Karina Leskin, Rasmus Ahlgren and guest teachers Viki Psihoyos, Ricardo Amarante, Daniel Otevrel, Juhani Teräsvuori, Lode Devos, Viesturs Jansons, Stephane Dalle, Alex Pandiscio, Meelis Pakri, Aage T. Christensen, Guido Sarno, Michal Krcmar, Beatrice Martel, Marc Ribaud, Sasha Evtimova and Thomas Bloch.
°While in Tallinn, he also attends a workshop on McGregor technique, held by Studio Wayne McGregor's dancer Jasiah Mashall in the studios of Estonian National Opera.
Solo repertoire performed with Estonian National Ballet (FL) = full length lead part
BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART STAGING THEATRE/PRODUCTION PARTNER
Le Corsaire José Martinez Conrad (FL) José Martinez, Agnès Letestu Eesti Rahvusballett Laura Maya Rosiers (now principal at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Pacha &on tour in Sevilla​
Swan Lake Toomas Edur Prince Siegfried (FL) Jared Matthews, Elita Erkina Eesti Rahvusballett Ami Morita (now principal at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Spanish Dance Marina Kesler Heidi Kopti, Francesco Piccinin
Sleeping Beauty Toomas Edur Prince Désiré (FL) Toomas Edur, Linnar Looris Eesti Rahvusballett Ami Morita
Rose Adagio Agnes Oaks Ketlin Oja (now soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
La Bayadère Toomas Edur Solor (FL) Toomas Edur, Jared Matthews Eesti Rahvusballett Madeline Skelly (now soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Giselle Mary Skeaping Prince Albrecht (FL) Jared Matthews, Irmgard Berry Eesti Rahvusballett Nanae Maruyama (now soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Giselle Michael Pink Hilarion (FL) Michael Pink, Daniel Kirspu Eesti Rahvusballett Karina Leskin (now demi-soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Nutcracker Ben Stevenson Prince (FL) Linnar Looris, Agnes Oaks Eesti Rahvusballett Ketlin Oja (sugar plum) Laura Maya Rosiers (snow queen)
Nutcracker Gyula Harangozó Nutcracker Prince (FL) Gyula Harangozó, Linnar Looris Eesti Rahvusballett Ketlin Oja
Snow White Gyula Harangozó Prince (FL) Gyula Harangozó, Luana Georg Eesti Rahvusballett Marta Navasardyan (now soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Anna Karenina Marina Kesler Vronsky (FL) Marina Kesler, Jared Matthews Eesti Rahvusballett Laura Maya Rosiers
Suite en Blanc Serge Lifar Mazurka, PD3 Charles Jude, Stéphanie Roublot Eesti Rahvusballett Philippa McCann, Joel Calstar-Fisher
Serenade George Balanchine Waltz Man Viki Psihoyos, Jared Matthews Eesti Rahvusballett Ketlin Oja
In The Middle, William Forsythe Lionel Kathryn Bennetts, Gustavo Quintans Eesti Rahvusballett Karina Leskin
Somewhat Elevated
Don Quixote Suite Marius Petipa Basilio Jared Matthews, Marina Kesler Eesti Rahvusballett Akane Ichii (now soloist at Opera de Bordeaux)
A Streetcar Annabelle Ochoa Jefferson (FL) Eve Mutso, Daniel Kirspu Eesti Rahvusballett Anna Roberta (now principal at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Named Desire Dream, 2 Travelling Men
Alice in Wonderland Gianluca Schiavoni Jack of Hearts Jared Matthews, Eve Tuga Eesti Rahvusballett Ketlin Oja
Pinkopanko, 3 Gardeners Marina Kesler Franceco Piccinin, Andrea Fabbri
Pulcinella Clairemarie Osta Black and White Man Clairemarie Osta, G. Galienne Eesti Rahvusballett Ami Morita
Louis XIV Teet Kask Death Teet Kask, Jared Matthews Eesti Rahvusballett Nikos Gkentsef (now demi-soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Symphony No. 6 Mai Murdmaa 5 Couples Linnar Looris, Viesturs Jansons Eesti Rahvusballett Nanae Maruyama (now soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Kratt Marina Kesler 3 Couples of Demons Marina Kesler Eesti Rahvusballett Laura Maya Rosiers
The Lizard Marina Kesler Waltz Lead Marina Kesler Eesti Rahvusballett Akane Ichii
Open Door Katarzyna Kozielska 5 Couples Katarzyna Kozielska Eesti Rahvusballett Phillipa McCann (now soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett)
Valgus M. Lõpust Jevgeni Grib Forces of Nature Jevgeni Grib Eesti Rahvusballett
Flesh J.Grib-Jack Traylen 3 Couples Jevgeni Grib, Jack Traylen Eesti Rahvusballett Marcus Nilson (now demi-soloist at Eesti Rahvusballett) Satanella Marius Petipa Male Solo Linnar Looris Eesti Rahvusballett
30, 75 Linnar Looris Group Linnar Looris, Luana Georg Eesti Rahvusballett
Timbu Limbu Linnar Looris Tin Man Linnar Looris Eesti Rahvusballett
Eclipse Cristiano Principato Duet Cristiano Principato Eesti Rahvusballett Ketlin Oja
Annunciation Cristiano Principato Duet Cristiano Principato Eesti Rahvusballett Laura Maya Rosiers
Voice of the Heart Ketlin Oja Duet Ketlin Oja Eesti Rahvusballett Ketlin Oja
Solo roles performed guesting in galas and competitions while employed at Estonian National Ballet
YEAR BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY PART THEATRE/PRODUCTION PARTNER
2025 Where You Are Alice Aleksandridi Solo Concert / Lauluväljak in Tallinn, Estonia
2025 Eclipse Cristiano Principato Duet Stars Gala / Santo Domingo in D. Republic Elisabetta Formento (now principal at France Concert)
2025 Annunciation Cristiano Principato Duet Premio Sfera d’Oro / Padova, Italy Elisabetta Formento
2025 Diana and Acteon Agrippina Vaganova Full PD2 Stars Gala / Santo Domingo in D. Republic Elisabetta Formento
2025 Chopiniana Michel Fokine PD2 Stelle Danzanti Gala / Santa Severa, Italy Elisabetta Formento
2025 For Us Kristian Cellini Duet Stelle Danzanti Gala / Santa Severa, Italy Elisabetta Formento
2025 ​Cinderella Cristiano Principato Prince (FL), 4 Men Novarts / on tour in Estonia and Lithuania Ketlin Oja (now soloist at Estonian National Ballet)
2024 Still Love Principato - Nomm Duet Eesti Laul / Estonian National Television Ketlin Oja
2024 Solitude Ketlin Oja Solo Piano Concert / on tour around Estonia
2023 La Sylphide August Bournonville Suite Premio Sfera d’Oro / Padova, Italy Elisabetta Formento
2023 Spring Waters Asaf Messerer Duet Summer Nights Gala / Tallinn, Estonia Elisabetta Formento
2023 Flames of Paris Vasily Vainonen Full PD2 Summer Nights Gala / Tallinn, Estonia Elisabetta Formento
2023 Songs of Heaven Cristiano Principato Duet Summer Nights Gala / Tallinn, Estonia Elisabetta Formento
2023 Othello Marina Kesler Duet Piano Concert / MUBA Tallinn, Estonia Ketlin Oja
2023 Andante Enn Suve Duet Piano Concert / MUBA Tallinn, Estonia Ketlin Oja
2023 Voice of the Heart Ketlin Oja Duet Piano Concert / MUBA Tallinn, Estonia Ketlin Oja
2021 Esmeralda Marius Petipa Full PD2 75 Years Ballettikool Gala / Tallinn, Estonia Maarja Praks (now dancer with Vanemuine Ballet)
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2016 - 2025 CHOREOGRAPHY
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° Annunciation (2025) is a neoclassical duet choreographed for the Estonian National Ballet's Kammer Saal program called "Choreographers of the Estonian National Ballet" on Cristiano himself and principal dancer Laura Maya Rosiers. The piece is set to Samuel Barber’s Agnus Dei and it’s an abstract representation of the Gospel’s renowned episode in which angel Gabriel informs Mary about her divine conception. It was also performed at Teatro Verdi in Padova, this time alongside principal dancer Elisabetta Formento.
During this ballet gala, Cristiano received the National Sfera D’Oro Award as a dancer and choreographer.
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° Cinderella (2024) is a two acts full length ballet choreographed and directed by Cristiano Principato, privately produced by Estonian Ballet Agency.
It premiered on the main stage of Estonian National Opera and later toured Estonia and the Baltic countries over the course of 2024 and 2025.
The production has so far reunited dancers from ten leading European ballet companies (Paris Opera Ballet, Madrid's Compañía Nacional de Danza, Royal Danish Ballet, Vanemuine Ballet, Balletto di Milano, Dutch National Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Estonian National Ballet, Polish National Ballet and Hungarian National Ballet).
° Still Love (2024) is a neoclassical duet choreographed by Cristiano Principato in collaboration with Eghert-Sören Nõmm for the finals of the TV program Eesti Laul, the Estonian singing contest which annually designates one winner to represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest. The piece was performed by Cristiano himself alongside dancer Ketlin Oja (also a soloist with Estoninan National Ballet) as the backup-dancing number for the competing song Still Love, by Uudo Sepp and Sarah Murray.
° Bach PD2 (2023) is a Grand Pas de Deux (adagio, male solo, female solo, coda) with a slight neoclassical twist, choreographed for the Estonian National Ballet's Kammer Saal program called "Choreographers of the Estonian National Ballet".
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° Songs of Heaven (2023) is a twenty minutes neoclassical piece for ten dancers (eight movements).
It premiered in Tallinn on the main stage of the Estonian National Opera at the Summer Nights Galas, the two closing shows of Ballet Summer Estonia (annual three weeks workshop attended by pre-professional and professional ballet dancers). It was performed twice, with two almost entirely different casts.
° Eclipse (2022) is a neoclassical duet choreographed for the International Dance Day Gala, the ballet gala of Estonian National Ballet that takes place every year on its main stage. This piece was later performed at the Open Air 22-23 Season Opening Gala of Estonian National Ballet and also at Gala d’Estrellas 2025 (organised by the charity Nido Para Angeles on the stage of Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito in Santo Domingo).
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° 4 Tempos (2022) is a group piece for fourteen dancers created for the ten ballerinas of the 2022 female graduating class of the Estonian National Ballet School, together with
four male dancers from Estonian National Ballet. It was performed twice at the school's Annual Closing Performances on the main stage of Estonian National Ballet.
It is a neoclassical work on Bach's music made of four movements: winter and summer are two duets danced by the principal couple, while spring and autumn are group dances.
This piece was originally drafted (but not yet finished nor performed) in 2019, when Cristiano attended the second edition of Dutch National Ballet's Choreographic Academy, a three weeks studio workshop where young makers get to chance to create for the dancers of DNB Junior Company. During this workshop, besides the studio choreographic practice, Cristiano attended theorical conferences that gathered several choreographers, leaders and composers (lead by Peggy Olislaegers, Associate on Research and Development at Dutch National Ballet as well as freelance dramaturg).
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° Masquerade (2021) is a dance video clip choreographed by Cristiano for Estonian National Ballet's principal dancer Laura Maya Rosiers and himself.
Set on the iconic track from The Phantom of the Opera, it is a response to the global pandemic affecting our art form.
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° Flower Duet (2019) is an imaginary duet with a flower performed by Giovanni Princic at New Moves, the annual choreographic workshop and show of Dutch National Ballet.
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° Double Violin (2018) is a solo created for principal dancer Vito Mazzeo, performed in Italy twice (at Apulia Arte Dance Award and Giuliana Penzi Award).
It was also part of New Moves 2019, danced by Michele Esposito (Coryphée at DNB).
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° Purcell Suite (2017) is a neoclassical work for four dancers (2 gents, PD2, 2 gents, quartet), made for “New Moves 2017”, Dutch National Ballet’s first edition on its main stage.
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° Palladio (2016) is a five dancers piece on Karl Jenkins’s Palladio, performed at Dutch National Ballet's choreographic workshop "New Moves" and at “Gala per Alessia” in Italy.
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2016 - 2026 DIRECTING
° In June 2016, Cristiano organised the event “Gala per Alessia” in Novara (IT) to raise funds for Casa Alessia, a charitable organisation devoted to building schools, orphanages and hospitals in Burundi, India and Ecuador. He performed next to eleven dancers that he recruited from Dutch National Ballet, Wiener Staatsballett and La Scala Ballet.
Cristiano personally curated the program of the show and arranged flights, royalties requests for music and choreography, lights, costumes and more.
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° In August 2016, he joined the four days long Young Rural Retreat at Dance East in Ipswich (UK), event born several years ago to gather existing and aspiring ballet directors (in the past it was attended by Ted Brandsen, Ernst Meisner, Tamara Rojo, Paul Lightfoot, Monica Mason, Kevin McKenzie and Wayne Eagling among others).
The 2016 edition was held by Scottish Ballet’s leaders Christopher Hampson (artistic director) and Katherine Cassidy (cultural engagement director).
The event included both interactive parts (debate simulations for practicing public talking and organizational skills) as well as theorical ones: numerous current dance directors were invited to give very interesting speeches about their experiences in creating and leading companies.
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° He was involved in Dutch National Ballet’s New Moves 2017, 2018 and 2019 not only as dancer and choreographer, but also as general coordinator.
His main task was to decide the order of the show depending on length and type of choreographies, cast (providing enough time for costume changes) and technical changes (floor, backdrop). He also was a mediator between choreographers and all various departments such as:
- board (he set meetings between choreographers and direction)
- music (collected all tracks for sound quality check and music rights, planned meeting for choreographers’ audio editing)
- marketing (helped with the campaign of the show and organised the meet and greet with donors and choreographers)
- tickets (he discussed the free-tickets policy for the crew)
- costumes (helped the costume department plan choreographer's trips to the atelier and organized costume studio run-throughs)
- photography (found a photographer who took pictures of the show and for program book)
- booklet (collected and provided info of every piece for the booklet, as title of the piece, names of dancers, music et cetera)
- tech (planned all stage rehearsals and meetings between choreographers, light designer and stage manager for light and props)
- schedule (checked DNB studios’ availability and created the online link for them to be booked by the choreographers)
- after party (helped planning the after party - location, DJs, deciding number of free drinks for guests and crew).
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° In 2017 and 2019, Dutch National Ballet hosted the Conference Positioning Ballet, which Cristiano and many other dancers from the company managed to attend, even if not in its entirety, according to their work schedule.
Positioning Ballet gathered 40 ballet directors plus 80 more people from the ballet community (dancers, choreographers, journalists) to address what kind of leadership is required for artistic directors nowadays. The main goal was to discuss and challenge the relevance that an art form from the 17th century like ballet can have on an audience from the 21st.
The conversation was structured around the three main key points of identity and heritage (old repertoire, new works, companies' style), society (working culture in ballet, social medias' impact on the art form) and diversity (reform culture of ballet).
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° Over 2022, 2023 and 2024, Cristiano was one of the Representitives of Estonian National Ballet, a sort of trade unionist figure that most ballet companies usually have in order to facilitate the communication between the dancers and the direction.
Throughout the years in this position, he perfected several skills such as organising and leading company meetings, speaking in public, summarizing and drawing up written reports in an objective and unbiased way, problem solving, facilitating the communications between different positions and departments in the Opera House et cetera.
Mostly, his task was to help creating better working conditions for the company on a variety of different levels (better salaries, higher performance pay, reminding marketing of dancer's upcoming premieres for them to be photographed, finding a platform for anonymous company polls and surveys, introducing massage and physiotherapy spots after working hours, investigating and improving pointe shoes’ budget and more).
° Since August 2023, Cristiano became one of the members of the Estonian Ballet Union’s Council. The Ballet Union is a government-subsidized artistic association which holds a crucial spot in the Estonian ballet scene: it provides its members, in exchange for a small monthly contribution, of great financial support for all activities that can contribute to the dancers’ artistic and athletic growth (gym membership, refund for attending master classes and workshops, covering the cost of tickets to theatre performances and museums, support for medical expenses and more). The Union’s function is also to facilitate the communication between the local ballet companies and the Estonian government.
° From the second half of 2023, Cristiano started choreographing and directing the production Cinderella, a full length ballet privately produced by Estonian Ballet Agency which premiered on March 5th 2024 on the main stage of the Estonian National Opera and then toured the Baltic countries during 2024 and 2025.
Cinderella is a two acts ballet that always showcases a different cast: in every performance the dancers are recruited from at least three different leading European ballet companies and so far the production has involved artists from ten different cities (Paris Opera Ballet, Madrid's Compañía Nacional de Danza, Royal Danish Ballet, Vanemuine Ballet, Balletto di Milano as well as Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Polish and Hungarian national ballet companies).
Besides being the choreographer, Cristiano was also personally responsible for several managing tasks as for example contacting each company's artistic director to investigate the dancers' availability and organising everyone's travels and accommodations for both rehearsals and performances.
Cristiano curated the entire dramaturgy of the evening (scene by scene sequence and storyline, costumes and set quick changes, music score cuts to bring the original three acts production down to only two parts) and he was also very much involved in the process of designing costumes, props, sets and projections.
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2016 - 2026 TEACHING
​° Since 2016, Cristiano has often been teaching young students in his home town, Novara (both ballet class and neoclassical workshops).
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° Throughout over a decade of choreography, Cristiano was also responsible for staging his own works (teaching the ballet steps) and coaching the artists towards their performances in a variety of different conditions and with dancers of various levels and styles (female coaching, male coaching, pointe shoe work, socks, partnering, short studio time and imminent deadlines, professional dancers, principal dancers and soloists, dance students et cetera).
Cristiano always strives for an uplifting and inspiring work environment where there is space for hard work, perfectionism and attention to details, as well as for a supportive and constructive attitude, human respect and plenty of artistic freedom for the performers to reconnect with their own personality and their most authentic way of dancing.​
° As discussed above, even if officially working as a choreographer, Cristiano got to simultaneously cover the position of coach and rehearsal director when he attended Dutch National Ballet's Choreographic Academy (in this case working with the members of the Dutch Junior Company), as well as when he created a piece for the final shows of Summer Ballet Estonia (a three weeks workshop attended by students from world-famous professional ballet schools). ​
° Cristiano has also been a jury member twice, alongside established teachers and former performers from the Italian and Estonian scene (RossoLab competition, Miss Estonia).
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2016 - 2026 MODELING
° Cristiano, over the years, also works as a model, both runway model (Tallinn Fashion Week, Nike Baltic Retail Event) as well as photo model (cover photo for advertising campaigns of Dutch National Ballet and Estonian National Ballet, model for SoDança Be You Collection, social medias collaborations et cetera).