OAM
World acknowledged ballerina Fiona Tonkin, is also our Patron. Fiona trained under Miss Peters tutelage at Southern Ballet until she was 17 years of age, leaving to accept an invitation to join the New Zealand Ballet Company. She joined The Australian Ballet in 1980 and by 1987 she had become a principal artist, renowned for her unique beauty, technical strength and storytelling ability. Career highlights include dancing Aurora in London, Juliet in St Petersburg, and Flavia and Giselle in New York, as well as opening the company’s 1992 London season as Giselle. She appeared as a guest artist with the Kirov Ballet and on the Rudolf Nureyev Farewell Tour, and danced the title roles in the ABC broadcasts of La Fille mal gardée and Romeo and Juliet. Fiona received Green Room Awards in 1988 and 1989. During her 14 years with the company, Fiona performed in over 70 ballets. In 1998, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts; in 1999 she completed The Australian Ballet School’s Teachers Course. Her professional appointments include Rehearsal Director of Royal New Zealand Ballet and Assistant Artistic Director of English National Ballet. Fiona returned to The Australian Ballet in 2003 and celebrated 25 years with the company in 2013. Fiona is now Artistic Associate and Principal Coach of The Australian Ballet.