World-renowned ballet star returns to Toronto

Evan McKie speaks about his husband for the first time

World-renowned principal ballet dancer Evan McKie has returned to Toronto as a guest of the National Ballet of Canada to perform in Rudolf Nureyev’s The Sleeping Beauty.

A member of the Stuttgart Ballet company, McKie has performed on stages all over the world to great acclaim. In December 2011, he became the first Canadian to be invited to guest star at the Ballet de l’Opéra National de Paris.

McKie’s career began at Canada’s National Ballet School, located just off Church St in the heart of Toronto’s gay village.

“It was really, really cool to grow up there,” says McKie of the Church St community. “It’s just such a theatrical place. It was amazing.”

In an Xtra exclusive video interview below, McKie talks for the first time about his husband and coming of age in the world of ballet.

McKie will be dancing in The Sleeping Beauty on March 11, 15 and 18. For more information on the production and the National Ballet of Canada, click here.

On occasion, the number of editors and other staff who contribute to a story gets a little unwieldy to give a byline to everyone. That’s when we use “Xtra Staff” in place of the usual contributor info. If you would like more information on who contributed to a particular story, please contact us here.

Read More About:
Culture, Arts, Canada

Keep Reading

The cast of All Stars 11

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 11’ is a second chance for the bracket format. Will it work this time around?

Early enthusiasm for the Tournament of All Stars last season was dampened by the back half of the season, raising the question of whether this format is viable in the long term
A flaming torch

‘Survivor’ helped me climb a volcano

Instead of training for a gruelling day-long hike, I listened to podcasts about my favourite TV show. It paid off
Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway

‘Mother Mary’ nails how devastating a first lesbian breakup can be

In A24’s new pop star drama, Anne Hathaway captures the physicality of a tormented ex-lover aching for answers—and deliverance
The cover of Afternoon Hours of a Hermit; Patrick Cottrell

In ‘Afternoon Hours of a Hermit,’ Patrick Cottrell writes a protagonist who does everything wrong—again

The pseudo-sequel to Cottrell’s acclaimed first novel brilliantly retraces old ground
Advertisement