Alum | Dimitri Kleioris

Sydney Dance Company resident dancer.

Dimitri Kleioris, started his dance education at The McDonald College, beginning as a jazz and tap student and eventually specialising in classical ballet.

He told Dance Australia, “In the middle of Year 10, the Head of Ballet said to me, ‘I want you to join Premier State Ballet and take on the role of Albrecht in Giselle’. I’d only been doing ballet for two years and didn’t know what that meant.” His teacher suggested focusing on ballet for the year and advised that when he returned to other styles of dance, he would be exponentially better.

As his love for ballet blossomed, he recognised his genuine desire to pursue it as a career. After graduating from the College, he accompanied a friend who was auditioning for The Australian Ballet School and decided to audition too – thinking it would be a good experience. He was accepted and, at the age of 17, moved to Melbourne.”

Three years later, he auditioned for the Royal New Zealand Ballet and was hired on the spot. He toured the country as a principal and ensemble member.

The versatile performer has pivoted to other genres, telling Stage Whispers, “The first time I ever sang in public was in a musical on Broadway with a full orchestra”. The lead role for An American in Paris requires a classically trained ballet dancer first and foremost, and Dimitri won the role on this basis. It is doubtless that studying alongside acting and singing students at the College would have put him in good stead despite these streams not being his area of specialisation.

Attending the opening night of the Sydney Dance Company’s Ab Intra, Dimitri was captivated and decided to audition. Successfully joining the company in 2019, Dimitri says he has discovered his rightful place.