Tirion Law, the current Principal Dancer at the National Ballet of Canada, is a native of Hong Kong. At only 29 years old, she feels not only the immense honor of her title but also the heavy responsibility it carries. So how did a little girl from Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, rise step by step to one of the most prestigious stages in the world?
As a child, Tirion dabbled in piano, pottery, painting, and dance — just one of many extracurricular activities. “My mom never forced me to dance. She just wanted me to be exposed to different forms of art to see what I liked. I still remember she once took me to a performance by the Hong Kong Ballet, and I was completely mesmerized by the costumes!”
At around age seven, she joined a summer program where one of the teachers spotted her potential and invited her to train formally at her school. That teacher was ballet veteran So Hon Wah, and the mentorship marked a turning point in Tirion’s life. From then on, almost every day after school, she traveled nearly an hour from Tsuen Wan to Fortress Hill for ballet classes — a routine she maintained for seven or eight years. “It was tough, of course,” Tirion admits, “but I really enjoyed it.”
Over the years, she entered countless competitions, even traveling to Japan. “Competing opened my eyes. The students in Japan were amazing — it made me realize how much further I had to go.” This broadened perspective gave rise to a firm decision: to pursue ballet professionally.
At 16, Tirion received a full scholarship to study ballet full-time in New Zealand, choosing to leave her Hong Kong studies behind. “I knew there’d be no turning back. My teacher told me the earlier you enter full-time ballet training, the better. Sixteen was a great age to start. In Hong Kong, the only option was the Academy for Performing Arts, but you had to wait until 18 or 19 to enroll — that might’ve been too late.”
Though she sometimes regrets not finishing school — especially knowing a dancer’s career is short — she stays hopeful. “Of course, the longer I can dance, the better! But this industry has many uncertainties. Some dancers are forced to retire early because of injuries. If my body allows it, I want to dance until I’m 40! I’m also always looking for opportunities to study and equip myself for the future.” She has a keen interest in both education and crafts, and dreams of launching her own line of balletwear after retirement.
After graduating in New Zealand, Tirion returned to Hong Kong and landed an internship with the Hong Kong Ballet. “It was a great starting point — close to home, where my parents could take care of me, and a perfect chance to build stage experience.”
But Tirion never stopped aiming higher. “Even back in New Zealand, I kept track of top ballet companies around the world. I was especially drawn to companies in Canada and Australia. Later, my then-boyfriend (now fiancé) joined a ballet company in Canada. After a year of long-distance, I decided to audition in Canada — and I got in! That’s how I joined the National Ballet of Canada.”
In 2018, Tirion officially joined the National Ballet of Canada as a Corps de Ballet member. She was later promoted to Soloist, and in June 2024, she made the leap to Principal Dancer.
She admits the promotion was a bit of a surprise. “The pressure definitely increased! Before, even if a performance wasn’t perfect, audiences were more forgiving. But now I’m often cast in lead roles — I have to meet a certain standard to live up to the title.”
Though naturally optimistic, she still gets nervous on stage. “I talk a lot with friends in the company, and I’m really grateful for my fiancé’s support. He has such a great mindset — every time I talk to him, I feel calmer.”
The journey hasn’t been without setbacks. Tirion recalls her worst injury — a fractured shin bone in her final year with the Hong Kong Ballet. “I didn’t know much about injury care back then, so I danced through the pain. The injury persisted into my first year in Canada, but I didn’t dare tell anyone. I remember doing 30 performances of The Nutcracker while relying on painkillers.” It wasn’t until COVID hit and performances were halted that she had time to fully recover.
During the pandemic, she also launched her own YouTube channel to share glimpses of her life and behind-the-scenes ballet moments. “At first it was just for fun — little vlogs of my daily life. But I realized a lot of people are really curious about the life of a ballet dancer. So I started documenting rehearsals, backstage clips, and more, to give audiences a peek into our world.”
Photo credit: Karolina Kuras
