Katherine Minor

Katherine Minor joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2014 and was promoted to company Soloist in 2019, when her roles included White Swan in Mário Radačovský’s Black Swan, White Swan, Waltz Girl in Balanchine’s Serenade, and one of the couples in Forsythe’s Artifact II. 

In 2023, the role of Juliet was created on Katherine in Andrea Schermoly’s Romeo and Juliet. Other highlight roles include dancing as Cinderella in Loughlan Prior’s Cinderella (2022), Giselle in Johan Kobborg and Ethan Stiefel’s Giselle (2021), Titania in Liam Scarlett’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2021), Aurora and Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty (2020), Marie in Val Caniparoli’s The Nutcracker (2018), and principal role in Twyla Tharp’s Waterbaby Bagetelles™ (2022), Alice Topp’s Aurum and Logos (2022, 2023) ,Chistopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain (2023), Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort (2018), and Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15 (2018). 

Katherine created the role of Peaseblossom in Liam Scarlett’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2015). Other early appearances with the RNZB included Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante (2014), and solo roles in A Christmas Carol (2014), Salute (2015), and In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated (2016). 

In 2021, Katherine enjoyed choreographing a first piece for RNZB RAW studio performances, called La’jwa. 

Born in France and raised in Portland, Oregon, Katherine trained locally at the School of Oregon Ballet under Damara Bennett and spent one year at the Paris Opéra Ballet School. She joined Oregon Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in 2010 before moving to Chicago to dance for the Joffrey Ballet in 2011, where notable roles included Cupid in Don Quixote and Clara in The Nutcracker 

Prior to joining the RNZB and following two years at Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Katherine spent a year dancing with the UK’s Northern Ballet.