The Australian Ballet

Meet the Coryphées: Evie Ferris

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Evie Ferris, Swan Lake (Woolliams) 2023
Photo Kate Longley

Meet Evie Ferris, The Australian Ballet's resident Wiggle!

When did you start dancing?

I’ve always loved music and dancing. I was enrolled in movement classes when I was three and I fell in love with performing the second I was on stage - and it stuck!

When did you join The Australian Ballet?

In 2010, at 12 years old, I relocated to Melbourne from Cairns to train full time at The Australian Ballet School. In 2016 I was accepted into The Australian Ballet from my graduating year, becoming the second First Nations dancer in the company. I was promoted to coryphée in 2023.

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Sebastian Geilings, Evie Ferris and Zoe Wozniak, The Hum (Riley) 2023
Photo Jonathan van der Knaap

When did you know you wanted ballet to be your career?

I don’t remember the defining moment that I chose ballet. I feel it has always been a part of me so my path to becoming a dancer felt really organic. Storytelling, communicating, connecting through dance is a huge part of my First Nations culture - and many others. To embody and explore that every day is a privilege not lost on me. Also reaching audiences across not only Australia but the world is truly special.

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Evie Ferris with artists of The Australian Ballet, Jewels (Balanchine) 2023
Photo Rainee Lantry

Do you have a dream role to dance? 

There are so many roles and ballets I’d love to do and I’m so lucky to have already done some of them. They all offer something different and enrich me as a person and an artist. From the Cygnets in Swan Lake to the Rubies in Balanchine’s Jewels - I love them all.

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Evie Ferris with artists of The Australian Ballet, Swan Lake (Woolliams) 2023
Photo Kate Longley

Who was your favourite dancer growing up?

Misty Copeland. Misty is someone I look up to as a woman and a dancer. A friend of mine showed me a video of Misty online when I was 12 and it ignited a belief that I could truly be a dancer, and I could even be one like Misty.

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Evie Ferris in rehearsal with artists of The Australian Ballet
Photo Edita Knowler

What’s something people may not know about ballet? 

Our schedule is often the most surprising. We are always preparing multiple ballets at once, which means we are rehearse an entirely different show during the day to the one we perform that night. Also, the large number of shows we perform each year surprises people.

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Evie Ferris as the Yellow Wiggle
Photo courtesy of Evie Ferris

What’s something people may not know about you? 

I’m also a Wiggle!

To learn more about our dancers.

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