Federico Bonelli

Federico was born in Genoa and trained locally at the Turin Dance Academy. His awards include first prize at the Rieti International Ballet Competition and a Prix de Lausanne scholarship. He joined Zürich Ballet in 1996 and was promoted to Soloist in 1997. He joined Dutch National Ballet in 1999 and was promoted to Principal in 2002.

In 2003 Federico joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal dancer and performed an extensive repertory, including iconic roles such as Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo, James (La Sylphide), Onegin, Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty), Albrecht (Giselle), Solor (La Bayadère), Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Des Grieux (Manon), Prince Rudolf (Mayerling), and roles in Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, and Polyphonia, George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial, Apollo, Theme and Variations, Jerome Robbins Dances at a Gathering and many more. His role creations for the Company include Polixenes (The Winter’s Tale), Victor (Frankenstein), and roles in Chroma, DGV, Aeternum, Woolf Works, Acosta’s Carmen.

In 2019, Federico graduated from the Clore Leadership Programme. He curated the programme for The Royal Ballet activities in Doncaster as part of the Doncaster Creates festival. Federico also co-facilitates The Royal Ballet’s Inclusivity Focus Group, is a non-executive director and member of the Board of Parents and Carers in Performing Arts (PiPA) and a member of the external Steering Group of Chance to Dance.

On 2 May 2022 Federico became the Artistic Director of Northern Ballet, a position generously supported by Aud Jebsen.