Katie Pianoff

Katie Pianoff: Born in Madrid, Katie Pianoff commenced her ballet training in Sydney with Valrene Tweedie at the Australian Academy of Ballet. She obtained all her Cecchetti exams including Advanced with Honours and won both Junior and Senior Cecchetti Medal tests and the N.S.W. Elementary Scholarship.

Katie was awarded the Senior Scholarship at the Australian Academy of Ballet, and was accepted into the Royal Ballet Upper School. Following her training she was offered a contract by Sir Kenneth MacMillan to join the Resident Royal Ballet Company at Covent Garden. She toured internationally wit the Company, performing works by Ashton, MacMillan and Balanchine. Katie was chosen by the eminent Italian Sculptor, Enzo Plazzotta, to sit for him. One of his three bronzes of her is now sited in the forecourt of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden – “The young Dancer”. Upon returning to Australia was invited by Marilyn Jones to dance with the Australian Ballet, with whom she toured extensively.

After leaving the Company, Katie was requested to guest as Countess Vronsky in the ballet “Anna Karenina” and more recently invited by Director David MacAllister to perform the role of Lady Capulet in “Romeo & Juliet”. Katie has been imparting her valuable experience in teaching for the past four years at the Northern district Ballet School in Sydney.