Helgi Tomasson

Helgi Tomasson (b. October 1942) is an ex-ballet dancer and current artistic director for the San Francisco Ballet and its ballet school. Tomasson was born in Reykjavik, Iceland. He began his ballet training with a local teacher and went on to joining the National Theatre’s affiliated school, which at the time was led by Erik and Lisa Bidsted. His professional career started at age 15 with the Pantomime Theatre in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. It ... more

Helgi Tomasson (b. October 1942) is an ex-ballet dancer and current artistic director for the San Francisco Ballet and its ballet school. Tomasson was born in Reykjavik, Iceland. He began his ballet training with a local teacher and went on to joining the National Theatre’s affiliated school, which at the time was led by Erik and Lisa Bidsted. His professional career started at age 15 with the Pantomime Theatre in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. It was two years until he was discovered in his homeland by renowned choreographer Jerome Robbins who was so impressed with young Tomasson that he arranged a scholarship for him to study at the School of American Ballet in New York City when Tomasson was 17 and broke. He went on to join the Joffrey Ballet, where he met his wife and fellow dancer Marlene, and two years later The Harkness Ballet, where he stayed for six years, eventually becoming one of the company’s most celebrated principal dancers. In 1969, Tomasson entered the 1 International... less