Lia Cirio began her training at Swarthmore Ballet Theatre with Lori Ardis. She went on to train at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary and Darla Hoover, where she studied privately with Theresa Crawford and Rafael Grigorian. At the age of 16, she was awarded a Level One award from the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts and was a Presidential Scholar in the Arts finalist. She was also awarded the top scholarship and Founders’ Award presented by Barbara Weisberger at the Regional Dance America Festival. That same year she was invited by Mikko Nissinen to join Boston Ballet II, and was Boston Ballet’s Princess Grace nominee for 2004. She was promoted to Boston Ballet's corps de ballet in 2004, to second soloist in 2006, and to soloist in 2007.
From 2008-2009 Cirio toured with Trey McIntyre Project, performing throughout the United States and worldwide. She danced principal roles in McIntyre’s
Reassuring Effects of Form and Poetry and
A Day in the Life, and originated roles in various new works by McIntyre. She returned to Boston Ballet for the 2009-2010 season and was named principal dancer in 2010.
Her repertory with Boston Ballet includes featured and/or principal roles in classics such as
Swan Lake;
The Nutcracker;
The Sleeping Beauty,
La Sylphide,
Giselle,
Romeo and Juliet,
Cinderella, Don Quixote, Paquita, and corps roles in
The Taming of the Shrew, The Lady of the Camellias, and
La Fille Mal Gardee. She has danced featured and/or principal roles in Balanchine’s
Theme and Variations,
Apollo,
Divertimento #15,
Who Cares?, Concerto Barocco, The Four Temperaments, Ballo de la Regina, La Valse, Serenade, and
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and corps de ballet roles in
Stars and Stripes and
Rubies. She has performed contemporary works by Elo, Kylian, Forsythe, Tharp, Wheeldon, Morris, Pickett, Myers and Caniparoli. She originated roles in Elo’s
Carmen (Micaela) and
Brake the Eyes.
Cirio was named in
Dance Magazine’s first “On the Rise” feature article, and has been featured in additional articles in
Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, and on the cover of
Pointe. She is sister to Second Soloist, Jeffrey Cirio.
Read an
interview with Lia.
