Nina Fernandes

Biography

Flying across the stage Nina Fernandes is electrifying and commanding. She has rose to many occasions technically and elegantly, imbuing roles with an easy control and innate vivacity in both classical and contemporary ballets.

A native of Brazil, Nina began her ballet training in Campos, Rio de Janeiro. In 2014, she was among the top 12 dancers to represent Brazil at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York. That same year, she was awarded two Silver Medals at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, where she received a pre-professional offer from the prestigious Washington Ballet.

For the 2016/17 season, Nina joined Houston Ballet as a member of the main company, where she appeared in productions such as Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling, Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Symphony in C, and Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit.

Two seasons later, she joined Miami City Ballet, a preeminent company known for its Balanchine technique. There, she performed numerous solo and leading roles in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Jewels, Alexei Ratmansky’s Symphonic Dances and Swan Lake, among others. In 2020, she was awarded Star of the Corps by Pointe Magazine for her debut as the Firebird in Firebird by Balanchine & Robbins.

In her first season with the Czech National Ballet, Nina showcased her talent by dancing numerous roles, including Klara in The Nutcracker – A Christmas Carol (Youri Vámos), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Olga in Onegin (John Cranko), and Sister in Cinderella (Jean-Christophe Maillot). Additionally, she impressed audiences by performing six significant female roles in The Sleeping Beauty (Márcia Haydée), starring as Aurora, the Lilac Fairy, the Fairy of the Golden Wine, the Fairy of the Enchanted Garden, Princess Florine in the Bluebird pas de deux, and in the Emerald variation. She continued to shine in main roles such as Swanilda in Ronald Hynd’s Coppélia.

Nina has embraced modern and neoclassical ballets, performing in works such as Holo Harmonies (Mauro Bigonzetti), The Second Detail (William Forsythe), Frank Bridge Variations (Hans van Manen), and Moving Rooms (Krzysztof Pastor).

In 2024, Nina was honored with the National Theatre Director’s Award, recognizing her exceptional contributions to the company.

Classical Repertoire

• Coppélia – Swanilda, Swanilda's Friend, Dawn solo, Prayer solo, Work (Ronald Hynd)

• L’Histoire de Manon – Lescaut’s Mistress (Kenneth MacMillan)

• La Sylphide – Fairies – solo (Johan Kobborg)

• Swan Lake – Little Swans, Neapolitan Princess, Pas de six (John Cranko)

• The Nutcracker – A Christmas Story – Mrs. Cratchit, Clara Cratchit, Christmas Fairy, Clara in a Dream, Chinese Dance, Waltz – solo (Youri Vámos)

• Onegin – Olga (John Cranko)

• Romeo and Juliet – Juliet, Gypsies (John Cranko)

• The Sleeping Beauty – Princess Aurora, Lilac Fairy, Princess Florine, Fairy of Wisdom, Fairy of Strength, Emerald (Márcia Haydée)

Contemporary and Neoclassical Repertoire

• bpm – ARTZA (Eyal Dadon), Bohemian Gravity (Yemi A.D.)

• Beyond Vibrations – Moving Rooms (Krzysztof Pastor), Frank Bridge Variations - Duet (Hans van Manen)

• Dance On... The Nutcracker – A Christmas Story (open stage rehearsal) – Chinese Lady (Youri Vámos)

• Dance On... Onegin (public soloist rehearsal) – Olga (John Cranko)

• Dance On... The Second Detail (open stage rehearsal) (William Forsythe)

• Forsythe / Clug / McGregor – The Second Detail (William Forsythe)

• Holo Harmonies – Pas de deux 2 (Mauro Bigonzetti)

• Moving Still (Jiří Kylián)

• Cinderella – Stepsister (Jean-Christophe Maillot)

• Scheherazade – Confidante (Mauro Bigonzetti)

• Sarkasms – Katastrof (Eyal Dadon)