Law is one of numerous ethnic Chinese principal dancers making an impression with major Western ballet companies, but the only one born in Hong Kong (although Chan Chunwai, principal dancer with New York City Ballet since 2022, also spent some of his formative years in the city).

The promotion was unexpected because at the National Ballet of Canada, promotions to principal dancer – the top level – are only announced onstage. Normally, dancers rise through the ranks in stages, and at the time, Law was second principal dancer, two ranks below the top level.

“I never thought they would skip a level and promote me to principal dancer,” she says, adding that becoming a principal dancer had always been “a dream and a goal.”

She is aware that this role brings with it great responsibility. “It’s a new chapter for me and I still have a lot to learn and grow.”

On August 30 and 31, Hong Kong audiences can see Law Dance in a show celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Hong Kong Ballet Group (HKBG).

The two know each other well. They both grew up in Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong’s New Territories and attended the same primary and secondary school, where they became friends.

They are the same age and attended different ballet schools as children. It was only when they met by chance at a competition that they discovered that they both did ballet. Until now, they have never danced together professionally.

Vicky Wong, chairwoman of the HKBG, says both dancers have told her independently that they would come back if the other one came back. “We are very lucky that both of them find the time to do so.”

Law’s passion for ballet began as a young child when she attended a ballet workshop led by So Hon-wah, a former principal dancer of the Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) and founder of the Hong Kong Youth Ballet Academy.

“I guess he recognized talent in me and asked if I would be interested in joining his ballet school,” she says.

Since the academy is located on Hong Kong Island, it was a long way from Tsuen Wan for the little girl. But Law’s parents supported her. “My mother picked me up every day after work.”

She is grateful to the school and her teachers there, including former HKB principal ballerinas Eriko Ochiai and Ayako Fujioka, who supported her in shaping her career as a dancer, and to So for participating with her in competitions in Japan.

“It was an eye-opening experience to see how good other dancers my age were and how much I had to work and learn.”

Wong recalls that when Law first entered the HKBG’s Stars Award competition at the age of eight, she competed in five different categories.

The organizers thought she would have trouble. “But we said, OK, let her try – and when she got on stage, she just shone,” says Wong.

Law has won numerous medals at the competition over the years. In 2010, she received two gold medals and a scholarship to the New Zealand School of Dance’s summer intensive program.

“That was another eye-opening experience,” she says. “It was the first time I had ballet and dance all day. As a professional school, it’s very different than having ballet classes once a day or four times a week.”

When the program ended, school principal Garry Trinder – a former artistic director of HKB – invited her to join the school full-time.

At this point, Law knew she wanted to pursue a career in ballet and how important it was to study at a professional school.

In Hong Kong, such training is only available at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which, however, only accepts students who have completed secondary school, which is usually the case at the age of 17 or 18.

At this age, talented young dancers elsewhere are usually ready to graduate from a professional ballet school.

Thanks to a full scholarship, Law was able to go to New Zealand at the age of 16 with the blessing of her parents, whom she thanks for their continued support.

“I know that some parents in Hong Kong really want their child to be a doctor or a lawyer or something like that, and my parents never pushed me, they really let me decide what I wanted to do.”

In 2015, she returned to Hong Kong and began training at the HKB before being promoted to the Corps de Ballet after two years.

While Law describes the HKB as “an amazing company,” her long-term plan was to work with a larger company and explore a broader repertoire. She approached the National Ballet of Canada and joined the corps de ballet in 2018.

Despite the experience she had already gained, the first three months were hard. “It was a lot for me, but all the dancers welcomed me very warmly. It feels like a family.”

Law’s petite figure – she is only 1.57 meters tall – contradicts the current trend for larger ballerinas, but makes her ideal for youthful roles such as Juliet in Alexei Ratmansky’s Romeo and Juliet (for which she won the Rolex Dancers First Award) and the title role in Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice in Wonderland.

Her debut as Alice received rave reviews. The Toronto Star wrote: “The honor of opening night went to Tirion Law, only the second highest-ranking soloist but practically a star.”

Announcing her promotion, Muir noted that Law “captivates audiences with her charisma, precise technique and ability to fully immerse herself in the characters she portrays.”

Law is happy with her life in Toronto and is looking forward to the next phase of her career at NBC. But does she miss Hong Kong?

“My family is here, I miss spending time with them every day. I miss the street food, my friends, the nightlife,” she says, adding with a laugh: “But I don’t miss the summer weather in Hong Kong!”

She is looking forward to her performance in Hong Kong and the chance to dance with Lam again and perform in front of the Hong Kong audience.

It is important, she says, to celebrate the HKBG’s 60-year success story in developing ballet and young dancers in Hong Kong.

“I gained so much experience through the Stars Award competition,” she says, “and through the competition I got the opportunity to go to New Zealand and enter the world of professional ballet. I am very grateful to the ballet company for that.”

“HKBG60 – Inspiring Dancers for 60 Years”, Kwai Tsing Theatre Auditorium, 30-31 August, 7.30pm. Tickets available via Urbtix.