Christina Arestis

Christina Arestis is a Principal Character Artist of The Royal Ballet. She trained at The Royal Ballet School and joined the Company on graduation in 1994, promoted to First Artist in 1999, Soloist in 2003 and Principal Character Artist in 2017. 

Arestis was born in Glasgow and was brought up in Cyprus and the Middle East. She trained at the Mary Darke School of Dancing and was a junior associate of Scottish Ballet before joining The Royal Ballet School. There she created the role of the lead girl in Matthew Hart’s Simple Symphony in the School's 1993 annual matinee and in 1994, her final year at the School, danced with the Company in Symphony in C. Her roles with the Company have included Paulina (The Winter’s Tale), Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet), Lady Elgar (Enigma Variations), Berthe, Bathilde (Giselle), Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna (Anastasia), Madame Larina (Onegin), Hermia (The Dream), Helene Vetsera and Empress Elisabeth (Mayerling), Beautiful Tsarevna (The Firebird), red girl (Patineurs), Fairy Winter and Step-sister (Cinderella), Bride (Les Noces), The Wife (The Concert), Carabosse (The Sleeping Beauty), The Queen (Swan Lake), Nacha and Elena's Mother (Like Water for Chocolate) and roles in Ceremony of Innocence, Monotones II, In the middle, somewhat elevated, Sleeping with Audrey, Gong, My Brother, My Sisters, Coppélia, Agon and Raymonda Act III. 

Arestis has created a number of roles for the Company, including in Qualia, Figure in Progress, Castle Nowhere and Frankenstein.