Ian Byron Szkolak trained with Nadia Veselova-Tencer at the Academy of Ballet and Jazz, Toronto. In his early teens Ian enjoyed summer camps at The Kirov Academy (Washington DC), HARID Conservatory, The Rock School and the Princess Grace Academy in Monte Carlo. At seventeen, Ian went to the John Cranko School in Stuttgart to study under Pyotr Pestov, and then earned his three year Performing Arts Degree from the Mannheim University of Music & Performing Arts, Germany. Ian has danced with Canadian Pacific Ballet as Prince Désiré in Sleeping Beauty and Albert in Victoria & Albert. After joining Ballet Victoria he also performed as the Slave Monger in La Bayadere and Arabian in The Nutcracker. While still working at Ballet Etiole this year, Ian is excited to share his knowledge and experience in partnering and ballet class with the next generation of talented ballet dancers at RPBA.