Hiroto Saito

Ballet Master & Company Dancer

Kobe, Japan

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Company Member Since 2007

Hiroto began dancing at the Sadamatsu Hamada Ballet School in Kobe, Japan at age 7 and went on to study at the English National Ballet School in London, UK. Upon graduation, Hiroto joined the Hong Kong Ballet under the direction of Stephen Jefferies, and throughout his career he has worked with internationally recognized figures such as Wayne Eagling, Alexander Grant, and Suzanne Farrell.

Hiroto first met Bengt Jörgen while he was dancing with the Hong Kong Ballet in Bengt’s Romeo & Juliet and joined Ballet Jörgen in 2007.

Hiroto’s repertoire with CBJ includes many principal roles, including the Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Nathaniel and Dr. Coppélius in Coppélia, Dimitry in Anastasia, the Prince and Suitor in Cinderella, Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty and Lord Birch in The Nutcracker, A Canadian Tradition. During CBJ’s 25th anniversary season, Hiroto was involved in creating many roles in the company’s new production of Swan Lake, in which he performed the principal roles of Siegfried and Von Rothbart.

In 2017, Hiroto transitioned into the role of Ballet Master at Ballet Jörgen, taking on a more creative role with the company as well as performing on stage.

In addition to his role as a leading dancer, Hiroto also teaches and coaches dance students around the world. During the summer of 2013, he taught for Damansara Performing Arts Centre in Malaysia and has been a teacher, private coach, and rehearsal master for CBJ’s Summer Intensive and Junior Company since 2012. Hiroto has also choreographed many works such as 05:46 for Hong Kong Ballet, Lost and Found for George Brown Dance, and Lord of the Rings for Toronto Youth Ballet/ Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra. He was also the choreographer for The Marvelous Girl, a short film produced by CBJ that was part of both The Cannes Film Festival and The Montreal World Film Festival. In 2011 Hiroto organized Dance for Japan, a fundraiser performance with CBJ to support earthquake relief in Fukushima, Japan.