Tennant, Veronica (b London, 15 Jan. 1947). British-born Canadian dancer. She studied at the Cone-Ripman School in London (1952-5) and at the National Ballet School of Canada in Toronto (from 1956), a student of Betty Oliphant. She joined the National Ballet of Canada as a principal dancer in 1965 to dance the role of Juliet in Cranko's Romeo and Juliet. Her intense dramatic style revealed itself right from the start (a quality later to be exploited when she undertook Cranko's Onegin) and although she had to overcome the limitations of a physique not ideally suited to classical ballet, she quickly established herself as the company's main ballerina. She followed Juliet with Kitri, Odette-Odile, and Cinderella, all within the space of three years. She was the National's first true international star, touring extensively with it and leading the company when it made its London debut in 1972 and its Metropolitan Opera debut in 1973. Her partners included Nureyev and Dowell, and she was the first ballerina to partner Baryshnikov following his defection in Toronto in 1974, dancing in a CBC-TV production of Erik Bruhn's La Sylphide. She guested with companies throughout North America. She also made numerous appearances on Canadian television, including in Romeo and Juliet (1965), the Emmy Award-winning Cinderella (CBC, 1967), and the Emmy Award-winning Sleeping Beauty (CBC/PBS 1972). During her 25 years with the National she danced all the major ballerina parts and created roles in Petit's Kraanerg (1969), Kudelka's Apples (1974), The Party (1976), Washington Square (1978), All Night Wonder (1981), and Hedda (1982), Swanilda in Bruhn's new staging of Coppélia (1975), in Vesak's Whispers and Darkness (1975), Ditchburn's Mad Shadows (1979), Macdonald's Newcomers (1980), Patsalas's Paranda Criolla (1980), Liebestod (1982), and Canciones (1983), Nebrada's Portrait of Love and Death (1982), David Allan's Etc! (1985), Villanella (1986), Capriccio (1986), Masada (1987), and Botticelli Pictures (1988). Two documentaries were made about her: Veronica Tennant: A Dancer of Distinction (CBC, 1983) and Veronica: Completing the Circle (CBC, 1989). She retired from the stage in 1989; her farewell performance was as Juliet, the role which had brought her to stardom 24 years earlier. Following her retirement, she pursued a career as an actress, television presenter, producer, and director. Author of two children's books: the novel On Stage, Please (Toronto, 1977) and The Nutcracker (Toronto, 1985). Officer of the Order of Canada 1975.

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