Crystal Costa

Born in Vancouver, Crystal Costa graduated with Honours from Canada's National Ballet School in 2001 and immediately joined Hong Kong Ballet, where she was promoted to Soloist in 2003 and Principal Dancer in 2005. In 2007, she joined the English National Ballet as a Soloist, becoming First Soloist in 2008 and dancing with the company until 2020.

Throughout her performing career, Crystal graced prestigious stages worldwide, including the Palais Garnier in Paris, the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia, and the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Japan. She performed principal roles in almost all of the classical ballet repertoire, including The Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppélia, Cinderella, and Theme and Variations, as well as in contemporary works by renowned choreographers including Pina Bausch, William Forsythe, Akram Khan, Aszure Barton, and Itzik Galili. Notable roles include The Chosen One in Pina Bausch's Rite of Spring, Giselle in Akram Khan's Giselle, and the title role of Nora, created for her by Stina Quagebeur in English National Ballet's triple bill She Persisted at Sadler's Wells.

Crystal's artistry has been recognized through prestigious nominations, including the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 2010 for Outstanding Classical Female Performance and English National Ballet's Emerging Dancer Award 2010, where she won The People's Choice Award.

As a teacher and stager, Crystal has worked internationally with leading companies including English National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Dortmund, Hong Kong Ballet, Joburg Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and BalletX. She serves as a resident guest teacher for Ballet BC and has had the honour of staging Akram Khan's Dust for San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Dortmund, and Joburg Ballet. She currently travels internationally as a rehearsal director and stager for Akram Khan Company.

Through her mentorship and coaching, students have secured contracts with Paris Opera Ballet, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Northern Ballet. Her students have achieved remarkable success in international competitions, earning gold medals and finalist placements at Prix de Lausanne, YAGP, The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition, and The Grasse International Ballet Competition. A qualified 700 RYT yoga teacher specializing in hatha vinyasa flow, restorative, and children's yoga, Crystal has taught yoga for dancers at English National Ballet, London Studio Centre, and Central School of Ballet. Both her ballet and yoga classes are featured on English National Ballet's online platform, Ballet Active.

In 2025, Crystal became co-director of DAP Dance As a Profession, which held its inaugural summer intensive in June. She continues to reside in Vancouver, Canada, while maintaining an active international teaching and staging schedule.