John-Paul Simoens | Soloist

Joined OBT in 2023

John-Paul Simoens began his dance training at age seven under Diane Lauridsen in Los Angeles, California. In 2012 he was a semi-finalist in the Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland where he received a scholarship to attend the San Francisco Ballet School. In 2014 He was named an apprentice with the company.

John-Paul has enjoyed nine years with the San Francisco Ballet during which time he has been privileged enough to perform principal roles in many ballets including Helgi Tomasson’s Don Quixote, Concerto Grosso, and Fifth Season; Jerome Robbin’s Fancy Free and The Cage; Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House; Benjamin Millipied’s The Chairman Dances; Arthur Pita’s Bjork Ballet; Yuka Oishi’s Bolero; Liam Scarlett’s Fearful Symmetries and many other featured roles.

John-Paul has also been involved in the process of creating new works with many renowned choreographers including Christopher Wheeldon, William Forsythe, Cathy Marston, Justin Peck, David Dawson, Danielle Rowe, Yuri Possokhov, Robert Garland, and Myles Thatcher among others.