Leyna Magbutay

Since joining the Norwegian National Ballet in 2007, Leyna Magbutay has danced principal roles in full length classical productions such as Giselle in Giselle, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Clara in The Nutcracker.

Her other major roles include Olga in Cranko’s Onegin, Lescauts mistress in MacMillan’s Manon, Myrtha in Harvey’s Giselle, Gamzatti and the 1st shade variation in Makarova’s La Bayadère, The Sugarplum Fairy in Bjørn’s The Nutcracker, Dryad Queen and Kitri’s friend in Nureyev’s Don Quixote, The peasant pas de deux in Harveys Giselle, The Fairy Godmother in Stevenson’s Askepott, Micaëla in Scarlett’s Carmen, The Princess in his version of The Firebird and the lead role in Vespertine, Dolly and Betsy in Spuck’s Anna Karenina and the Prince’s fiancé in his Sleeping Beauty, the title role in the 2nd act of Bournonville’s La Sylphide and the pas de trois in Holmes’ Svanesjøen. She has also danced roles in several Balanchine ballets including Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, soloist in Divertimento no. 15, Pas de trois in Emeralds, 8 girls in Rubies, Agon pas de deux, principal woman in the 3rd and 4th movements in Symphony in C, demi-soloist in Theme and Variations, Concerto Barocco and Serenade.

Magbutay has danced roles in various modern ballets, most notably in the Kylián repertoire, including ballets such as One of a Kind, Bella Figura, Petite Mort, Sweet Dreams, Falling Angels, Wings of Wax, Symphony of Psalms, Arcimboldo and Sechs Tänze. She has danced Spuck’s Le Grand Pas de Deux, Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude and Enemy in The Figure, Duato’s Por Vos Muero, Without Words and Multiplicity – Forms of Silence and Emptiness, Ek’s …and Brahms, Tetley’s Ricercare, Sacre and Voluntaries, McGregor’s Chroma and León og Lightfoot’s Safe as Houses and SH-Boom. 

She has taken part in creations for the company such as Ekman’s A Swan Lake, Dawsons dancingmadlybackwards, Lee’s 5 for Silver, Strømgren’s Stigma, Portner’s Some girls don’t turn, Elo’s Touch, Øyen’s Petrushka og Hough’s Epic Short, and Wheeldon’s The Christening Suite for the opening gala of the Opera House in 2008.

Originally from Japan, Magbutay began her training with Ana Keates and at the Tokyo Ballet School, before moving to the UK and for her full-time education at Elmhurst School for Dance. In her final years as a student, she danced with the Birmingham Royal Ballet.