Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet(USA)

Swarthmore Ballet Theatre(USA)

Principal

2010

National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Level One Award in Ballet 2003, Regional Dance America Festival Founders' Award of Excellence 2003, USA National Youth Ballet Competition gold medal 2003, Youth America Grand Prix Finals Top 12 2003, Presidential Scholar in the Arts finalist, Princess Grace nominee 2004, "Dancer to Watch" 2015

Lia Cirio began her training at Swarthmore Ballet Theatre with Lori Ardis. She went on to train at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary and Darla Hoover, where she also studied privately with Theresa Crawford and Rafael Grigorian. At age 16, Cirio was awarded a Level One award from the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts and was a Presidential Scholar in the Arts finalist. She was also awarded the top scholarship and Founders' Award presented by Barbara Weisberger at the Regional Dance America Festival. The same year, she was invited by Mikko Nissinen to join Boston Ballet II, and was Boston Ballet's Princess Grace Nominee for 2004. She was promoted to Boston Ballet's corps de ballet in 2004, to second soloist in 2006, and to soloist in 2007. From 2008-2009, Cirio toured with Trey McIntyre Project, performing throughout the U.S. and the world. She danced principal roles in a number of McIntyre’s works. She returned to Boston Ballet for the 2009-2010 season and was named principal dancer in 2010. She has been hailed as "one of the most accomplished actress-dancers in the company" by The Patriot Ledger and as “an outstanding performer with tremendous stage presence” during Boston's tour to Spain.