Step into the world of ballet beyond the spotlight with our exclusive feature! Each edition offers a glimpse into the off-stage lives of your favorite dancers, showcasing their unique hobbies and passions. Discover the surprising and delightful activities that make these artists’ lives as captivating as their performances.
EVA BURTON
Oregon Ballet Theatre
Principal Dancer
Essential item in your dance bag?
I like to use perfume to get into character so I always have a bottle in my bag. For Aurora it was heavy on the rose, for Odette it’s musky and earthy, and currently for the Ice Cream Witch in Hansel and Gretel it’s sugary and sweet. Oh and my PerfectFit toe pads—I would definitely cry if I lost those ratty old things.
Movie you can re-watch till the end of time?
Moonstruck. Cher and Nicholas Cage forever.Â
Dancer who’s inspired you?
Former OBT principal Alison Roper has been such an inspiration to me my entire career. I saw her perform Nicolo Fonte’s Bolero right before I joined the company and was completely blown away. I feel so lucky to have gotten to be in the studio with such a beautiful artist. I still use old videos of her for inspiration.
Song/artist/playlist you’ve been playing on repeat?
I’m not a pop girl, but The Rise and Fall of A Midwest Princess has been playing on a loop in my house and car for the past few months.
Least favorite dance step?
I could live without frappes and not mourn the loss.
How do you like to spend your time outside of dance?
I am so lucky to get to teach in OBT’s school, but it means that some days I’m literally at the studios for over twelve hours! I’m a homebody, so on my off days I’m generally relishing being home. I love to cook, do my nails, light some candles, and get cozy!
Best place to hang out in your company’s home city?
I live in the deep southeast about a mile from Powell-Butte Nature Reserve and it’s one of my favorite spots in Portland! It has amazing views of Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens, wildflowers in the summer, colorful foliage in the fall—everything that I love about living in the Pacific Northwest! When the weather’s nice you can find me there trying (struggling) to teach my puppy, Hilde, proper leash etiquette.Â
Dream role?
Dancing Juliet has always been a dream of mine. I love getting to act in story ballets and Juliet brings the full range of emotions. Fun fact—My great grandmother (and namesake) was a silent film star so that’s where I like to think that I got my flare for drama.
Go-to coffee shop order?
I stopped drinking coffee (mostly) a couple of years ago, so I drink tea at home most mornings. When I do go to a coffee shop, I want to try something fancy and seasonal—lavender matcha at Cafe Umbria or Cardamom Latte at Heart Coffee are two recent standouts.
Essential post-show ritual?
Eating ice cream (most likely Tillamook Mudslide) in an epsom salt bath with a glass of wine or cider.Â
ABOUT EVA
Eva Burton was born in Los Angeles, California, where she received training from Patrick Frantz, followed by San Francisco Ballet School. In 2010, she joined OBT as a dancer in the corps de ballet, was promoted to soloist in 2016, and became principal in the beginning of the 2020–2021 season. Her repertoire includes works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Trey McIntyre, Nicolo Fonte, James Kudelka, Nacho Duato, Helen Pickett, Yuri Possokhov, August Bournonville, and Jiřà Kylián. In 2015 and 2019, she performed the title role in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella. In February of 2020, she made her debut as Princess Aurora in Christopher Stowell’s production of The Sleeping Beauty.
Featured image: Eva Burton rehearsing La Sylphide with Frank Anderson, by Blaine Truitt Covert
Image 1: Eva Burton and John-Paul Simoens rehearsing Christopher Stowell’s Swan Lake, by Blaine TruittCovert
Image 4: Eva Burton and Luke Ingham performing Christopher Stowell’s Swan Lake, by Jingzi Zhao
Image 6: Eva Burton and Rian Simcoe performing Christopher Bruce’s Hush, by Blaine Truitt Covert
