Henry Hobson is a 16 year old junior from Encinitas California. When he was 7 years old, he took his first ballet class at the Encinitas Ballet. At age 11, he began doing Irish dance as well as hip-hop. It wasn’t long after he took his first men’s ballet classes, with Ben Houk and Ron Tilton, following his younger brother. He trained from ages 12 to 16 at the San Elijo Dance and Music Academy studying with the aforementioned teachers as well as Ray Tilton, and Lauri-Michelle Houk. He has also participated in many summer intensive programs, starting in 2023 when he attended the Young Dancer’s Intensive at Ballet West’s Park City campus. The following summer he spent three weeks at Ballet Austin as well as two weeks at the ArtÈmotion Ballet West summer intensive in St. George. The summer after, he spent six full weeks at Ballet Austin. In the summer of 2026, he spent another six weeks at Ballet Austin in addition to a week at the San Diego Ballet intensive. Throughout Henry Hobson’s life, he’s experimented with many different forms of artistic expression. He has a long history with music, starting piano at age 5 and gradually transitioning to the trombone and later the bassoon. He’s played these instruments in various ensembles, including the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory’s Unity Ensemble, the San Diego Youth Symphony, and the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra. He even played in the opener for the release of “Espérame En El Cielo,” the latest album by Gilbert Castellanos. He was also in various musical theatre productions with Moonlight Amphitheater and Ovation Youth Theater, with varying roles, including Nigel in “Matilda,” and a banker in “Mary Poppins.” Alongside ballet, he also loves to read. His favorite genres include historical and philosophical texts.
What ignited your passion for dance?
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My younger brother was in ballet before me and I followed not long after, almost immediately enjoying the precision of class.
What inspired you to pursue a professional career in dance?
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When I was 12 me and my family saw the San Diego Ballet production “Birdland” which gave me a much deeper passion for dance as a whole.
What is your favorite thing about being a dancer?
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The best part of being a dancer in my opinion is seeing a show go from nothing to something in a short amount of time, through the effort of everyone involved.
What is your biggest dream for your dance career?
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I’d love to be a principal dancer someday.
When you are not pirouetting and perfecting your pliés, what brings you joy?
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When not dancing, I enjoy reading and watching movies.
What is the most transformative experience you’ve had as a dancer?
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The first time I went to the Ballet Austin summer intensive I realized how much bigger the dance world was than what I had seen before, and how much better people both younger and not much older than me were, which pushed and motivated me to get better.
What is your favorite ballet?
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My favorite ballet is La Sylphide.
What is your favorite role you have performed at San Diego Ballet and what is a role you would like to perform in the future?
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I have not performed any roles at San Diego Ballet yet, and in the future I would love to play James in La Sylphide
What is your favorite local spot in San Diego?
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The best spot I’ve been to is the Midway museum in the docks.