Lorianne Robertson

Lead Artist, Head of Wardrobe

BALLET 5:8 PROFESSIONAL COMPANY MEMBERSHIP

Apprentice 2013-2014
Company Artist 2014-2016
Solo Artist 2016-2019
Lead Artist 2019-Present

Lorianne Barclay was practically raised in an art bubble. Not only is her home town of Portland, Oregon a very art centered culture, but her family is a mix of fine artists and musicians. As a child, she could be found with her limbs in the most obscure positions. This caused her parents to put her in gymnastics at age three. Later she transitioned to ballet, finding it to be a beautiful arrangement of movement and artistry. She received her early training at Portland Metro Arts, and later went on to studying for 4 years under John Magnus in Portland Festival Ballet’s trainee program. Her summers were spent around the country studying with Ballet West, Summer Dance Lab, and awarded scholarships to train with Alonzo King Lines Ballet and Point Park University. In 2013, Lorianne choreographed a piece entitled “Inclus” which was selected as the winner of the Bloom project. Outside of dancing, she holds a degree in Graphic Design from the Academy of Art University. Lorianne has been with Ballet 5:8 since 2013 and was promoted to Solo Artist in 2016 and to Lead Artist in 2019. She has performed many soloist roles with Ballet 5:8 and has recently been recognized by critics across the country for her portrayal of Chicago poet Gwendolyn Brooks in Julianna Rubio Slager’s contemporary work The Mother, which is based on Brooks’ poem of the same name. Lorianne has also worked as Ballet 5:8's Costume Designer and Head of Wardrobe since 2014.