EunWon Lee

EunWon Lee is a South Korean ballet dancer. She was a former principal dancer with the Korea National Ballet and currently dances with The Washington Ballet.

Early life and education Lee was born and raised in South Korea. She discovered ballet at the age of seven, after attending a performance of The Nutcracker with her parents. She enrolled in ballet classes and later became a student at the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts, a competitive arts middle school, and at Ye Won Art School. She skipped high school and entered university at the age of sixteen. Lee received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Korea National University of Arts in Seoul.

Career Lee joined the Korea National Ballet as an apprentice in 2010. As a principal, Lee became a celebrity in South Korea, even throwing the first pitch at a professional baseball game. She danced the role of Katherina in John Cranko's Taming of the Shrew as her last performance with Korea National Ballet.

Awards Prima Ballerina Award – Korean Ballet Association (2014, South Korea) Senior Silver Medal & Prima Ballerina Award – Korean Ballet Association (2011, South Korea) Junior Bronze Medal – Varna Ballet Competition (2008, Bulgaria) Junior Silver Medal – Shanghai Ballet Competition (2007, China) Grand Prix, Junior Gold Medal – Seoul International Ballet Competition (2006, South Korea) Elegance Award – Vaganova Prix International Competition (2006, Russia)