Yanela Piñera

Born in Cuba, Yanela graduated from the National Ballet School in Havana in 2004. She danced with the National Ballet of Cuba for 11 years where she was promoted to Principal Dancer at the age of 22. She joined Queensland Ballet as a Principal Artist in 2015, before retiring from the stage in 2025. 

She has performed on many of the most important stages around the world, The Coliseum in London, the Bolshoi Theatre and Kremlin Theatre in Moscow, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, among others. Yanela has also performed as a guest Principal Dancer with Kremlin Ballet, Texas Ballet Theatre, Gala Les Etoiles and other Dance Festivals and Galas worldwide.

Yanela joined Queensland Ballet Artistic team as Ballet Repetiteur in January 2026.