Last season, young National Ballet of Canada dancer Francesco Gabriele Frola had his coming out party, wowing an adoring audience with his energy, artistry and athleticism. Now the word is officially out. Frola, originally from Parma, Italy, begins the season as first soloist as the ballet prepares two productions to premiere this month: Winter’s Tale, Nov. 14 to 22, and Romeo and Juliet, Nov. 25 to Dec. 5. We chat with the charismatic young dancer about his meteoric rise.

There has been a lot of buzz regarding your performances last season, and you seem to be pegged as a budding star. Have you noticed?
I’m glad people think like that. You notice that when the audience, at the end of a variation or show, are really clapping. It’s an amazing feeling, especially because you are giving something to the audience, and I guess that’s what a dancer does. A lot of dancers do dance for themselves because that’s what helps, but I think I do ballet not for me, but for giving to other people, and I think it’s an amazing sensation. You’re exhausted, but the audience enjoys it.

You’ve been promoted to first soloist. How does that change things?
It’s different. You need to be more professional, in a way. Now, you’re not young anymore. Other people are watching you to make sure you give a good impression to the young people. It’s definitely harder than I thought.

Is there more pressure now?
I feel, because in this company they use a lot of young people anyway and I’ve been doing this [soloing] all last year, [in] these roles — I used to do the roles and corps [de ballet]) — they trained me to know better already what I’m going to have to do. So it is not a huge change.

And how would you describe your dancing?
I really like to jump and turn and do charismatic and strong roles. That’s what I feel is more me, a normal Gabriele even out of ballet. So it is much easier to take it onstage.

What type of role do you most enjoy?
Last year, I did Nijinsky, and it felt much easier than doing Sleeping Beauty. It is more my personality. I mean, the guy was a little more crazy than me, but I feel like I saw some of me in Nijinsky. Sleeping Beauty is a bit more elegant and like a prince. It’s not really my style.

You moved to Toronto to join the National Ballet when you were just 18. What was the hardest adjustment?
It is definitely more different than Italy. Everything is new. And the food, that’s probably the most difficult, the food. But there’s some good Italian places here too.… I usually go to Gato Nero on College. Even Terroni is not bad, actually.

And how did you get into ballet originally?
My parents were both ballet dancers too. I started when I was three or four until I was 16. I used to do soccer at the same time, like every Italian guy. Then I had to choose.

Have they been over to check out the National Ballet?
They come over sometimes to watch a performance. They really like it, and they could see, over the last five years, this company really grew a lot. And it’s not just me thinking that because I’m in the company. Even from my family — they know ballet — it’s nice to see them so excited for me to be here.