Rex Harrington is to marry Robert Hope in the summer of 2011. (Sian Richards/National Ballet of Canada)Rex Harrington, former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, has announced his engagement to Robert Hope.
Harrington and Hope have been a couple for six years and became engaged in France this March, according to a release Wednesday from the Toronto-based ballet company.
They will wed in the summer of 2011, possibly in a vineyard near Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Hope, 43, is a dental consultant from Winnipeg and the two met through mutual friends. They now live together in Toronto.
Harrington is artist-in-residence at the National Ballet, and will dance in June in the role of Prince Gremin in a newly designed Onegin, a ballet he was known for during his career with the company.
Harrington retired from ballet in 2004 and annually participates in Toronto's Christmas pantomime.
Harrington said he hopes announcing his same-sex union will inspire those struggling to come out of the closet.
"I think I've lived my whole life sort of open and honest," he said. "And for people who are questioning who they are and seeing that it's fine and we have a strong relationship, I think it sends a good message to those people who are having a hard time, maybe."
With files from The Canadian PressShare Tools
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