Christmas Eve was full of extra magic this year for Principal Dancer Greta Hodgkinson and First Soloist Etienne Lavigne who welcomed their son, Maxime Ashod Lavigne, into the world at 4:41 pm on December 24, 2009.

Maxime is the first child for the couple who were married in July 2008. The family is now at home and all are healthy and happy. Ms. Hodgkinson is expected to return to the stage in the Summer Season for performances of Onegin.

Second Soloist Alejandra Perez-Gomez and her husband Theo Edmands are also expecting their first child, due later this month.

[Photos: Top and centre, Greta Hodgkinson, Etienne Lavigne and Maxime Ashod Lavigne. Photos courtesty of Etienne Lavigne. Above, Alejandra Perez-Gomez. Photo by Sian Richards.]