Alberta Ballet Company
Encyclopedia
The Alberta Ballet is located in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. It is Canada’s third largest dance company. Alberta Ballet has developed a distinctive repertoire and performance quality that has brought it to the forefront of national and international stages.
The arrival of former San Francisco Ballet star Mikko Nissinen
as artistic director brought the company to a new level. Nissinen introduced Balanchine works, while continuing to commission new works from Canadian and international choreographers. He toured the company to China, Finland, and Egypt.
In 2002, when Nissenen left for Boston Ballet
, Jean Grand-Maître was appointed as artistic director and continued the high level of excellence. Grand-Maître solidified and continued to develop Alberta Ballet's strong national and international presence. Alberta Ballet continues to tour throughout North America and China.
. In the spring of 2010, Alberta Ballet built on its successful ballet and pop collaboration, by staging an Elton John production named Elton: Love Lies Bleeding. Elton John reportedly was so moved by Fiddle and the Drum that he asked Alberta Ballet to produce a ballet for him.
Alberta Ballet was the first Canadian company to stage a ballet by Christopher Wheeldon
(resident choreographer of the New York City Ballet
ballet and arguably one of the top choreographers in the world) -A Midsummer Night's Dream. Further, it commissioned two pieces during the earlier years of Jorma Elo
(resident choreographer of the Boston Ballet
), who has since become a highly sought-after and internationally acclaimed choreographer.
Most recently, the company was the stage on which up and coming Canadian choreographer, Sabrina Matthews
began to develop her craft. She has created pieces for some of the world's leading ballet companies and is considered one of Canada's brightest new dance makers.
The 2009-2010 season will feature the following ballets: Romeo and Juliet
, The Nutcracker
, Moulin Rouge The Ballet (performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet
), the World Premieres of Songs of a Wayfarer and The Seven Deadly Sins, and the World Premiere of ELTON, a new creation in collaboration with Sir Elton John.
The School of Alberta Ballet's curriculum is strongly rooted in the classical ballet tradition, influenced by the Vanagnova (Russian) System and the Cecchetti (Italian) Method. It includes complementary dance forms such as modern, jazz, and character dance. The School of Alberta Ballet is committed to diversity, and invites students from all locations and backgrounds. It particularly encourages boys to explore the opportunity for ballet training and offers scholarships to assist in doing so.
Leading a team of internationally acclaimed and highly qualified teachers, Murray and Nancy Kilgour are two of Canada's most respected dance educators. Entrance into the Professional Division is by audition only and begins at age 10. The school runs an all-day Pre-professional Graduate Program as well as a transfer credit partnership with the University of Calgary for its BA Dance degree. However, the partnership between The School of Alberta Ballet and the Department of Dance at the University of Calgary has ended, officially discontinuing the Ballet stream and leaving Contemporary Dance as the only route of study.
Website: www.schoolofalbertaballet.com
Creation
The Alberta Ballet was founded by Dr. Ruth Carse in the early 1950s and became a professional company in 1966.Development
The Alberta Ballet continued to develop under artistic directors Jeremy Leslie-Spinks (1975), Brydon Paige (1976–1988), and Ali Pourfarrokh (1988–1998). During Pourfarrokh's tenure, in 1990, the company merged with the Calgary City Ballet and moved into the Nat Christie Centre in Calgary. It continues to provide ballet performances in both Edmonton and Calgary.The arrival of former San Francisco Ballet star Mikko Nissinen
Mikko Nissinen
Mikko Nissinen is a Finnish ballet dancer. He has danced with the Dutch National Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. He is currently the Artistic Director of Boston Ballet, a position he has held since 2002....
as artistic director brought the company to a new level. Nissinen introduced Balanchine works, while continuing to commission new works from Canadian and international choreographers. He toured the company to China, Finland, and Egypt.
In 2002, when Nissenen left for Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet, founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams, was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. Boston Ballet’s national and international reputation developed under the leadership of Artistic Directors Violette Verdy , Bruce Marks , and Anna-Marie Holmes...
, Jean Grand-Maître was appointed as artistic director and continued the high level of excellence. Grand-Maître solidified and continued to develop Alberta Ballet's strong national and international presence. Alberta Ballet continues to tour throughout North America and China.
Choreography
Alberta Ballet has also been on the cutting edge of choreography. Artistic director, Jean Grand-Maître, continues to create while at Alberta Ballet: most notably, Carmen, which toured China, and Fiddle and the Drum, a collaboration with Joni MitchellJoni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
. In the spring of 2010, Alberta Ballet built on its successful ballet and pop collaboration, by staging an Elton John production named Elton: Love Lies Bleeding. Elton John reportedly was so moved by Fiddle and the Drum that he asked Alberta Ballet to produce a ballet for him.
Alberta Ballet was the first Canadian company to stage a ballet by Christopher Wheeldon
Christopher Wheeldon
Christopher Wheeldon is an international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Born in Somerset, England, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. He attended the Royal Ballet School between the ages of 11 and 18...
(resident choreographer of the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
ballet and arguably one of the top choreographers in the world) -A Midsummer Night's Dream. Further, it commissioned two pieces during the earlier years of Jorma Elo
Jorma Elo
Jorma Elo is a contemporary choreographer. Elo began studying dance at a young age through classical training at the Finnish National Ballet School and the Kirov Ballet School. He danced with the Finnish Ballet from 1978–1984 and with the Cullberg Ballet from 1984 until 1990...
(resident choreographer of the Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet, founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams, was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. Boston Ballet’s national and international reputation developed under the leadership of Artistic Directors Violette Verdy , Bruce Marks , and Anna-Marie Holmes...
), who has since become a highly sought-after and internationally acclaimed choreographer.
Most recently, the company was the stage on which up and coming Canadian choreographer, Sabrina Matthews
Sabrina Matthews
Sabrina Matthews is a Canadian ballet choreographer. She has created pieces for some of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, including multiple pieces for the renowned Stuttgart Ballet. This in demand choreographer has premiered works on three continents in over a dozen cities...
began to develop her craft. She has created pieces for some of the world's leading ballet companies and is considered one of Canada's brightest new dance makers.
Current Season
Jean Grand-Maître is the current artistic director and Martin Bragg is the current Executive Director.The 2009-2010 season will feature the following ballets: Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
, Moulin Rouge The Ballet (performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is Canada's oldest ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America....
), the World Premieres of Songs of a Wayfarer and The Seven Deadly Sins, and the World Premiere of ELTON, a new creation in collaboration with Sir Elton John.
Dancers
Company artists of the Alberta Ballet as of May 2010:- Skye Balfour-Ducharme
- Reilley Bell
- Mark Biocca
- Melissa Boniface
- Nicole Caron
- Emily Collier
- Noëllie Conjeaud
- Patrick Doe
- Mark Dennis
- Alexandra Gibson
- Jennifer Gibson
- Victoria Lane Green
- Yukichi Hattori
- Asaka Homma
- Jung-Min Hong
- Davidson Jaconello
- Galien Johnston
- Mariko Kondo
- Matthew Lehmann
- Kelley McKinlay
- Kealan McLaughlin
- Anthony Pina
- Blair Puente
- Jeronimo Forteza Ramos
- Sébastien Riou
- Christopher Rudd
- Nadezhda Vostrikov
- Tara Williamson
School of Alberta Ballet
The School of Alberta Ballet is the official training centre of Alberta Ballet. Established in 1991, the school has become one of Canada's leading dance training institutions. Dedicated to providing superior training in a friendly, stimulating and creative environment, it offers two divisions and multiple program choices to nurture and help develop young dancers to their greatest individual potential.The School of Alberta Ballet's curriculum is strongly rooted in the classical ballet tradition, influenced by the Vanagnova (Russian) System and the Cecchetti (Italian) Method. It includes complementary dance forms such as modern, jazz, and character dance. The School of Alberta Ballet is committed to diversity, and invites students from all locations and backgrounds. It particularly encourages boys to explore the opportunity for ballet training and offers scholarships to assist in doing so.
Leading a team of internationally acclaimed and highly qualified teachers, Murray and Nancy Kilgour are two of Canada's most respected dance educators. Entrance into the Professional Division is by audition only and begins at age 10. The school runs an all-day Pre-professional Graduate Program as well as a transfer credit partnership with the University of Calgary for its BA Dance degree. However, the partnership between The School of Alberta Ballet and the Department of Dance at the University of Calgary has ended, officially discontinuing the Ballet stream and leaving Contemporary Dance as the only route of study.
Website: www.schoolofalbertaballet.com