Royal Winnipeg Ballet

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The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is Canada's oldest ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.

It was founded in 1939 as the "Winnipeg Ballet Club" by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally. The name was changed to the "Winnipeg Ballet" in 1941 and it was granted its royal title in 1953, the first granted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet began to tour Canada in 1945; it completed its first American tour in 1954. Today, the Company spends 20 or more weeks a year on the road, presenting more than 100 performances every year, performing in centres large and small.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Professional Division is an exclusive, full-time classical ballet training program for students in grades 6 through 12. The school includes approximately 70 young dancers, selected from around the world, and graduates have international careers in top companies in Canada and abroad. The current building opened in January, 1988.

In 2002, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's interpretation of the story of Dracula was filmed in a made for television titled Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary directed by Guy Maddin. The film eventually was released theatrically.