Alberta Ballet Company

Alberta Ballet

Nat Christie Centre, home of the Alberta Ballet
General information
Name Alberta Ballet
Year founded 1966
Founders Ruth Carse
Location Calgary
Principal venue Nat Christie Centre
Website http://albertaballet.com/
Senior staff
Director Jean Grand-Maître
Artistic staff
Music Director Peter Dala
Other
Official school School of Alberta Ballet

The Alberta Ballet (also known as the Alberta Ballet Company) is located in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. It is Canada's third largest dance company.[1]

Creation

The Alberta Ballet was founded by Muriel Taylor and Dr. Ruth Carse in 1958 and became a professional company in 1966.[2][3]

Development

Carse directed the company until 1975.[1] She was followed by 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. Since then, it has performed in both Edmonton and Calgary.

Former San Francisco Ballet dancer Mikko Nissinen then directed the company until 2002. Nissinen introduced Balanchine works, while continuing to commission new works from Canadian and international choreographers. He toured the company to China, Finland, and Egypt.[1]

Jean Grand-Maître was then appointed as artistic director. Alberta Ballet continues to tour throughout North America and China.

Choreography

Artistic director Jean Grand-Maître has choreographed Carmen, which toured China, and Fiddle and the Drum, a collaboration with Joni Mitchell while at the Alberta Ballet. In the spring of 2010 the company built on its ballet and pop collaboration by staging an Elton John production named Elton:[4] Love Lies Bleeding.[5] 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 of the New York City Ballet. Wheeldon choreographed A Midsummer Night's Dream with the company. It also commissioned two pieces from Jorma Elo, of the Boston Ballet.

Canadian choreographer Sabrina Matthews has created pieces the company as well.

2009-2010 Season

The 2009-2010 season featured 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.

Dancers

Company artists of the Alberta Ballet:[6]

  • Eli Barnes
  • Ian Buchanan
  • John Canfield
  • Nicole Caron
  • Leiland Charles
  • Natalie Chui
  • Tanya Chumak
  • Jared Ebell
  • Alexandra Gibson
  • Jennifer Gibson
  • Garrett Groat
  • Hayna Gutierrez
  • Yukichi Hattori
  • Yoo Sang Hong
  • Seira Iwamoto
  • Chris Kaiser
  • Mariko Kondo
  • Jose Losada
  • Kelley McKinlay
  • Reilly McKinlay
  • Emily Nicholson
  • Taryn Nowels
  • Nicolas Pelletier
  • Sanford Placide
  • Gustavo Ribeiro
  • Catherine Rutherford
  • Serena Sandford
  • Luna Sasaki
  • Christopher Scruggs
  • Helen Thomas
  • Laura Vande Zande

School of Alberta Ballet

Established in 1991, the School of Alberta Ballet is the official training centre of Alberta Ballet. It offers two divisions and multiple program choices.

The School of Alberta Ballet's curriculum based on a combination of the Vaganova System and the Cecchetti Method. It includes complementary dance forms such as modern, jazz, and character dance. The School of Alberta Ballet is committed to diversity.

Murray Kilgour is the principal and Nancy Kilgour is the senior pedagogue.[7]

Former Alberta Ballet dancers

Wayne Mcknight

References

  1. 1 2 3 Crabb, Michael (August 2005). "Alberta Ballet's Dramatic Moves". Dance Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Anderson, Jack (17 October 1997). "From Alberta, a Troupe Both Lyrical and Dramatic". New York Times. New York City, United States. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  3. ↑ Sanderson, Kay (1999). 200 Remarkable Alberta Women. Calgary: Famous Five Foundation. p. 91.
  4. ↑ "AMA Home Page - AMA". AMA.
  5. ↑ http://www.albertaballet.com/page/elton/1000552
  6. ↑ "Company Artists". Alberta Ballet Company. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "Senior Personnel" (Press release). School of Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
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