Wikipedia

Alberta Ballet Company

Alberta Ballet
General information
NameAlberta Ballet
Year founded1966
FoundersRuth Carse and Muriel Taylor
LocationCalgary
Websitealbertaballet.com
Senior staff
DirectorFrancesco Ventriglia
Artistic staff
Music DirectorPeter Dala
Other
Official schoolAlberta Ballet School

Alberta Ballet (also known as the Alberta Ballet Company) was founded by Muriel Taylor and Dr. Ruth Carse in 1958 and became a professional company in 1966.[1][2] The company is a resident company of both the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, Alberta and the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary, Alberta, and performs its full season in both venues.

Development

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Carse directed the company until 1975.[3] She was followed by Jeremy Leslie-Spinks (1975-1976), 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.[3]

Jean Grand-Maître was then appointed as artistic director in 2002. In 2019 Christopher Anderson was appointed co-artistic director of the company alongside Grand-Maître. This was planned as part of a three year transition process leading to Anderson becoming full artistic director of the company for the 2022/2023 season.

In June 2023 it was announced that Christopher Anderson and Alberta Ballet had "decided to part ways”.[4] Anderson left the company in December of 2023, and began his tenure as dance instructor at the University of South Carolina. [5]

Francesco Ventriglia has been director of the company since January 2024.[6]

Choreography

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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: Love Lies Bleeding. [7][8] 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.

Recent Seasons

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2015–2016

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The season included performances of the glam-rock ballet Love Lies Bleeding, featuring principal dancer Yukichi Hattori in the role of Elton John.[9]

2016–2017

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The 2016–2017 season featuring Alberta Ballet company dancers included Dracula, The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, and the World Premiere of Our Canada, a new creation in collaboration with Gordon Lightfoot. Dracula was on-loan from Texas Ballet Theater and choreographed by their artistic director, Ben Stevenson (dancer).

Guest company performances included Shadowland (performed by Pilobolus), a mixed bill from dance company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, and Life (performed by BalletBoyz). [10]

2017–2018

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The 2017–2018 season included performances of Tango Fire, Dangerous Liasons, The Nutcracker, Travis Wall's Shaping Sound, Opus Cactus by MOMIX, Cinderella, All of Us (The Tragically Hip ballet), and Paquita & Other Works.[11]

2018–2019

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The 2018–2019 season included performances of The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, a medley by Ballet BC, de.Vi.ate, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Fiddle and the Drum, and Les Sylphides and Other Works. [12]

2019–2020

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The 2019–2020 season included performances of Taj Express, Frankenstein, The Nutcracker, and Unleashed. This season also featured a guest performance by Diavolo, a Los Angeles-based dance company featured on NBC's America's Got Talent. [13]

In February 2020, Septime Webre's Peter Pan, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote Divertissements were cancelled due to public health concerns over the spread of COVID-19. [14]

2020–2021

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Swan Lake and Peter Pan, originally scheduled to be performed during the 2019–2020 season, were scheduled for May 2021 and July 2021 respectively. Jean Grand-Maître's All of Us was also scheduled to be performed in August 2021. [15] Both Peter Pan and All of Us were cancelled on February 24, 2021, and Swan Lake was further postponed. [16]

2021–2022

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Alberta Ballet came back in the 2021–2022 season, including performances of Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Hamlet, Phi, and Cinderella. [17]

2022–2023

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The 2022–2023 season included performances of The Handsmaid's Tale, Away We Go, The Nutcracker, Love Rocks, Giselle, and Botero. [18]

2023–2024

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The 2023–2024 season included performances of Ballet Hispánico in Doña Perón, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Hansel & Gretel, and Der Wolf & The Rite of Spring. This season also included a guest performance of Hamlet from the Beijing Dance Theater. [19]

2024–2025

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The 2024–2025 season included performances of La Sylphide, GRIMM, The Nutcracker, The Winter Gala, The Wizard of Oz, and Don Quixote. This season also included a guest performance from the Dance Theatre of Harlem. [20]

2025–2026

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The 2025–2026 season includes performances of Once Upon A Time, which premiered as A Thousand Tales in 2023 on the Dubai Opera Stage, Nijinsky, The Nutcracker, The Winter Gala, Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake, and Notre Dame de Paris. [21]

Dancers

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Dancers of Alberta Ballet (2025–2026): [22]

Name Nationality Ranking
Aaron Anker United States Principal
Alexandra Anker-Hughes United States Principal
Luna Sasaki Japan Principal
Caleb Durbin Australia Soloist
Allison Perhach United States Soloist
Kurtis Grimaldi Canada Senior Corps de Ballet
Andrea Arbasino Italy Corps de Ballet
Patrice Bertrand Canada Corps de Ballet
Paloma Bonnin Paraguay Corps de Ballet
Victoria Bourassa Canada Corps de Ballet
Zachary Beresow United States Corps de Ballet
Grace Campbell Australia Corps de Ballet
Zoe Horn Australia Corps de Ballet
Bel Johnson-Darby Australia Corps de Ballet
Chizuru Kikuchi Japan Corps de Ballet
Yaroslav Khudych Ukraine Corps de Ballet
Rikuto Kubota Japan Corps de Ballet
Jolie Rose Lombardo United States Corps de Ballet
Alfonso Maria Guerriero Italy Corps de Ballet
Hotaru Maruyama Japan Corps de Ballet
Matthew Maxwell Australia Corps de Ballet
Mirko Melandri Italy Corps de Ballet
Michael Scott-Kahans Australia Corps de Ballet
Hinata Takahara Japan Corps de Ballet
Isabel Tornqvist Canada Corps de Ballet
Yi-Min Tsung Taiwan Corps de Ballet
Federico Vitali Italy Corps de Ballet
Ian Collins Mexico Apprentice
Rémy Gray Australia Apprentice
Lulu Manzur United States Apprentice
Kate McDonald Canada Apprentice
Kali Phillips United States Apprentice
Camryn Visser Canada Apprentice
Dylan West Unites States Apprentice
Kairi Watanabe Japan Supplementary Dancer

Alberta Ballet School

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The Professional Division at Alberta Ballet School is a full-time dance and academic training program for students in grades 7 through 12, with a part-time, dance-only option for those in grades 5 and 6. The School's Dedicated Contemporary Dance Stream is available to students in grades 10, 11 and 12 who wish to focus on contemporary dance.[23]

The School is led by Artistic Principal Ashley McNeil and, in 2018, was recognized by Canadian Heritage for its national impact in training artists for professional artistic careers, at the highest levels.[24]

Other Notable Artistic Staff

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  • David Adams
  • Jeremy Leslie-Spinks
  • Cherice Barton
  • Lambros Lambrou
  • Marianne Beausejour
  • Scott Harris
  • Brian Bender
  • Jay Brooker
  • Claude Caron
  • Nicole Caron [25]
  • David Chipman Seibert
  • Svea Eklof
  • Marc LeClerc
  • Mark Mahler
  • Daniel McLaren
  • Barbara Moore
  • Kevin Peterman
  • Michel Rahn
  • Martin Vallée
  • Yumiko Takeshima
  • Greg Zane
  • Jung Min Hong
  • Howard Epstein
  • Clark Blakley
  • Wayne Mcknight
  • Anita Bostok
  • Youri Alechine
  • Stephanie Achuff

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Sanderson, Kay (1999). 200 Remarkable Alberta Women. Calgary: Famous Five Foundation. p. 91. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013.
  3. ^ a b Crabb, Michael (August 2005). "Alberta Ballet's Dramatic Moves". Dance Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  4. ^ Jarvie, Michele (7 July 2023). "'Alberta Ballet to lose artistic director after one full season at the helm'". Calgary Herald.
  5. ^ "Christopher Anderson". Contacts in the Department of Theatre and Dance. University of South Carolina. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  6. ^ "Alberta Ballet Names Francesco Ventriglia As New Artistic Director". Alberta Ballet. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  7. ^ "AMA Home Page - AMA". AMA. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Alberta Ballet Performances - ELTON". Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  9. ^ "Dancer Yukichi Hattori stepping away from stage after Love Lies Bleeding". Calgary Herald, Salena Kitteringham, May 2, 2016
  10. ^ Bonfield, Stephan. "Gordon Lightfoot, Dracula a part of Alberta Ballet's 2016-2017 Season". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2017/18 Season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2018–2019 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2019–2020 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  14. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2019–2020 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2020–2021 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2020–2021 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 29 March 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  17. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2021–2022 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  18. ^ "Alberta Ballet's 2022–2023 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  19. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2023–2024 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  20. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2024–2025 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  21. ^ "Alberta Ballet 2025–2026 season". Alberta Ballet. Archived from the original on 3 September 2025. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  22. ^ "The Dancers". Alberta Ballet. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  23. ^ "About the School of Alberta Ballet". Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Investing in Arts Training Programs in Alberta". Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  25. ^ Levesque, Roger (24 October 2017). "Alberta Ballet's Sensual Venture into a Dangerous Seduction". Postmedia. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
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