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Together We Create
May 4, 2021

Alysa Pires in rehearsal.

“It was such a privilege to return to the studio and create in a state of vanishing, my new work for Spotlight Series. The ability to do what I love and connect with our audiences, albeit in a new way, has been such a beacon of hope for me in this challenging time.”Alysa Pires, Choreographic Associate

Creating new work is essential for the growth and vibrancy of ballet and its artists. Karen Kain has commissioned or acquired a substantial body of work for The National Ballet of Canada during her tenure as Artistic Director, raising the company’s profile as a creative partner and engaging audiences with a fuller range of dance.

Thanks to our donors and the Together for Ballet campaign, we have upheld our commitment to new work during the shutdown by creating and sharing free dance programming online.

Tanya Howard and Guillaume Côté in Soul. Photo by Paul McNulty.

Here are some of the ways we are staying creative with the help of our donors:

• Expansive Dances opened our virtual season with three filmed works by the company’s Choreographic Associates: Guillaume Côté’s Lulu, Alysa Pires’s In Between and Robert Binet’s Lake Maligne. 
   
• Our New Voices programme features three new works created for our Spotlight Series of digital programming: Soul by Jera Wolfe, Trase Pa by Kevin A. Ormsby and in a state of vanishing by Alysa Pires. Jera and Kevin are making their choreographic debuts with the company.
   
• Robert Binet adapted his immersive ballet The Dreamers Ever Leave You for a series of socially distanced performances at Harbourfront Centre in October 2020 and for digital release this winter in a film directed by Ben Shirinian.
   
• First Soloist Siphesihle November choreographed his first ballet for YOU dance, our largest community engagement programme, performed by the RBC Apprentices and shared with students and children online.
   

Siphesihle November in rehearsal for YOU dance. Photo by Paul McNulty.

“I love the way you have kept connected with us over this difficult time. We so need ballet and the arts to remind us that we are human and fragile and strong. Thank you all for the tremendous work you do.”Cate Root