The National Ballet of Canada returns to Harbourfront Centre in August with Sharing the Stage, free outdoor performances under the stars on the Concert Stage as well as free dance classes and interactive conversations.

We are thrilled to welcome guest companies Compañía Carmen Romero, Lua Shayenne Dance Company and Rock Bottom Movement. Based in the Toronto dance community and representing a wide range of styles, the guest companies will share the stage with dancers from The National Ballet of Canada.

All performances are free. Seating is general admission.

New This Year: A limited number of seats will be available for reservation online. Details to follow in July.

If you require accessible seating, a limited number of seats can be reserved in advance. Pre-booking is available as of August 9. Please contact us at 416 345 9595 or by email at info@national.ballet.ca.

Outdoor Performances by The National Ballet of Canada With Guest Companies
August 17 – 19, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Concert Stage, Harbourfront Centre

The National Ballet will present three outdoor performances on the Concert Stage, August 17 – 19. Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director, and Robert Binet, Curator and Producer, CreativAction and Special Initiatives, have curated a programme that features the National Ballet and three guest companies. The programme features the dynamic Ever New by Binet, a pas de deux from the sublime Concerto by Kenneth MacMillan, an excerpt from Rena Butler’s sensual Alleged Dances, a new CreativAction Micro-Commission from Indigenous choreographer Cameron Fraser-Monroe for National Ballet dancers as well as new works from guest companies Compañía Carmen Romero, Lua Shayenne Dance Company and Rock Bottom Movement. The programme will feature live music.

Programme

• Alleged Dances Excerpt by Rena Butler Performed by the National Ballet
• Waves | Vagues Performed by Lua Shayenne Dance Company
• New Work by Cameron Fraser-Monroe Performed by the National Ballet
• RiAquiTa by Compañía Carmen Romero
• Concerto Pas de Deux by Kenneth MacMillan Performed by the National Ballet
• KID SISTER Performed by Rock Bottom Movement
• Ever New by Robert Binet Performed by Apprentices of the National Ballet

Show + Tell
August 17 – 19, 2023, 7:15 – 7:45 pm
Concert Stage, Harbourfront Centre

Show + Tell is an opportunity to hear directly from dance artists about how they work, providing a window into their creative process and dance form as well as see excerpts from their choreography.

Show + Tell is free. Registration is required and seating is general admission. Following Show + Tell, you will remain in the same seat for the performance.

Schedule

Schedule to be announced at a later date.
 

Dance With Us
August 17 – 19, 2023, 6:00 – 6:45 pm
Stage-in-the-Park, Harbourfront Centre

Get moving with free dance classes taught by local artists! The free classes are drop-in and vary from Ballet to West African to Flamenco.

Schedule

Schedule to be announced at a later date.

Credits

Alleged Dances Excerpt

Choreography: Rena Butler

Music: John Adams, John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994)
By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, INC., publisher and copyright owner

Costume Design: Hogan McLaughlin

Lighting Design: Jeff Logue

World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts, Toronto, March 3, 2023

Produced and commissioned by The National Ballet of Canada.

Lead philanthropic support for Alleged Dances is provided by an Anonymous Donor, with additional support provided by The Producers’ Circle.

The Producers’ Circle (2023): Gail & Mark Appel, John & Claudine Bailey, Inger Bartlett & Marshal Stearns, Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Jerry Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C., The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado, C.M & Jim Pitblado, C.M., The Harry & Lillian Seymour Family Foundation and The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.

Waves | Vagues Performed by Lua Shayenne Dance Company

Text, Composer, Choreography: Lua Shayenne

Text/Story Developer & Dramaturge: Tawiah M’carthy

Percussionists, Music Collaborators: Kemar Scarlett, Cécé Haba, Connor ‘Chino’ Chang, Walter Maclean

Interpreters: Aisha Nicholson, Rose-Mary “Rosie” Harbans, Kwasi Obeng-Adjei, Miranda Liverpool, Monique Pascall, Lua Shayenne

Waves | Vagues was rehearsed at Harbourfront Centre in partnership with The National Ballet of Canada’s Sharing the Stage, August 2021.

World Premiere
New Work by Cameron Fraser-Monroe

Choreography: Cameron Fraser-Monroe

Additional credits to come.

RiAquiTa by Compañía Carmen Romero

Choreography: Carmen Romero

Additional credits to come.

Concerto Pas de Deux

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan

Music: Dmitri Shostakovich, Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102 (1957)

Costume Design: Jürgen Rose

Lighting Design: John B. Read

World Premiere: Deutsche Opera Ballet, Berlin, Germany, November 30, 1966

The National Ballet of Canada Premiere: O’Keefe Centre (now Meridian Hall) Toronto, November 6, 1987

KID SISTER Performed by Rock Bottom Movement

Choreography/Direction: Alyssa Martin

Composer: Jacob Vanderham

Creative Collaborators: Drew Berry, Brayden Jamil Cairns, Sam Grist, Sierra Kellman

Costume Design: Brayden Jamil Cairns

Performers: Drew Berry, Brayden Jamil Cairns, Sam Grist and Jessica Mak

Ever New

Choreography: Robert Binet

Music: Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Let Us Dance (Arca Remix), Sunset Village, Ever New

Costume Design: The National Ballet of Canada Wardrobe Department, Stacy Dimitropoulos, Wardrobe Supervisor

Lighting Design: Jeff Logue

World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto, October 31, 2022

CreativAction is supported by The H. John McDonald Foundation, an Anonymous Donor and Lucille & Urban Joseph, O.C.

The National Ballet of Canada’s Education and Community Engagement programmes are generously supported by the Anna McCowan-Johnson Dance Accessibility Fund at The National Ballet of Canada, Endowment Foundation. 

The RBC Apprentice Programme is sponsored by The RBC Emerging Artists Project.

Additional support for the RBC Apprentice Programme is provided by Turnout.