Media Release

Leaders of International Ballet Companies Gathered to Discuss the State of Ballet 

Positioning Ballet Conference, February 28 – March 2

March 5, 2025... Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, shared today that this past weekend, the company hosted Positioning Ballet, a global conference which welcomed an unprecedented 34 Artistic Directors from 17 different countries. The conference took place for the first time in North America at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and The Walter Carsen Centre for The National Ballet of Canada in Toronto, February 28 to March 2.
 
The largest gathering of its kind, Artistic Directors engaged in vital discussions around the state of ballet today, issues faced by ballet companies as well as the economics of ballet, the health and wellbeing of artists and how best to support dancers in 2025. Discussions were produced and facilitated by Assis Carreiro, former Artistic Director of Royal Ballet Flanders and Director of International Arts and Cultural Projects and co-founder and director of Positioning Ballet Foundation.

“It was an honour for The National Ballet of Canada to host the first Positioning Ballet conference in North America. This gathering of Artistic Directors was an inspiring and invigorating opportunity to connect with colleagues and friends from around the world and engage in open and honest conversations on the future of ballet. I extend my sincere appreciation to the brilliant Canadian speakers who brought their unique insight and experience to this conference. Thank you Caroline Ohrt, Weyni Mengesha, Laura Stein, Sharon Rudy and Margo Mountjoy.” 
Hope Muir, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada

“Thank you, Toronto! It was an incredibly valuable few days with fellow Artistic Directors in ballet, during which we were able to share ideas and thoughts as well as discuss issues concerning the future of our art form. I’m grateful to Hope Muir of The National Ballet of Canada for hosting this first edition of Positioning Ballet in North America and to the team for organizing this event so wonderfully.” 
Ted Brandsen, Artistic Director of Dutch National Ballet

“It has been very special to be with so many of my colleagues from around the world for the Positioning Ballet conference in Toronto this weekend where we were able to exchange insights on the pressing issues facing the dance world today. I felt we renewed our commitment to both our companies and audiences in creating an inclusive environment where we can all grow and flourish. Together, we explored innovative ideas, shared diverse perspectives and ignited a collective passion for the future of ballet. It was a welcome celebration of collaboration and creativity, reminding us of the power of our global dance community. Huge thanks to Assis Carreiro and Ted Brandsen for bringing us all together and Hope Muir and The National Ballet of Canada for hosting us all here in Toronto.” 
Kevin O’Hare, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet

“These last few days have been about coming together and about sharing HOPE.”
Ingrid Lorentzen, Artistic Director of Norwegian National Ballet

The conference featured an impressive panel of Canadian guest speakers, including the National Arts Centre’s Caroline Ohrt, Weyni Mengesha from Soulpepper Theatre Company, Bruce Mau Design’s Laura Stein , Sharon Rudy from Korn Ferry Organizational Consulting and Sports Medicine Clinician Scientist Margo Mountjoy. Topics included programming, the importance and role of branding,  succession planning and relative energy deficiency in dance. 

Guests also attended the National Ballet’s Winter Mixed Programme of The Four Seasons & Morpheus’ Dream & The Leaves Are Fading, which also included a special performance of Alyssa Martin’s Desperate Drama of Red, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. 

Positioning Ballet Conferences were launched in 2017 by Ted Brandsen, Artistic Director of Dutch National Ballet as a follow on to Rural Retreats think tanks initiated in 2003, to provide a visionary and sustainable peer network supporting Artistic Directors of ballet and dance around the world to come together in a private environment to share issues, challenges, successes and concerns with their peers as well as external experts from the worlds of business, sport and the wider arts and cultural sectors.

Positioning Ballet Foundation was formally established in 2024 and provides a visionary and sustainable peer network supporting artistic leadership for Artistic Directors of ballet and dance worldwide. Companies from around the globe are invited to sign up as Affiliates to the Foundation to support a stronger voice for ballet leadership.

The next Positioning Ballet Conference will be for future leaders and will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November 7 to 9, 2025. 

In partnership with the Finnish National Ballet and the Helsinki International Ballet Competition Association, the next conference for the leaders of ballet companies, schools and jr. companies will take place in Helsinki, Finland, June 5 to 7, 2026

About Positioning Ballet

Positioning Ballet Attendees

Cervilio Amador, Cincinnati Ballet 
Melissa Barak, Los Angeles Ballet 
Filip Barankiewicz, Czech National Ballet 
Tara Birtwhistle, Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Robert Bondara, Poznan Ballet
Federico Bonnelli, Northern Ballet 
Ted Brandsen, Dutch National Ballet
Kathleen Breen Combes, Ballet Rhode Island 
Daniela Cardim, Ballet Arizona 
Raphael Coumes-Marquet, Ballet am Rhein 
Christine Cox, BalletX 
Fernando Duarte, National Ballet of Portugal 
Jurgita Dronina, Lithuanian National Ballet 
David Hallberg, The Australian Ballet 
Christopher Hampson, Scottish Ballet 
Susan Jaffe, American Ballet Theatre 
Ty King-Wall, The Royal New Zealand Ballet 
Pontus Lidberg, Ballet de l'Opéra de Nice
Linnar Looris, Estonian National Ballet 
Ingrid Lorentzen, The Norwegian National Ballet
Hope Muir, The National Ballet of Canada 
Gennadi Nedvigin, Atlanta Ballet
Kevin O'Hare, The Royal Ballet
Simone Orlando, Ballet Kelowna
Krzysztof Pastor, Polish National Ballet
Nina Poláková, Slovak National Ballet
Eric Quilleré, Ballet Opéra Bordeaux
Mario Radačovský, Brno Ballet
Adam Sklute, Ballet West
Christian Spuck, Staatsballett Berlin
Christopher Stowell, Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Sofiane Sylve, Ballet San Antonio
Francesco Ventriglia, Alberta Ballet
Feng Ying, National Ballet of China

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2024/25 Season Sponsor: BMO Financial Group

The Leaves Are Fading is a gift from The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada.   

Lead philanthropic support for The Four Seasons is provided by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation with generous underwriting from The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada.  
 
The National Ballet also acknowledges support for The Four Seasons provided by The Anna McCowan-Johnson New Creations Fund and The Penelope Reed Doob Fund for New Creations.   

Lead philanthropic support for Morpheus’ Dream is provided by The Gail Hutchison Fund.  

Desperate Drama of Red original costume design by NARCES, sponsored by Suzanne Rogers and Rogers.

The National Ballet of Canada gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Ontario Arts Council; the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council; the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage with the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.

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