Media Release
The National Ballet of Canada’s YOU dance Engages Students and the Community
Residency Returns to York University for Third Year
Livestream Reaches 20,000 Students Across Canada
May 1, 2025... Hope Muir, Joan and Jerry Lozinski Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced that the National Ballet’s annual YOU dance residency returns to York University May 5 – 8 for a third year. On May 15, a performance of YOU dance will be livestreamed, reaching an anticipated 20,000 students across Canada.
Led by Senior Manager of Education and Community Engagement Lisa Robinson and Tanya Howard, Teaching Artist, both former Soloists with the National Ballet, the week-long YOU dance residency at York University offers students a deeper, more engaging dance experience through 41 movement workshops and five live performances by the National Ballet’s RBC Apprentices. The annual programme reaches 1,300 students across 12 schools in the Jane and Finch community – all provided at no cost to participants as part of the National Ballet’s community outreach initiatives.
The residency will culminate in a performance on May 8, welcoming over 320 family and community members, showcasing works from Definitely Dance, Elite Dance Initiative For Youth, Inspiring Community Dance Connections and York University's Department of Dance. During the residency, students from Driftwood Public School collaborated with Annemarie Cabri, Senior Teaching Artist from the National Ballet, to develop a new piece that will also be performed in the community performance. Just one week later on May 15, a YOU dance livestream is anticipated to reach 20,000 students from 207 school boards across 189 cities in every province and territory in Canada.
YOU dance is the National Ballet’s flagship education and community engagement programme, introducing students in grades four to six to the world of dance through free interactive workshops and performances. Since 2007, it has reached 390,000 students, inspiring movement, creativity, imagination and confidence. Its community-centered approach reflects the National Ballet’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and the transformative power of the arts.
About YOU dance
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2024/25 Season Sponsor: BMO Financial Group
The National Ballet of Canada's YOU dance programme is made possible thanks to lead philanthropic support by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, The Anna McCowan-Johnson Dance Accessibility Fund, The Lawrence Schafer Foundation and Elizabeth A. Currie & Richard J. Currie, O.C.
Further generous support is provided by Susanne Boyce & Brendan Mullen, J.P. Bickell Foundation, Geoff & Catharine Bertram, the Robert & Joan Shatilla Education Fund, Relevé Circle, and an Anonymous donor.
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 Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity; and the Government of Ontario with the Honourable Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and Minister of Sport.
Apprentices at YOU dance Residency at York University. Photo by Bruce Zinger.
For more information, please contact:
Touchwood PR
Andréa Grau, Founder and Owner
Keira Hunt, Senior Manager of Publicity and Promotions
Chelsea Cabello, Senior Publicist
NBOC@touchwoodpr.com
The National Ballet of Canada
Catherine Chang, Associate Director of Communications & Content Strategy
Kate Dresser, Communications Manager
Media@national.ballet.ca