Sharing the Stage in Saskatchewan

A Conversation with Keaton Leier

For the 75th anniversary season, The National Ballet of Canada is delighted to bring its Sharing the Stage initiative to Saskatchewan for the first time. On September 19, 2026, Second Soloist Keaton Leier returns to his hometown to curate and perform in a special collaboration with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. The programme will feature a new work by Keaton alongside performances by fellow National Ballet dancers in selections of company repertoire. We caught up with Keaton to learn more about this exciting event.

How did you become involved in this special collaboration?

Mark Turner, CEO and Creative Producer of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, approached me some time ago with an invitation to return home and dance with the symphony.

After a few conversations, the goal became clear to create a show that would bring ballet to the city and for me to have the opportunity to share my creativity with Saskatoon audiences after I’ve been away for so long.

We eventually landed on the plan to create a programme for the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 season, which honours the partnership between music and dance. From there, the idea evolved into a partnership with the National Ballet and Sharing the Stage, which allows us to bring company repertoire to Saskatoon audiences and help celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary throughout the country.

How does it feel to be returning home as a dancer with The National Ballet of Canada?

I hold so many beautiful memories and relationships within the city of Saskatoon, so to be welcomed back in this way and to dance and present my own work in the city is so special. It also feels very cool to be representing The National Ballet of Canada and bringing our art to Saskatchewan. I’m really looking forward to sharing this evening with everyone involved. I’m so excited and grateful. 

What can you tell us about the new piece you’re creating?

I’m looking forward to sharing the piece that I’ve been working on. It’s titled Atmosphere and I’ve turned to the components of the earth’s atmospheric layers for inspiration. The creation has grown from some of the work I have done with Artists Climate Collective and it combines my passion for advocating for environmental activism and how art can be used to positively influence those efforts.

Not only am I choreographing, but I’m also working with composer Paul Leonard-Morgan on the creation of a new score. It’s been really rewarding to collaborate with Paul and to find ways that connect the music with the themes of the piece and its interconnectedness throughout the choreography.

Your goal is to make this a sustainable tour, reflecting the mandate of the Artists Climate Collective. What steps are you taking to achieve that?

Firstly, we’ve calculated the projected carbon emissions that the tour will use and with that information we have tried to reduce excess emissions everywhere possible. This includes sourcing local materials instead of shipping items like flooring, having minimal sets and keeping our cast and crew at the most efficient level possible. We are mindful to keep our flight and travel emissions at the lowest possible numbers as well. We are also discussing with the theatre in Saskatoon to see how we can reduce our impacts there.

Another element of sustainability is creating upcycled garments for the new work and reusing costumes for the pre-existing works. I’m also looking to connect with local environmental organizations to collaborate and provide support for them through the show somehow. My last major goal is to provide carbon contributions based on the emissions we calculated from the tour’s carbon footprint.

Why did you start The Green Team and what is their mission?

The Green Team is a communal group open to all branches of the National Ballet with a shared goal of coming together to work on goals, initiatives and practices that improve the environmental impact and sustainability within our organization and the community around us.

Our goal is to create accountable stewardship of the health of our building/community and build awareness of the impact we can have on our city. My hope is that the National Ballet can eventually set sustainability standards for the dance community at a global scale.

What are you most looking forward to in the National Ballet’s 75th anniversary season?

I’m looking forward to seeing some of the company’s legacy works come back to life, dancing in David Dawson’s new creation The Beginning of Forever and also experiencing Crystal Pite’s iconic creation for the company, Emergence.

About Keaton Leier

Top Photo: Keaton Leier. Photo by Karolina Kuras.