Gioconda Barbuto Premiers New Work with Ballet Edmonton

Join Ballet Edmonton for the third and final series of the season - a mixed program of two new contemporary balletic works by celebrated Canadian choreographer Gioconda Barbuto and Ballet Edmonton Artistic Director Wen Wei Wang.

Gioconda Barbuto is an internationally esteemed Italian-Canadian dancer and choreographer. She was a long-time artist with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and Nederlands Dans Theater. Recognized for her exceptional versatility and magnetism, she boldly embodied work by the most influential ballet and contemporary choreographers of the past few centuries: Kylián, Naharin, Balanchine, Fokine, Limón, van Manen, Duato, Nault, Morris, Tudor, and theatre director Robert Wilson. Her work can be seen at www.giocondabarbuto.com. Over her lifetime, Barbuto's achievements have been widely recognized including a nomination for The Kennedy Center Fellowship, and winning The Banff Centre's 1996 Clifford E. Lee Award.

In 1991, Wen Wei Wang came to Canada from his native China to join the Judith Marcuse Dance Company, followed by seven years dancing with Ballet BC. In 2000, he also received the Banff Centre's Clifford E. Lee Choreographic Award and since then has choreographed across the continent for Alberta Ballet, Ballet BC, Ballet Jorgen, North West Dance Projects, the Vancouver and San Francisco Operas, and Ballet Jazz de Montreal. Wang received the 2006 Isadora Award for Excellence in Choreography, the 2009 Rio Tinto Alcan Performing Arts Award, the 2013 Chrystal Dance Prize, and a 2013 RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award. In 2003, he founded Wen Wei Dance and is an Associate Dance Artist of the National Arts Centre. He assumed the role of Artistic Director of Ballet Edmonton in 2018.

Lighting designer Dorrie Deutschendorf will complement both works with her skillful, imaginative design.

Single tickets: $25 - $40 at balletedmonton.ca, 780.970.4979 or the MacEwan Box Office located on the main floor of Allard Hall at 11110-104 Ave. (Monday through Friday from 12pm - 3pm)

As Edmonton's resident contemporary ballet company, Ballet Edmonton strives to make ballet accessible by inspiring audiences with original works created in Edmonton under the direction of artistic director Wen Wei Wang. Ballet Edmonton is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to artistic collaborations outside the dance community, as well as engaging the greater community by offering free classes in conjunction with organizations that serve underserved and underprivileged children and youth.