Five Choreographers to Present New Works in National Ballet of Canada's FIVE CREATIONS

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada today announced Five Creations, featuring five new works developed through the company's two-year Choreographic Workshop. The new works will be presented at two public performances at the Betty Oliphant Theatre, January 18 - 19, 2018.

Principal Dancer Elena Lobsanova and First Soloists Brendan Saye and Robert Stephen will all present new works as part of Five Creations alongside pieces from independent choreographers Hanna Kiel and Alysa Pires.

The recently expanded Choreographic Workshop spread over the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, providing choreographers with the opportunity to develop their skills in a flexible, supported creative process. The workshop is facilitated by Robert Binet, National Ballet Choreographic Associate, Peggy Baker, Artistic Director of Peggy Baker Dance Projects and Laurence Lemieux, Artistic Director of Citadel + Compagnie.

During the 2016/17 season, seven National Ballet company dancers and three independent choreographers participated in the first phase of the Workshop. The independent choreographers were selected through an open call process in Spring 2016. All the choreographers worked with the facilitators to develop their creations for two in-studio presentations for invited audiences in September 2016 and April 2017.

In June 2017, a panel reviewed submissions from the choreographers who wanted to develop their work for the stage. Five choreographers were selected based on their clarity of vision, inventiveness and strong choreographic vocabulary, to present their works this January.

The Choreographic Workshop was established in 1969 to give National Ballet artists the opportunity to explore their choreographic talent. The workshop has been the artistic beginning for many acclaimed choreographers including James Kudelka, Dominique Dumais, Matjash Mrozewski, John Alleyne, Bengt Jörgen and Jean Grand-Maître. Click here for more information on the Choreographic Workshop.

Pictured: Elena Lobsanova. Photo by Karolina Kuras.