| There’s a lot of buzz about Alberta Ballet these days. Hailed as one of Canada’s best emerging dance companies, 2006 marks Alberta Ballet’s 40th anniversary. "Turning 40 is a big deal," says artistic director Jean Grand-Maître, "and we’ve prepared a season that celebrates our coming of age with pieces that reflect our past, present and future."
The first performance of the season (October 12-14) will present a mix of old and new: Emily Molnar’s world premiere of Carmina Burana — a powerful and sensual multi-media production in which dancers’ nearly nude bodies are front and centre; one of George Balanchine’s well-loved pieces, Rubies – glamorous, exuberant and witty; and Butterfly Dream, choreographed by former artistic director Ali Pourfarrokh (1988—98).
"Ali gave Alberta Ballet an identity," says Grand-Maître. He adds that, "through his leadership, the Alberta Ballet became a serious artistic organization with ideas and esthetics." Of course, the season’s opener wouldn’t be complete without one of Grand-Maître’s own masterpieces, The Winter Room, which he created the year he joined the company as artistic director in 2002.
Alberta Ballet has its roots in the city of Edmonton. Founded by Dr. Ruth Carse in the late 1950s, under the name of Edmonton Ballet, the company primarily toured in Edmonton and Calgary and eventually throughout the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1966, the company’s name was changed to Alberta Ballet Company and in 1976, a new artistic director, Brydon Paige, was hired. "He gave the company life," says Grand-Maître. It was under Paige’s leadership that Alberta Ballet launched its first national tour in 1985.
In 1988, New York-trained dancer Ali Pourfarrokh took over the company’s leadership. With a solid foundation in contemporary ballet and a desire to unleash his creativity, Pourfarrokh led Alberta Ballet out of obscurity with new ballets that sometimes challenged audiences seeking more traditional performances.
In 1990, Alberta Ballet merged with Calgary City Ballet and moved its Edmonton troupe to downtown Calgary. In 1993, live music performed by the Calgary Philharmonic and Edmonton Symphony was introduced to the repertoire.
In 1998, Mikko Nissinen, a high-profile dancer with the San Francisco Ballet, was brought in for two years. "Mikko had a savvy sense of business and a keen artistic eye," says Grand-Maître. "He was also a great dancer and he elevated the dancers’ technical abilities to a national level, comparable to other leading companies, such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens," he says.
When Jean Grand-Maître took over the company’s artistic leadership, he inherited a group of dancers with a solid foundation. "My role was to give them passion, to make them dance as if life depended on it," he says. Ask any of the professional dancers at Alberta Ballet what it’s like to dance for Grand-Maître and they’ll tell you that he is truly inspiring, intense, driven, gentle yet forceful and a visionary.
Over the last four months, Grand-Maître has been creating his latest contemporary ballet in collaboration with one of Canada’s greatest artists, Joni Mitchell. "Working with Joni has been the highlight of my career," he says. "Not only did she select the songs that we are going to use, she has 40 new paintings that will be shown for the very first time, projected in the background during the performances," explains Grand-Maître.
The world premiere of Dancing Joni is already attracting a lot of attention and is bound to be a tour-de-force. The evening will also include Serenade by George Balanchine, that Grand-Maître considers to be one of the five greatest ballets ever choreographed. The 2006-07 season will also feature more traditional pieces, such as The Nutcracker and Cinderella, as well as Dracula, performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Alberta Ballet is no longer the small prairie company it once was. It has gained international respect and is growing almost too fast. In their last call for auditions, 634 dancers from around the world answered, and about 300, many exceptionally talented, were invited to audition. "We have many projects underway and our challenge at the moment is to balance our growth," says Grand-Maître.
Although Grand-Maître is grateful for the funding that the company receives from the province of Alberta, he is quick to mention that Alberta is still behind Prince Edward Island when it comes to funding the arts.
"We’re constantly receiving requests to perform all over the world, but we need more funding and sponsors to make that leap," says Grand-Maître. Nonetheless, he is optimistic and feels that it’s just a matter of time before Albertans recognize their need to develop and nurture their own culture." I think that it’s already happening," he says. "Once people open their eyes, they won’t be able to close them." |
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