gracey

If there was no ranking for the sujets, does that mean none competed or were none promoted?

oops...

Thanks for that update. Any news on which men were promoted?

It is the same performance but as the saying goes...beggars can't be choooooosey....

Reminder that Royal Ballet will be broadcasting their production of Sylvia with Darcey Bussells in Empire Theatres on SUn March 30th at 1pm. CBC article

What kind if ID is required?

Does anyone know what the policy regarding student tickets? Do they even sell student tickets?

I know Heather and guillaume must have been fantastic as they really have magic together. I wonder what Desmond was dancing as I heard that he has a couple new pieces in the works.

Mom2 - do you know what Desmond performed? Didn't Guillaume and Heather performed as well? I am so curious. Though I am a Montrealer, I don't get home nearly enough and miss all the fun stuff (except the Ice Storm...I didn't miss that and will definitely if it ever comes again!)

I was sitting on an Air Canada flight to Washington in July, flipping through the movie choices, not hoping for much. Then what covers my screen but Ballet Russes. I was delighted. That fight went quicker then any others previously. What a treat. I have sworn off slagging AC for at least a little while...

I do not see it on the altimira website either - it only has last year info.

Has anyone info on how to fly standby? I have a great mny airline tickets to buy this summer!

And this in the Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...d=1148507411716

Promotions were announced a couple night ago. The Press Release is out. It will be an interesting year next year and I look forward to seeing the new additions from Houston. Did they only take 2 apprentices or were there only 2 from NBS? A huge congratulations to all those promoted. Media > | Media Release -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #39/55 2006/07 ROSTER NEW PRINCIPAL DANCER ZDENEK KONVALINA KEIICHI HIRANO AND JILLIAN VANSTONE PROMOTED TO FIRST SOLOIST ALEJANDRA PEREZ-GOMEZ, KEVIN BOWLES, DONG HYUN SEO PROMOTED TO SECOND SOLOIST BRIDGETT ZEHR JOINS AS SECOND SOLOIST May 24, 2006...Toronto, Ontario... Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the company’s 2006/07 roster. Zdenek Konvalina, Principal Dancer with Houston Ballet for five seasons, joins the company as Principal Dancer in July 2006. Mr. Konvalina has been critically acclaimed for his performances in lead roles in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, La Fille mal gardée, Manon, La Bayadère as well as works by George Balanchine including Apollo, Theme and Variations and Symphony in C. Mr. Konvalina has also danced lead roles in the contemporary repertoire, including works by William Forsythe, Maurice Bejart and Mark Morris. Born in Brno, Czech Republic, Mr. Konvalina was trained at Brno Conservatory and was a Principal Dancer with National Ballet of Moravia-Silesia before joining Houston Ballet in 2001. He has performed throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia. “Mr. Konvalina is a gifted dancer, with dramatic flair and strong classical technique. His artistry will be a wonderful addition to our company,” said Ms. Kain. Promotions within the company include Keiichi Hirano and Jillian Vanstone to First Soloist. Mr. Hirano danced major roles with the company including the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Colas in La Fille mal gardée, and this season, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. Ms. Vanstone danced The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Calliope in Apollo, the Ballerina in Petrouchka, Spring in The Four Seasons and the lead in Diamonds. Alejandra Perez-Gomez , Kevin Bowles and Dong Hyun Seo have been promoted to Second Soloist. Ms. Perez-Gomez made her debut this season as Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. She also danced the lead in A Delicate Battle and The Four Temperaments. Mr. Bowles danced the role of Rothbart in Swan Lake and Uncle Nikolai in The Nutcracker, as well as Beaujolais, a role that he created in An Italian Straw Hat, during the company’s tour to Ottawa. Mr. Seo made his debut as Paris in Romeo and Juliet this past spring, and danced the lead in Diamonds and a featured role in The Four Temperaments during the winter. Bridgett Zehr , also from Houston Ballet, will be joining the company as Second Soloist. Ms. Zehr has danced Odette in Swan Lake, Calliope in Apollo plus featured roles in Forsythe’s In the Middle, somewhat elevated and Balanchine’s Theme and Variations. Ms. Zehr was born in Florida and studied at Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy, where she received the Rudolf Nureyev Scholarship in 2002. Three dancers from the National Ballet of Canada’s RBC Apprenticeship Programme will join the corps de ballet; Courtney Gibbs, Marissa Parzei and Noah Long. Corps de ballet member Sophie Letendre, who joined the company in 1991, retired at the end of the spring season. Leaving to pursue other interests are corps de ballet members Joshua Grant, Nathaniel Kozlow, Daisuke Ohno, Erin Richardson and Kanako Sakamoto. Two of Canada’s National Ballet School graduates, Naoya Ebe and Julia Jensen, will join the RBC Apprenticeship Programme.

Who knows...these are 2 young individuals with their whole lives ahead of them. I only hope they are happy in whatever they do and that they continue to ignite us with their wonderful dancing and expression.

Canadian Ballet theater has hired Svetlana Lunkina and Ruslan Skvortsov from bolshio and Veronica Part to dance in their nutcracker which will be at the Winter Garden theater. It will be great to see these dancers as we get so few up here in Toronto.

was this Tanya's debut as juliet? I cannot remember if she dance it last time they staged it, but I don't think so. She is a lovely daner with wonderful potential so it is nice to see her get the spotlight more often.

I will be there this evening, though will have some difficulty getting there early! I am sorry I missed last night as I really wanted to see Tanya Howard in Romeo, but I am looking forward to seeing this evenings performance.

I don't see the trailer for this listed in the trailers section - have I missed it?

It was in the star as well. It was an easy choice as she works well with James and won't cramp his style or step on his toes I suspect. She has worked hard for that position and deserves it. It will be interesting to see if her style emerges from this appointment as I would love to see it.

To be Canada's answer to Balanchine? I am not sure there can be another "artistic director" with James there, certainly a "general manager", but an AD? It is hard to let the reins go after so much time, unless you are truly willing to conform to someones elses vison for the company - then there is a new AD - otherwise there is simply a manager. Nothing artistic about that.

I do feel that NOT being paired with Guillaume gave Heather an opportunity to show she shines on her own, therefore worthy of the principal status. This is important and I can see validity in this especially with soloists, BUT when there is that magical addictive spark that goes all the way to the hearts of the audience (and it does not happen with most couples), and now that they are both principals, it is time to give us our fix!

No doubt Heather was due for the promotion. Not only has she proven herself, but it would seem that she appeals to a young audience who love her expression and style. This is a huge asset to any company trying to reach that elusive younger crowd. I do hope to see her paired with Guillaume more often now, as I have watched him dance with several wonderful accomplished dancers ( Chan, Sonia, even Burnise), and though they were very nice to watch, there just isn't that tingly stage magic as there is when he dances with Heather. James work is wonderful and magical. He is concentrating on what he does best and I can't wait to see more now that he is free of the stress of running the company. I have always loved his Nutcracker, Cinderella and Straw hat had me on the floor, Desir was beautiful especially the purple ( or was it the purple?) pdd ( incidently Heather again), his staging of swan lake and the list goes on. I don't agree with the retirement of Martine, and feel he should have cancelled hers, and announced his own intentions first as an explaination for cancelling hers. She must be reeling. I understand the company has to increase to 70 dancers to fit the new opera house, so there is alot of work to do and the approach will be very interesting to watch.

The Toronto Star said he told David Banks and Kevin Garland last Novemeber that this would be his last year. I do feel though that he should have held off letting Martine go and let the new AD make that decision.

Yes - all the apprentices were picked up in the corps which must be exciting and a relief for them. It is a shame that those were the only promotions, as a few deserved a move into the first soloist spots.