kickit101

Hey, GohBallet! Thank you for your answer, the new site looks great! One question from when I was trying to find last year's graduates ... didn't you used to list more companies? I know it's never been complete, but it looks like a lot are gone? Missing ones from last year's grads I think, from what I could find out, would be Hong Kong Ballet, San Diego Ballet, at least one Japanese company, Dutch National Ballet, and I think a couple you have ... but there must be so many more. Wasn't one of your dancers offered a contract with Malakhov this year? And didn't Olympia Dowd dance with the Moscow City Ballet? I know you are very busy, and there are lots of important things to do, but if you get a minute, it's fun for us to read where everyone is (or was)! Thanks for the update, love you guys and the dancers! choreo, thanks so much for the link, they look very interesting. Have you seen them or are you going to?

Somebody heard me, LOL!! http://www.gohballet.com/ (My bolding) "This work of astonishing beauty and grace will mark the first time that a Vancouver-based company has staged Giselle in its entirety, with a full cast. With nearly 30 dancers, brand new sets, and stunning costumes, this will be a fitting milestone for the Vancouver dance scene." “Not only is Vancouver booming economically, and gaining the attention of the international community as the 2010 Olympics come to our backdoor, but we’re also coming into our own artistically,” says Artistic Director of the Ensemble, Choo Chiat Goh. “Everyone, from families and children, to art aficionados, to couples, will be emotionally moved and technically awestruck by both shows – and proud of Vancouver,” says Goh. Brand new sets?! Stunning costumes?! Shall I hold my breath? Maybe I'll wait till I see the costumes ... Yes, the skytrain - seabus - bus system I love already and practically live on it, but it's getting a huge expansion, finally connecting the airport and several other spots. I also love the skytrain police ... I feel very safe anytime, anywhere on the line now, which was not always the case in the beginning. Which I think is a huge reason everyone catches the skytrain now, it is so much faster, easier and nicer than any other way of travel in the city.

Hmmm ... More thoughts on Vancouver ... I wish I'd been to the Centre so I could know if we had a decent venue or not. Another reason to kick myself for missing the Goh's Giselle and Mixed Bill in June. I really think we DO have a lot of ballet. Lord knows we have a lot of ballet companies (5? 6?), and I think if it were tallied up, the Goh probably performs and tours more than our great white elephant in the east and reaches more people, especially internationally. That's not counting BBC and the rest. And things sell out, so the audience must be here. I would never come to Vancouver to see NBoC when I could come to Vancouver to see Goh! To me, there is absolutely no comparison ... not for technique, not for artistry. (Their costumes rather beat Goh's old rags from the 70's and 80's). But of course, there's that little part about getting paid ... Every year I would say 10 very high calibre ballet dancers leave Vancouver to work in mid to large size companies. Goh dancers are from ABT to K Ballet, in practically every major company I can think of, around the world. Other schools here are turning out a respectable number as well. Maybe we are just too used to the schools supplying us with an endless stream of talent, that we see no reason to change it? Or maybe we are divided in too many directions? I do see a reason for a real company, it breaks my heart to see these dancers leave year after year. And I would like to see a bit more money spent on the productions (ie more than none at all!). Hmmm, maybe we can convince the politicians that we need a real company for the 2010 olympics ... but they probably think hockey passes will suffice! PS I just realized I was at the Centre for Jardin Animee last year! (What a brain ... ) I liked it a lot, but I must admit I'm a little ignorant re. theatres ... and that one is apparently blurry!

Yes, we are all very grateful for PNB! But the more I think of this thread, the more I agree that we are not a ballet town ... not really. BBC is very cool, but also very small and very modern. And it's not that I covet anyone else's big company, I just really want one of our own, with our own dancers. But first a school, yes, but when the company?! How many decades? I want a thundering big company with money for sets and costumes and a beautiful theatre and a home for all of our own beautiful dancers who keep going across the globe, anywhere but home every year. And until we get it I humbly thank you for all of your compliments ... but we are not worthy. I'm embarassed for us. And nobody had better mention the Canucks to me this week! PS Example of how not a ballet town we are: one of the Goh dancers won a bronze medal at Varna this year. The absolute only mention of it (or any of their other medals, I think) in the Vancouver media was in a free flyer that appears on the buses (not the front page). The headline, if I recall correctly, was "Ballerina Bags Bulgarian Bronze". Sigh. Our arts section is basically the movie listings ... our sports section, on the other hand ...

Ouch, ouch, ouch!! I thought we had good ballet in Vancouver!! Maybe that's because I live there and hear a bit more ... what we DON'T have is one giant ballet co, but so many little things and combination things are going on all the time and I think that makes our dancers better, all the exposure to all the different people. For quality, I don't think any of us would thank you for the National Ballet of Toronto, I will swear the best ballet dancers and choreographers have always come from our town, starting with Lynn Seymour's era and getting better every year. But support? There is no media coverage for the arts in Vancouver, never has been, so silly when so many artists live here. And venue, I totally agree, I like the Michael J. Fox better than the Queen E. ... but I haven't been to the Centre for Performing Arts yet, has anyone? And government funding? Well, we know where that goes ... I wasn't actually thinking of BBC (modern, really) when I wrote the above though ... more the Goh dancers and some of the other schools. So apparently we produce beautiful dancers but can't keep them. Now I'm very sad.

Thank you, Helene! I suppose I should have looked that up myself, my apologies. I find Goh extremely confusing, according to their website they have 80 shows this year and I know they are constantly performing and touring, but I never seem able to find them! Also, my friend says he had an invitation to see Giselle at the Centre on the 25th of this month ... but you are right, there is nothing on ticketmaster. Maybe that is a media preview, since he is in the media? Their site has nothing, and I would really like to know who is performing in the shows this year, especially Giselle, Don Q, etc. I saw Jardin Animee last year (staged by Anna-Marie Holmes). It was absolutely brilliant and I was dreaming of it for days, but I googled the names of the ten soloists with pictures on the back and I can find most of them with other companies now ... it would be nice to know who is there now. I wish they would put up some sort of schedule and/or principal casting list ... Anyway, I will definitely not be able to make the ticketmaster dates, and I would really appreciate any postings from anyone who does. Thank you for looking up the other companies for me, Helene!

Is anyone attending any of the Goh Ballet's performances this year? I know of Giselle and a mixed bill with Pink Floyd / Don Q suite / ? and I heard maybe Dracula and there's always more - anything? Did anyone see Art In Motion this year? Has anyone seen anything from the following companies, especially the new ones, what are they up to? Ballet BC Ballet Victoria Ballet Kelowna Ballet de Printemps Canadian Pacific Ballet I would love to hear about anything, I am getting very homesick!!

Complete with errors: Top 12 Sr Women and Mary Day Award are listed as Kirsten Wicklund, (16) International School of Classical Ballet, Washington/USA But she is in the San Francisco regionals 2nd Place as Kirsten Wicklund, (16) Goh Ballet Academy (Vancouver, Canada) The regionals are right, she's a Goh girl.