Serge Lavoie

[Leigh Witchel]

This has not been a good month at all for ballet.

Posting a release I received from the National Ballet of Canada:

FORMER NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA DANCER SERGE LAVOIE DIES SUDDENLY

December 6, 2004....Toronto, Ontario.....SERGE LAVOIE, former Principal

Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada, died suddenly of heart failure on

Saturday night in a hotel in Vidalia, Georgia on tour as Ballet Master with

Columbia City Ballet. Mr. Lavoie was 41 years old.

Mr. Lavoie danced with the National Ballet from 1982 to 1997. He was born in

Lachine, Quebec, and graduated from the National Ballet School in 1981. He

was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1988 and partnered many of the company's

ballerinas, including KAREN KAIN and MARTINE LAMY in roles such as Romeo in

Romeo and Juliet, Albrecht in Giselle and the Prince in The Sleeping Beauty,

The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

Mr. Lavoie was in demand as an international guest artist, performing at La

Scala, Milan, the Spoleto Festival, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and

American Ballet Theatre.

Mr. Lavoie had been on staff as Ballet Master with Columbia City Ballet in

Columbia, South Carolina for the past 7 years. He leaves his wife Mariclare

Miranda, Principal Dancer with Columbia City Ballet, and his daughter Mila

from his first marriage to Cynthia Lucas, former ballet mistress and soloist

with the National Ballet.

[Balletmom]

Serge's impact on the career and lives of the dancers of CCB can never be understated. Emhbunhead, my prayers are with you, my daughter and all of the company dancers who have been lucky enough to work with him. We'll get through this somehow...

Balletmom

[SEH87]

Serge was a wonderful man who loved life. He will be missed by many people...especially those of us who knew him best (Its tough EMH). Please pray for his wife and all of us at CCB while we try to get through this. I love you Serge.

[balletkitty31]

Serge, I am so lucky to have had you for my teacher! You will always be in my heart and when I am dancing I will always hear you, my guardian angel, whispering in my ear. Whenever I do my splits, I will be thinking, "No comment!" You made every girl feel like a prima ballerina! I am praying for you Ms. Mariclare. I will love you, Serge, forever and always! You made a difference.

Edited December 10, 2004 by balletkitty31

[Guest IrmoAllie]

I was so amazingly blessed to have known Serge. He was, hands down, the most genuinely nice person I've ever known. He was the most amazing teacher, strict, but fun, and you always left his class knowing a little more than you knew when you walked in. He was truly a dad to me, and I'll NEVER forget or replace the bond I had with him. He made everyone feel like an incredible dancer.

Serge, thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done for me in the past 5 years! I love you!

[SEH87]

"You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give."

Serge gave his all every day of his life. Even up to the last day he was joking, laughing and smiling. He knew he was sick but he didn't let that stop him. He lived his life to the fullest and the last week of his life he seemed to "love deeper, speak sweeter and give the forgiveness he'd been denying," (Tim McGraw). The lives of those he taught, worked with and loved will always be better because of him.

[balletkitty31]

And now I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end the way it all would go

Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain

But I'd of had to miss the dance

Yes my life is better left to chance

I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance

-Garth Brooks

Serge didn't just live for himself, he gave of himself, selflessly. I am so glad that he was a part of my life, and I wouldn't have missed dancing for him for the world.

[JSSBallet]

All of us girls who Serge taught for a few months each year out in CA and who train with Mila and Cindy Lucas will miss him greatly and are praying for the women he left behind.

[Guest coco]

Wow, I am deeply touched by all of your writings. All of you will miss the dancer, the friend, the co-worker that Serge was. As for me, I will miss my big brother, my buddy, my friend and the one person I knew I could trust with all my heart. I sure hope he is dancing werever he is. Dancing was his passion, his life and soul.

[Guest CT90]

Serge really was a graet person, and a great teacher. There is noone who will ever be able to replace him, or come close to being him. He will always hold a special place in our hearts. Because he gave us so much, and everytime we go to the studio we will think of him, and eventually we'll be smiling over him, instead of crying. I hope hes laughing for every tear shed, because were making such a big fuss over him. And i hope hes watching over us everyday as we dance.

"like a butterfly coming into our lives for even a minute, but we feel so lucky to have seen it"

We love you always Serge. Always and forever

[Balletmom]

As I have watched this thread grow, I also have been deeply touched by everyone's comments. I would like to add my post originally made in the News forum so everything will be in one place:

Serge Lavoie, former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, and present Ballet Master and teacher with the Columbia City Ballet passed away Sunday while on tour. He passed away well before any of us who knew him were ready to see him go, and he will be deeply missed. He was my daughter's teacher, coach, mentor, and ballet "father" for most of the last six years. Intelligent, passionate, caring, and possessing an unerring eye, his mark will always remain on her dancing and on her life. May he rest in peace.

CT90, I agree he's probably laughing right now over all this fuss, but I think he's also happy to know he made a difference.