Photos from our final Ballet in the Studio performance of the 2012-2013 season
Photographs by Christine Woolnough
By Colin Asuncion
From anniversary celebrations to our full-scale stage performances, our 2012-2013 Toronto season was brimming with activity. We were thrilled to connect with audiences both old and new, bringing ballet to all corners of our exciting city.
We kicked things off with our 25th Anniversary Season launch event, featuring a champagne reception, excerpts from Swan Lake performed by the company, and a special performance of The Time Warp by our George Brown College Commercial Dance students. Bengt Jorgen made special tribute presentations about Linda Stearns and Arnold Spohr (two pivotal forces in the formation and development of Ballet Jorgen Canada) as well as Lois Smith (founder of the School of Dance at George Brown College). This event was a wonderful way to start the season. We connected with our supporters and showcased the extraordinary talent within the company as well as George Brown Dance, the official school of Ballet Jorgen Canada.
We offered a delightfully diverse Toronto performance season, from intimate studio shows to lavish stage productions. Patrons enjoyed dance in a studio setting at both Solos and Duets and Ballet in the Studio, giving audiences the chance to see brand new works up close and personal. School audiences all over the GTA were treated to our children's ballet A World to Shake. Our full-scale productions of The Nutcracker: a Canadian Tradition and Swan Lake wowed audiences (and critics) at the Betty Oliphant Theatre. In addition to these regular season performances, we also participated in a number of city arts events including Dance Ontario and the Canadian Opera Company's Free Concert Series.
Our George Brown Dance students also had several opportunities to share in the limelight. They performed at various showcases and events including Next Stage 2012 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts and Unleashed 2013 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre. Our students performed at the Opening Gala for the George Brown College Waterfront Campus and an Ontario Colleges event at the Sheraton Hotel. We are always proud to see our graduates go on to do what they love once they leave our studios. We are happy to report that many of our 2012/2013 graduates have gone on to perform internationally, continue their performance education at other prestigious institutions, and even start their own dance and fitness classes around the city.
Outside of George Brown College, we held an extracurricular dance program at Humewood Community School. Our faculty instructed young dance enthusiasts in the art form, providing invaluable training to these future dancers. We also presented Ballet 101 programs (ballet talks and demonstrations) at North York Public Library and Rue Pigalle boutique, illustrating how dancers are storytellers through movement.
A major highlight of our performance season was our holiday event for the Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation (CCCF). We held a private performance of The Nutcracker: a Canadian Tradition for patients and families affected by cancer and involved in the network of care provided by CCCF. Guests enjoyed a reception co-hosted by CCCF and BJC and children took home a special BJC gift at the end of the evening. This special event was spearheaded by board member David Windross and sponsored by TEVA Canada. A huge part of our mandate at BJC is to bring ballet to audiences that may not otherwise be able to experience the art form. We were incredibly happy to share our production with these families, making their holidays that much more special.
As the season has now come to a close, we look forward to exciting new programming in our city for the 2013/2014 season. From new productions to new venues, we are thrilled at the chance to expand our reach and share our art with Toronto.