The spring performance season is moving full steam ahead with literary-inspired ballets, a queer reimagining of Carmen, and premieres drawing from everything from the upcoming solar eclipse to contemporary American politics. Here’s what’s grabbing our attention.

Here are the latest promotions, appointments and transfers, plus notable awards and accomplishments from the last month. Comings & Goings Tigran Mkrtchyan has joined Boston Ballet as a soloist, Chisako Oga as a second soloist. At English National Ballet, Aitor Arrieta, Katja Khaniukova and Ken Saruhashi have been promoted to first soloist, Julia Conway, Daniel […]

Nederlands Dans Theater announced today that Emily Molnar will become artistic director in August 2020. Molnar, who hails from Canada and currently leads Vancouver’s Ballet BC, will take over the position from Paul Lightfoot, who has directed the prominent contemporary dance company since 2011. The company’s current artistic team includes artistic advisor Sol León, Lightfoot’s […]

Are ballet companies different when led by a female artistic director? Before becoming its artistic director, Karen Kain danced for every director in National Ballet of Canada’s history, then staged ballets, did fundraising and observed the administrative offices under her predecessor James Kudelka. But she wasn’t ambitious for the top job. Although she had a […]

What do choreographers see in their dancers’ physiques?   Ballet BC dancer Darren Devaney. Photo by Michael Slobodian, Courtesy Ballet BC.   Inspiration can come from anywhere, but for choreographers, the body itself is a rich source. Some dancemakers may be drawn to specific physical traits: lanky limbs, an articulate spine, a muscular build. But […]