Ballet Kelowna’s Mission

Ballet Kelowna develops and showcases professional Canadian dance talent and provides a nurturing, creative environment for emerging Canadian choreographers. Ballet Kelowna passionately performs a diverse repertoire of excellent dance programming for multi-generational audiences, and, by assisting Canadian dancers and choreographers to hone their craft and expand their horizons Ballet Kelowna enriches the vibrant Canadian dance community. Ballet Kelowna presents professional, high quality programming that educates, entertains and develops audiences throughout British Columbia and beyond.

Ballet Kelowna’s Artistic Vision

Ballet Kelowna will become an eminent member of the Canadian dance community through its commitment to excellence and its belief in the value of dance in Canadian life.

Ballet Kelowna’s Major Accomplishments
Ballet Kelowna enjoys a widespread reputation for performing high quality dance in British Columbia documented through many critical reviews from regional media that laud the beauty and excellence of the Company.

Ballet Kelowna has been named “Touring Artistic Company of the Year” by the BC Touring Council. The Company has diversified its audience base each year, from seven performances in six communities in its first year to more than 50 performances presented to more than 13,000 people in 30 communities throughout British Columbia and Alberta today.

Ballet Kelowna provides career opportunities for aspiring Canadian dancers by employing six talented dancers for 34 weeks per year to train, rehearse and perform a diverse repertoire. Because of the excellent training and experience Ballet Kelowna dancers receive, several have gone on to be scouted and hired by the National Ballet of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Alberta Ballet and Ballet British Columbia. In total, Ballet Kelowna has provided career development opportunities to twenty-one Canadian dancers.

Ballet Kelowna’s repertoire currently numbers 30 ballets and excerpts plus The Nutcracker. Artistic Director, David LaHay, has commissioned five emerging Canadian choreographers to set new work on Ballet Kelowna dancers. Often this is their first opportunity to work with professional ballet dancers en pointe. In the words of choreographer Josh Beamish, “to create a work for a ballet company is a landmark moment in the career of a choreographer.” David LaHay, has choreographed 10 original works for the company and staged many works from both the classical and contemporary milieu.

Ballet Kelowna presents special student educational programmes to primary through secondary school children, introducing 1600+ students annually to this art form and demystifying ballet. For the majority, this is their first experience of ballet, giving them an education and appreciation for the hard work, physical and artistic strengths, and dedication that is required in this performing art. Ballet Kelowna has produced Kelowna Dances and Penticton Dances to showcase the talent of all dance students participating in local dance programs.

Ballet Kelowna’s board and Artistic Director are proud to have achieved the goals and objectives set fourth in their first three-year plan from 2003-2006. They are finalizing their Five-Year Strategic Plan.

Through its fiscally responsible practices, Ballet Kelowna has remained a financially sound and well managed company for the past five years, evidenced by balanced budgets and no debts. Ballet Kelowna established an Endowment Fund with the Central Okanagan Foundation in 2005 with more than $60,000 in access and developed a Planned Giving Program providing donors with more opportunities to realize potential tax benefits.

Artistic Director, David LaHay, received the Angel Award for excellence in the arts from the Central Okanagan Arts Council in 2006 in recognition of his contribution to Kelowna’s cultural mosaic.

Ballet Kelowna received a Medici Grant from the Vancouver Foundation to hire a Development Officer for two years September 2007-2009.

Ballet Kelowna was selected to perform in the Mainstage Showcase at Pacific Contact in March 2008 for the region’s performing arts presenters.