What's going on DANCE

Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada, Wntr, 1999

WILLIAM MARIE rejoined the National Ballet of Canada after a brief stint with Montreal's La La La Human Steps. The native Montrealer first joined the National in 1990, becoming a first soloist in 1996. He returned just in time to dance the role of Von Rothbart in the new Swan Lake.

QUETICO CENTRE RETREAT FOR DANCE TEACHERS Experience a unique blend of relaxation, rejuvenation and instruction. Gather with your peers in a resort-like setting in the heart of Northwestern Ontario to cover topics such as anatomy applied to dance, comparison of syllabus basics, the choreographic process and much more. Call 807-937-5512 or email kbourgon@hotmail.com.

HALIFAX DANCE BENEFIT was hosted by Karen Kain and featured Johan Persson and Jamie Tapper of the National Ballet in the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet.

ATTENDANCE DROP more than 13 million people attended performing arts events in Canada in 1996-97, a 13 percent drop from 1994-95, according to Statistics Canada. Opera and theatre were the big losers, experiencing a dramatic decrease in attendance. Music had a smaller decline, while dance actually managed a six percent increase.

DOMINIQUE DUMAIS is choreographing a new work for Reid Anderson's Stuttgart Ballet which will be premiered in June. John Alleyne's Ballet BC premeired one of Dumais' other pieces in April.

HOLY BODY TATTOO of Vancouver has won the $50,000 Alcan Performing Arts Award. The company will use the funds to create a new work which will premiere at the Vancouver East Culture Centre in February 2000. This is the first year of the Alcan Award which will rotate between BC's dance, theatre and music disciplines.

DANCERS FOR LIFE DAY in Vancouver was May 29, and the fifth annual AIDS fundraiser featured Evelyn Hart, Margie Gillis and Paola Styron. Ballet BC was there with Serge Benathan's The Fall and Ballet BC dancer Emily Molnar danced the world premiere of a Dominique Dumais piece. Vancouver choreographer Joe Laughlin perormed Flick while the spectacular Jose Navas performed Sterile Fields.

WILLIAM MORRIS, Albertaborn dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet plans to retire at the end of this season. Until then, he can be seen in the role of Dr. van Helsing in Dracula and Rothbart in Swan Lake. Morris is already artistic coordinator of the RWB; after retirement from the stage, he will also take on teaching duties at the company school.

Jesus Corales has been promoted to principal dancer at RWB. A frequent partner for Evelyn Hart, the Cuban-born Corales arrived just six months ago from the National Ballet of Cuba.

THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA'S 45 dancers have elected Jennifer Fournier to replace Kimberly Glasco as their representative on the company's board of directors. Glasco has been in the news much of late as she is suing the company for libel, breach of contract and damage to her reputation, after her contract was not renewed. Fournier has been with the National since 1986.

ALBERTA BALLET is undergoing big personnel changes; the company will retain a few of its 22 dancers and hire many new ones to further artistic director Mikko Nissinen's plan to become a strong classical/neoclassical troupe.

Leaving are: Kahil Calder, Kimberley Cook, Caley Crossman, Sean Ling, Rene Olivier, Daniela Sodero, Hocine Layada, Patricia Maybury (who is retiring).

Among those joining the troupe is Ronda Nychka who danced with The National Ballet, Deutche Opera (Berlin) and Bejart Ballet (Switzerland). Also new is Vito Iacobellis who performed with Teatro Nuovo Torino, Jeune Ballet de Cannes, Seoul Ballet Theatre and Universal Ballet of Korea. Kevin Kong danced with Ballet West and Les Grands Ballet d'Haiti. Lauren Maples joins AB after training in the US as does Natalie Evtushenko.

Nissinen wants to present works by Balanchine, Jiri Kylian and Mark Morris. Nissinen took over from former artistic director Ali Pourfarrokh in 1998.

THE ERIK BRUHN PRIZE 1999 is shared by two male dancers, Jhe Russell of the National Ballet of Canada and Guennadi Nedviguine of San Francisco Ballet. SF Ballet's Vanessa Zahorian won top female honours. Young dancers from the four companies Bruhn was primarily associated with in his lifetime take part in the competition, which takes place every two years.

MAVIS STAINES, artistic director of the National Ballet School in Toronto, presided over the jury at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne in January.

fFIDA IN TORONTO

The Fringe Festival of Independent Dance has improv, composer's choice, established artist categories. August.

NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE announced a stellar lineup for its 31 st dance season. Ballet fans will enjoy Les Grand Ballets Canadiens who present Giselle. The National Ballet of Canada will perform Balanchine's Jewels, a full-length ballet inspired by the life of Claude Arpels, and set to the music of Faure, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet will dance Beauty and the Beast which is set to music by Bizet, Britten, Debussy and Saint-Saens.

"A" Series has Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal with three new creations including Circle Songs, choreographed by Shaun Hounsell to Bobby McFerrin's music. Margie Gillis and Joao Mauricio present an evening of solos and duets, including Voyage, with music by Gaetan Leboeuf, based on Gilles Vigneault's Si les bateaux. Finally, Nacho Duato and his Compahia Nacional de Danza perform an evening of works celebrating Spanish culture and folklore.