Alberta Ballet

Alberta Ballet
Nat Christie Centre, home of the Alberta Ballet
General information
Name	Alberta Ballet
Year founded	1966
Founders	Ruth Carse
Location	Calgary
Principal venue	Nat Christie Centre
Website	http://www.albertaballet.com/
Senior staff
Director	Jean Grand-Maître
Artistic staff
Music Director	Peter Dala
Other
Official school	School of Alberta Ballet

The Alberta Ballet (also known as the Alberta Ballet Company) is located in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. It is Canada's third largest dance company.

The Alberta Ballet was founded by Muriel Taylor and Dr. Ruth Carse in 1958 and became a professional company in 1966.

Carse directed the company until 1975. She was followed by Jeremy Leslie-Spinks (1975), Brydon Paige (1976–1988), and Ali Pourfarrokh (1988–1998). During Pourfarrokh's tenure, in 1990, the company merged with the Calgary City Ballet and moved into the Nat Christie Centre in Calgary. Since then, it has performed in both Edmonton and Calgary.

Former San Francisco Ballet dancer Mikko Nissinen then directed the company until 2002. Nissinen introduced Balanchine works, while continuing to commission new works from Canadian and international choreographers. He toured the company to China, Finland, and Egypt.

Jean Grand-Maître was then appointed as artistic director. Alberta Ballet continues to tour throughout North America and China.

Artistic director Jean Grand-Maître has choreographed Carmen, which toured China, and Fiddle and the Drum, a collaboration with Joni Mitchell while at the Alberta Ballet. In the spring of 2010 the company built on its ballet and pop collaboration by staging an Elton John production named Elton: Love Lies Bleeding. Elton John reportedly was so moved by Fiddle and the Drum that he asked Alberta Ballet to produce a ballet for him.

Alberta Ballet was the first Canadian company to stage a ballet by Christopher Wheeldon of the New York City Ballet. Wheeldon choreographed A Midsummer Night's Dream with the company. It also commissioned two pieces from Jorma Elo, of the Boston Ballet.

Canadian choreographer Sabrina Matthews has created pieces the company as well.

The 2009-2010 season featured the following ballets: Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Moulin Rouge: The Ballet (performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet), the World Premieres of Songs of a Wayfarer and The Seven Deadly Sins, and the World Premiere of ELTON, a new creation in collaboration with Sir Elton John.