Norbert Vesak

Norbert Vesak
Norbert Vesak, 1983
Born	Norbert Franklin Vesak (1936-10-22)October 22, 1936 Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada
Died	October 2, 1990(1990-10-02) (aged 53) Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Choreographer, Dancer, Master Teacher, Theatrical Director, Opera Ballet Director for the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera
Years active	1959-1990
Notable work	The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, What To Do Till the Messiah Comes, In Quest of the Sun, Meadow Dances, Death in Venice, Carmen, Sacre du Printemps, Midsummer Night's Dream, Sibelius Songs, Veder Engel Nach Unserer Mensch, Elegie Für Eine Tote Liebe, Whispers of Darkness, The Grey Goose of Silence, Pieces of Glass, Belong Pas de Deux, The Medium, Whisper of Night
Partner(s)	Robert de La Rose
Awards	Winner of Two Gold Medals 1980 for Outstanding Choreography, International Concours at Osaka, Japan and Varna, Bulgaria

Norbert Vesak (October 22, 1936 – October 2, 1990), one of Canada's leading choreographers in the 1970s, was a ballet dancer, choreographer, theatrical director, master teacher, dance columnist, lecturer, and opera ballet director, known for his unique, flamboyant style and his multimedia approach to classical and contemporary choreography. He is credited with helping to bring modern dance to Western Canada.

Although Vesak worked internationally as a choreographer, he was frequently referred to as "Canada's finest male dancer." Early in his career, he often choreographed works and then danced in them as well, receiving critical acclaim for both roles. He was described as a "Renaissance Man", well known as a lecturer, dancer, set and costume designer, and teacher, as well as for his choreography and work in the theater. Vesak was born in Port Moody, British Columbia in 1936 to Frank and Nora Vesak, of Czech and Belgian descent. As a child, he was an opera fan who described listening to Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. He studied dance in Edmonton, Alberta with Laine Metz and followed that with study under Josephine Slater, whom he described as having the greatest influence on his career at that time, because in addition to teaching and mentoring him, she introduced him to Ted Shawn who was one of the pioneers of modern dance in the United States. Vesak was given a scholarship to train with Shawn at Jacob's Pillow in Lee, Massachusetts, where he trained and eventually joined the teaching staff. Vesak also studied under Margaret Craske, Merce Cunningham, Geoffrey Holder, Pauline Koner, Madam La Meri, Robert Abramson, Ruth St. Denis, and Vera Volkova, among others. He was classically trained, and was a member of the Royal Academy of Dancing and Ballet in Britain and also studied ethnic dance extensively. Although he wanted to be an actor, at the age of 17, he decided on dance and was awarded a scholarship in 1960 to Jacob's Pillow Dance in Massachusetts, where he studied under the direction of Ted Shawn and other well-known teachers. When Vesak returned to Vancouver, he co-founded the Pacific Dance Theatre in 1964 and later founded the eponymous Norbert Vesak Dancers, which became the Western Dance Theatre in 1970.