For Immediate Release
July 11, 2001

• Performance Dates
• Media Contact Information
• Selected Biographies

This summer The Banff Centre celebrates the astonishing achievements of one of the 20^th Century’s greatest choreographers, George Balanchine (see biography, attached). In this festival of dance, the Centre presents five days of performance, film, lectures, and a panel discussion about Balanchine’s impact on the evolution of dance. The event culminates in a gala evening of excerpts from this visionary artist’s seminal ballets.

Banff Festival Dance has an ongoing commitment to the genius of Balanchine. Program director, Brian Macdonald, OC, has included a Balanchine work annually in the Festival for the past fifteen years. Now he wishes to use this wealth of experience and commitment in creating a program that focuses exclusively on the creative vision and legacy of this giant of dance. "The dancers love to dance his ballets," says Brian Macdonald, "not only because of the steps and the craft of his choreography, but also because his love of the art and his musicality ensure that the joy of dancing is shared with the audience."

Videos, projections, and lectures are featured throughout Festival Dance, offering engaging details of Balanchine’s work and life. The panel discussion, moderated by former CBC Radio host of The Arts Report, Michael Crabb, features panelists Victoria Simon, ballet mistress of the Balanchine Trust; program directors Brian Macdonald and Annette av Paul; and Balanchine expert Vincent Warren. Pre-show chats, during which speakers will discuss and demonstrate ballet technique, are presented at 7:10 pm before each performance.

July 24^th & 26^th 8 pm Margaret Greenham Theatre, Program A - Balanchine, Ballet Master

July 25^th & 27^th 8 pm Margaret Greenham Theatre, Program B - Balanchine In Canada

July 28^th 2 pm Eric Harvie Theatre Lobby, Panel Discussion - Mr. B. Ballet Master

July 28^th 8 pm Eric Harvie Theatre, Grand Performance - Celebrating Balanchine!

For ticket information call the Banff Centre Box Office at 762.6301 or 1.800.413.8368 or visit the Box Office web site at www.banffcentre.ca/events. For information, biographies, or photos please call the media contact listed below.

Born in Russia, Balanchine came to America in 1933, where he founded the New York City Ballet. The son of a composer, Balanchine’s depth of musical knowledge allowed him to communicate with ease and clarity to composers and dancers alike. This ability, together with his penetrating choreographic vision, assured his success. During his lifetime, he created a remarkable 425 works. The legacy of George Balanchine is of such breadth and depth that it can truly be described as unique.

Brian Macdonald, O.C., PROGRAM DIRECTOR

An original member of the National Ballet of Canada, Brian Macdonald's association with The Banff Centre dates back to 1960. He has been artistic director of the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Harkness Ballet of New York, the Batsheva Company of Israel and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Internationally well-known as a choreographer and director of ballet, opera and musical theatre, he has directed a series of Gilbert and Sullivan productions for the Stratford Festival, all of which became television specials. Since 1987, he has mounted new productions for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the New York City Opera, the Edinburgh Festival, the Kennedy Centre in Washington, La Scala, the Sydney Opera House, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, the Edmonton and Manitoba Operas, the Canadian Opera Company and most recently a new Petrushka for the Gothenburg Ballet in Sweden. He recently directed Madama Butterfly for Opera de Quebec, Tosca for the National Arts Centre and narrated Peter and the Wolf with the NAC Orchestra. For the Broadway run of The Mikado, he received Tony award nominations both as director and as choreographer. Mr. Macdonald was awarded the Order of Canada in 1967, the Canada Council Molson Award in 1983, the Canada Dance Award and The Banff Centre National Arts Award in 1988.

Annette av Paul, ASSOCIATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR/DIRECTOR, DANCE TRAINING/ PEDAGOGUE

Principal ballerina with the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Harkness Ballet of New York, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Annette av Paul left the stage in 1984. At that time, she had danced principal roles in all the major classics and in ballets by George Balanchine, Juri Grigorovitch, Brian Macdonald, Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolph Nureyev, Glen Tetley and Anthony Tudor. She first performed at the Banff Centre in 1964, returning since to remount several ballets created by director and choreographer Brian Macdonald, her husband. Since 1984 she has been a teacher and coach for the summer Dance program at The Banff Centre, subsequently becoming its associate program director and Director of Dance Training. In 1985, she also became the founding artistic director of Ballet British Columbia and worked with the company for three seasons. She is frequently active as a teacher, coach, and adjudicator, both across Canada and abroad. She was consultant to the dance program at l'École Pierre Laporte from 1989 to 1993, and has since been guest teacher with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, the National Ballet School, The Royal Swedish Ballet and its school, the Gothenburg Ballet in Sweden, Dance Alberta in Edmonton and Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. She also served as president of the Dance in Canada Association from 1987 to 1989. In 1999, Annette av Paul was asked to do a year long evaluation of École Superieure de Danse du Quebec in Montréal by the school’s board and its artistic director Didiér Chirpaz, and continued working with them for the 2000/2001 school year as teacher and pedagogical consultant.

Victoria Simon, BALLET MISTRESS FOR THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST

Victoria Simon was one of the first dancers selected by George Balanchine to restage his ballets. Now, as Ballet Mistress for The George Balanchine Trust, she has staged over 25 of the master’s ballets for more than 80 companies on every continent in the world. Her love for the ballets and her respect for the choreography are evident in her stagings. With her eye for detail and her emphasis on musicality, she is one of the most sought after and respected re-creators of George Balanchine’s masterpieces. Ms. Simon began her study of ballet in New York City at the School of American Ballet and was a candy-cane in the original production of The Nutcracker. At age 17, she became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet and a few months later, two days after her 18^th birthday, she was invited to join the company. Ms. Simon went on to become a soloist before taking on the challenging role as Balanchine’s representative around the world. In 1981, she began to choreograph her own ballets and created works for Ballet Met, Nashville Ballet, Des Moines Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, and a workshop at the American Ballet. She is also in great demand as a teacher of the Balanchine style and technique. She is married to flutist John Wion and has two sons.

Vincent Warren, BALANCHINE EXPERT

Vincent Warren is curator of la Bibliothéque de la Danse at the Ecole Supérieure de Danse du Québec in Montréal, where he also teaches dance history. He has lectured at Concordia University, McGill University (continuing education), Ottawa University, L’Université de Québec a Montréal, Les Atéliers de Danse Moderne de Montréal, and throughout the province of Québec. In 1999, Vincent was invited to lecture in Delhi, Hyderabad, Madras and Banglore, India. He has mounted several exhibitions on historical themes at the Place des Arts, Montréal and has given pre-performance talks for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. As leading Dancer for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for 15 years, from 1961-79, Vincent performed major classical and dramatic roles. From 1958-60, he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York and worked with le Theatre Francais de Ia Danse in Paris, in 1971. He has performed for modern choreographers, James Waring, Judson Church, New York and for Jeanne Renaud, Peter Boneham, and PaulAndré Fortier, in Montréal. From 1981-82, Vincent served as chairman of the Dance in Canada Association, as president of le Regroupement des Professionels de la Danse du Québec, from 1986-87, and as a member the Arts Council of the Montreal Urban Community from 1993-1999. He has received several awards including the Queen’s Jubilee medal in 1976 and the Dance in Canada Service Award in 1985. In 1992, Vincent was honored with le Prix Denise Pelletier, a lifetime achievement award, from the government of Québec.

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