MEDIA RELEASE

www.banffcentre.ca/theatre/

For Immediate Release
January 23, 2002

Joanne Morrow, The Banff Centre’s vice-president, Arts has announced that Benjamin Hatcher of Montreal is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Clifford E. Lee Choreography award. "Mr. Hatcher’s work is evocative and riveting, and The Banff Centre is proud to offer him the resources and the creative environment to choreograph and develop his new dance piece."

Hatcher has distinguished himself as both a dancer and choreographer. He danced for nearly 15 years with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. As a choreographer, Hatcher has choreographed for various companies, including the Ottawa Ballet, the Jeune Ballet du Québec, Ballet Divertimento, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, the Choreographic Workshop of dancers of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal.

The Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award is administered annually by The Banff Centre to an emerging Canadian choreographer. This prestigious award was established in 1978 by the Clifford E. Lee Foundation to encourage the professional development of Canadian choreographers. The award is bestowed on the basis of works previously created and performed, and to recognize the potential of a new work proposed by each applicant.

As this year’s recipient, Hatcher will receive $5,000 and the opportunity to spend six weeks in residence at The Banff Centre, working with the professional dancers in The Banff Centre’s summer dance program (Annette av Paul, director). Hatcher will have access to full production support and staging facilities at the Centre, and his new work will be presented as part of this summer’s arts festival at The Banff Centre in July, 2002.

"The Festival Dance performances that result annually from the Lee award recipients are among The Banff Centre’s best-loved events," she says. "We look forward to presenting Hatcher’s new work in the 2002 Banff Arts Festival line-up."

-30-

For more information about Benjamin Hatcher, please visit: www.hatcher.org