A former 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 brings a wealth of performance and teaching experience to her Master Classes. "My goal is to connect with emerging young dancers and to help them polish their technique in a professional and supportive environment," says av Paul. "These master classes not only give me a chance to spread the word about the prestigious Summer Dance Programs at The Banff Centre, but they also give young dancers a chance to be seen and possibly considered for scholarships to the 2004 Banff program. I always look forward to meeting new talent."

Annette av Paul is active as a teacher, coach, and adjudicator, both across Canada and abroad and has served as guest teacher with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, The Royal Swedish Ballet, the Gothenburg Ballet, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, and Dance Alberta in Edmonton. In 1985, she was the founding artistic director of Ballet British Columbia, working with the company for three seasons. Since 1984 Annette has been a teacher and coach for the Summer Dance Program at The Banff Centre and in 2002 was appointed director of the program.

The Ballet Master Class takes place on Saturday, November 8 at Swan Studio Dance, 206 Piccadilly Street. Registration begins at 12:00 p.m. followed by the Master Class from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Registration is $20.00. Minimum age for the class is 13. For more information, contact The Banff Centre Office of the Registrar at 1-800-565-9989. A half-hour information session on The Banff Centre Summer Dance Programs will follow the Master Class. The Banff Centre Summer Dance Programs runs from June 7 to August 2, 2004.