More than 10,000 reached
While Ballet BC is well known for the work it shares onstage, the programs led by the organization’s Education and Engagement department are equally vital, allowing the company to deepen its relationship with audiences and provide access to the arts as a tool for wellness and community for all ages.
The purpose of the Education and Engagement department is threefold: to facilitate first hand movement-based creativity; to build a wider audience for viewing and experiencing dance; and to cultivate a meaningful connection between the company’s repertoire and the lives of participants. In the 2023/24 season, Ballet BC engaged more than 10,000 people across the province through a variety of workshops and performances who may not otherwise have access to dance.
This reach represents an increase in engagement across the board from previous years, with more people joining Ballet BC’s Student and Community Dress Rehearsals, Ballet BC Annex performances, and a wide range of in-school and other community workshops led by our Manager of Education and Engagement Heather Myers. Heather has a vast background as a dancer and as a teacher/maker/collaborator with a wide range of organizations in Canada and Europe, and is a ISMETA registered Somatic Movement Educator and a graduate of the Tamalpa Institute’s Teachers Training Program. Her belief in movement as a means to compassion, connection and creative thinking fuels her ongoing work with Ballet BC and in schools.
The company was also able to expand its geographical reach in 2023/24, bringing world-class dance programming and workshops to more districts and municipalities than ever before. More than 2,200 children or youth attended classes or workshops taught by Heather in the 2023/24 season, with 22 schools visited and 34 school divisions engaged. In particular, the company has expanded its work in elementary schools, with many educators expressing a need for programs like Ballet BC’s as a result of a lack of funding in schools. These classes allow us to reach a more general population of students with little or no former exposure to dance.
Ballet BC Manager of Education and Engagement Heather Myers leads an Ageless Dancers workshop
“Thank YOU so much for such an incredible performance! The students and staff were wowed once again with the high level of talent and expertise that the dancers demonstrated. We greatly appreciate all that you did to make this happen.” – Principal, Kamloops School of the Arts
Audiences of all ages
Senior groups and retirement homes were also able to experience Ballet BC’s work, with 717 class and workshop attendees across more than two dozen virtual and in-person events, and collaborators including the City of Vancouver/Roundhouse Community Centre, PAL Vancouver, and PARC Living.
At the theatre, Ballet BC’s Community Comps program enables members and staff of Lower Mainland non-profit organizations to attend performances at no cost, with partners including Big Sisters, City Reach Care Society, Kids Up Front, and Mom2Mom Child Poverty Initiative. Education and Engagement efforts also extend to publicly accessible movement-based adult classes and workshops taught by company dancers and some of the city’s top yoga instructors, with 142 free and low-cost events taking place between November 2023 to July 2024, many of them taught at Ballet BC’s newly renovated Granville Island studios.
We are proud to bring contemporary dance to people and communities across British Columbia that otherwise might not have been able to experience it. It is Ballet BC’s goal to continue to support community and educational engagement in the world of dance, using arts as a form of communication and a tool for inspired understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
An onstage Q&A with Ballet BC Annex dancers
The progressive series with Heather is a playful conduit for releasing physical and emotional tension. I loved the integration of dance, poetry and visual art in a small group setting. My body, mind and spirit felt more calm and joy overall. – Adult Creative Immersion student
Help us grow!
If you are a company or individual interested in supporting Ballet BC’s work in the community, connect with our Director of Development Michael Schwartz here.
If you are an educator or community organization interested in learning more about our Education and Engagement programs, connect with Heather Myers here.
Support Ballet BC
Ballet BC’s Annex and Outreach and Education programs are generously supported by BMO.
