Ballet BC 2026 Annex Dancers rehearse a new creation by Michael Garcia. Photo by Millissa Martin.
VANCOUVER, BC — Ballet BC Annex, the junior ensemble of Canada’s leading contemporary dance company, returns to stages across British Columbia this fall with a dynamic triple bill featuring two world premieres and a reimagining of a work by acclaimed Vancouver-based choreographic duo Out Innerspace.
The Ballet BC Annex tour takes place across October and November 2026 and offers audiences across the province an opportunity to experience exceptional emerging dance artists alongside distinctive choreographic voices from across Canada. The eight-dancer ensemble is composed of pre-professional artists training with Vancouver’s Arts Umbrella and Modus Operandi, providing a vital bridge between professional training and a career on the stage.
“Annex is about creating a space where young artists can step into the professional world—to perform, create, collaborate and discover their own artistic voices. It is an important part of our commitment to supporting the next generation of talent,” says Artistic Director Medhi Walerski. “Now in its fourth season, the program creates meaningful opportunities for young dancers to gain professional experience while connecting audiences throughout BC with artistic experiences they might not otherwise have access to. This season’s dancers and choreographers bring an exciting range of perspectives and practices to the stage, and we’re thrilled to share their work with communities across the province.”
The program opens with a world premiere by Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe, a choreographer, dance artist, and member of the Tla’amin First Nation. Rooted in both classical training and Indigenous dance traditions, Fraser-Monroe’s practice encompasses Hoop Dance and Grass Dance, which he studied under Elder Mollie Bono, alongside his extensive career as a performer and choreographer. His commissions include work for the National Ballet of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Fall for Dance Festival NYC. He is currently Artist-in-Residence at the National Theatre School of Canada. Fraser-Monroe’s new work for Ballet BC Annex marks his first for the company.
The Annex program also features another first: a world premiere by Ballet BC company artist Michael Garcia, marking his choreographic debut with the company. Originally from McAllen, Texas, Garcia trained at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts before earning his BFA from The Juilliard School under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. Now in his fourth season as a Ballet BC company artist, Garcia has also established himself as an educator and choreographer, with commissions including Arts Umbrella Dance, four outstanding choreography awards from the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), and experience choreographing, producing, and leading classes for Ballet BC programs Take Form and MOVE.
Rounding out the repertoire is Last Flower by Out Innerspace, the Vancouver-based choreographic partnership of Tiffany Tregarthen and David Raymond. Originally commissioned for Ballet BC’s main company in 2024, the work will be reimagined for the Annex dancers. Known for their rigorous, inventive approach to contemporary dance, Tregarthen and Raymond have an international touring history spanning more than 15 countries, with commissions for Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT 2), GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, and Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, in addition to Ballet BC.
Annex preview performances begin October 16 + 17 at the Jack and Darlene Poole Theatre at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, followed by a 14-stop tour with performances at schools and community venues across BC. In schools, insightful workshops and Q&A sessions led by Annex dancers and Ballet BC’s Education and Engagement team will accompany each performance, offering a closer look into the choreographic process and the career path of a dancer. Students learn excerpts from the performance and engage in creative dialogue, contributing to a broader understanding of dance as a genre and form of expression.
Ballet BC Annex is sponsored by BMO, with additional support from the Province of British Columbia, the Diamond Foundation, the Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation, and the R&J Stern Family Foundation.
2026/27 Ballet BC Annex Tour | Public Performances
The Jack and Darlene Poole Theatre, Arts Umbrella | Vancouver, BC
October 16 + 17, 2026
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts | Burnaby, BC
October 18, 2026
Alliance Française Vancouver | Vancouver, BC
October 30, 2026
Anvil Theatre | New Westminster, BC
November 15, 2026
Annex will also perform and hold workshops at several elementary and secondary schools across the region.
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