Six Reasons to See INFINITY

British Columbians (rightfully) take a certain pride in the work of choreographer Crystal Pite. The renowned and in-demand artist calls Vancouver home, where her own company Kidd Pivot is based, and where her journey with Ballet BC began in 1988 when she joined the company as a dancer. Since then, some of her most iconic works have entered our repertoire, including Solo Echo, The Statement, and in 2024, Frontier. Reimagined specifically for the company, Frontier explores themes familiar to fans of Pite’s work such as dark matter and the shadow, and the 24-dancer cast is supported by guest artists from Vancouver’s Arts Umbrella—another local pride booster.

Jiří Kylián is one of the most important figures in contemporary dance, having led Nederlands Dans Theater for nearly 25 years, and with a renowned choreographic canon of almost 100 works which continue to be performed by top dance companies worldwide. To bring his 27’52” to Canadian audiences for the very first time, a team of close Kylián collaborators—Aurélie Cayla and Fernando Hernando Magadan along with Artistic Director Medhi Walerski—worked with our dancers across many weeks, sharing their expertise in the choreographer’s distinct movement language with a passionate new cast of dancers. 

Medhi Walerski’s relationship with Jiří Kylián’s work began at NDT. He was present during the creation of 27’52” in 2002, and performed in many of Kylián’s works as a dancer in the years following. “With the creation of 27’52”,” says Medhi, “I had my first opportunity to witness Jirí creating in the studio. Watching the way he shaped the space with mastery, clarity, and a deep respect for the dancers was truly magical—it continues to inspire the way I work with dancers to this day. As I get older, I find myself connecting to the work in a new way, discovering layers and emotions I hadn’t fully felt before. Its exploration of time, life, uncertainty, and destiny, together with its power and fragility, continues to leave a lasting impression on me.”

Both Frontier and 27’52” explore deeply meaningful themes that have maintained resonance for audiences since their creation. In Frontier, the personification of shadows (supported by costume design by Nancy Bryant and set design by Jay Gower Taylor) represents a frequently visited idea for Pite—that of the unknown. “Creation, for me, is about venturing into unknown territory and trying to be in a generative relationship with doubt. And I love attempting to portray something that cannot be portrayed,” she says. Of 27’52”, which is ultimately about time and our relationship to it, Kylian says: “We might not be aware, but we don’t only become older on our birthday. Every split of a second of our life is responsible for our aging, and every moment of our life represents some kind of change….! To me this is a very reassuring and liberating thought.”

Music is almost always an indispensable partner for dance, as many famed collaborations between choreographer and composer illustrate. Both Pite and Kylian worked with composers on original pieces of music for the works you’ll see at INFINITY. For Frontier, in addition to songs by Eric Whitacre, frequent Pite collaborator Owen Belton created an extraordinary score in order to invite you into the enigmatic world on stage; for 27’52”, composer Dirk Haubrich used two themes by Gustav Mahler as a point of departure, incorporating text from diverse and wide-ranging sources recorded in multiple languages. 

There are a few new ways to experience Ballet BC on stage this season: matinees, earlier evening showtimes, and the chance to view an open company class at the theatre. Our new Saturday 1:30pm matinee performance is perfect for those with evening commitments or longer commutes, and 7:30pm showtimes help with early alarms! Company class takes place 10:45am – 12pm on Saturday February 28, and all are welcome. Tickets can be purchased here.