The History of Dance in Canada

Dance is the word that is broadly that used to define a human behavior characterized by expressive movements of the body. It is the grace, artistry, and classicality and precision that distinguishes ballet from other dance styles. People have danced for many different reasons such a religious, entertainment, tribal rituals, exercise or to simply to express something that cannot find voice in words. For as long as people inhabited Canada, there has been dance and it has subsequently played a role throughout Canadian history. In Canada dance history began with indigenous dance of First Nations Peoples, but with the arrival of European settlers came more European dance forms such as ballet, which have shaped dance in Canada into what it is today. Canada is still considered a newer country and yet has still managed to produce ballet productions that dupe the standards of worldwide companies who have had ballet within their society for hundreds of years longer. Canada’s most renowned classical ballet company is the National Ballet of Canada, a dance company which has been a key patron of the arts and is in many ways responsible for the popularity of success of ballet in Canada.

The National Ballet of Canada was founded in 1951. 3 It is a classical ballet company that has an extensive repertoire of choreography ranging from very classical 19th century pieces to modern avangard contemporary works. The National Ballet of Canada is one of North Americas largest ballet troupes, however the size of its operations has in the past fluctuated due to financial resources. The company began in 1980 with only thirty dancers and the company currently employs around 100 dancers, typical of large scale dance company. The company is based out of T...

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...y that Canada is now home to one of the world’s finest ballet training facilities and inevitably also some of the world most talented ballet dancers. The National Ballet gave Canadians pride in the arts and allowed the popularity of ballet to sprout in Canadian youth and blossom into an art form that is experienced and enjoyed by thousands of children on a daily basis. The National Ballet also teaches aspiring dance teachers how to teach dance and is one of very few programs available in Canada. They are at the forefront of dance education, fusing traditional ballet traditions with the latest advancements in the science of movement, sports medicine and care for the dancer. These teachers go on to teach in communities in Canada and around the world furthermore spreading their love of ballet and sharing it with the youth and the future generation of the ballet world.