
2025 Conteporary Showcase
Featuring Alberta Ballet School Students, Post-Graduates and the Alberta Ballet Trainees
Friday, March 21, 2025 at DJD
Performances at 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Performance Schedule
Welcome Speech, Ashley McNeil, Director of Alberta Ballet School
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Choreographer: Hofesh Schecter
Coach: Helen CoxStudent: Lindi Denkema
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Music: Shell by Gunn-Truscinski Duo
Choreographer: Graham McKelvieStudent: Takumi Iino
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Music: Vivaldi
Coach: Helen CoxStudent: Emma Poirier
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Music: Manége by Michael Karlsson
Choreographer: Kaitlyn SeaboldAbout the work: A gesture. A reflection. A thread pulled and woven again.
Something begins, is seen, and returns—but not as it was. Shapes fold into each other, shifting, slipping between memory and motion. A pattern forms, then unravels.
Familiar, yet changed. The echo is never quite the same.
This piece is a work in progress, developed by the Alberta Ballet students through exploration in contemporary movement.
Junior School Students: Adriana Hohman, Eleanor Jamieson, Elijah Minkley, Gabriella Zuniga,Hannah Stewart,Haydee Choi, Heloise Shen, Ivy Niebergall, Kaiden Rathwell, Megan Hills, Mila Tait, Milana Poverzhuk, Noah Findlay, Noemi Moe, Soleil Lam, Tamsin Hill,Alexandra Levis, Chanel Lee, Claudia Gimon, Ena Sato, Elsa Anderson,Himari Imada, Kanon Suzuki, Kizuna Narumi, Konomi Takeuchi, Lisa Tanaka, Massa Dewa,Mariia Vasylenko, Momone Nakada, Nanaho Miyahshita, Poppy Purwien, Riko Matshushita, Siwon Park, , Sophia Labelle, Yua Taguchi
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Music: We Sit and Cry by David Lang
Choreographer: Racheal Prince
Coach: Graham McKelvieStudent: Simone Stolar
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Music: Reflections by Timo Andres, Conor Hanick, and Sufjan Stevens
Choreographer: Helen CoxThis piece is set to a score written for two pianos, originally composed by Sufjan Stevens for the New York City Ballet. During my maternity leave, Stevens' album became a source of inspiration, sparking vivid imagery of shape, colour, and movement that resonated with the music.
In collaboration with the dancers, we have crafted a piece using the excerpts "Euphoros" and "Rodina." The resulting work, for me, embodies a sense of presence and connection. The title Glimmer refers to the fleeting moments of joy, pleasure, peace, and gratitude that punctuate our daily lives.
Senior School Students: Andie Watson, Bokyung Kim, Cameryn MacDougall, Charie Ngan, Chisato Yoshimura, Ella Plichta, Heewon Hwang, Indigo Jakeman, Jiho Jung, Koh Sato, Mary Hills, Masha Komina, Pascale Decelles, Raissa Doppelreiter, Roxanne Koehn, Siofra McAweeney, Yuhuza Arai
6:30 PM
Intermission (10 minutes)
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Music: Leo Delibes
Choreographer: Helen CoxStudent: Regina Aguilar
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Choreographer: Graham McKelvie
Music: A Morning Spent Thinking of a Life Without You by FlatsoundStudent: Evia Hayter
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Music: Fordlandia by Johann Johannson
Choreographer: Graham McKelvie
The Message In The Bottle is my observation of the times in which we live, in all it’s exuberance, anxiety and hope. I see around me everywhere, people carrying their burdens or dragging behind them their hopes, fears and aspirations. I wish for more in the way of a peaceful calm. This is one of my wishes for the world. In this work, the dancers themselves are the message in the bottle. Each of us is the sum of our experiences, joys, hurts, determination and hopes. Our experiences make us who we are. We become a longer story with ever more chapters until we are found and known. It is for these reasons I find the notion of a message in a bottle so compelling and filled with a kind of romance. When I was young there was a scroll put up in my house upon which was printed "Desiderata”. It was a well known piece of writing back in its day, written by Max Ehrmann in 1927. Desiderata means simply “things wanted or needed”. The lines that follow are but a few from the entire text but they stayed with me my entire life. They became for me, a kind of message in a bottle, written long ago... and found. I feel these lines retain their wonder and they have never failed to inspire me.Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
Senior School Students: Analise Evans, Eva - Maria Fox, Lucinda Huska, Hiyori Sampei, Kanon Harada, Lindi Denkema, Maria Santos, Miku Amemiya, Mimi Nordlund, Olivia Avinou, Sydney Parish, Brynn Eisler, Eden Robichaud, Esther Benson, Kaili Kirschbaum, Lucy Kim, Sophie Cruz, Takumi Iino, Tamaki Tsunomachi, Tsuzuri Hasunuma, Willa Clark, Anya Viinikka, Alana Ostrowski, Alessandra Gladstone, Anika Bhatnagar, Anna Pellietier, Annalise Read, Aoi Engauchi, Ava Arnold, Ella Southwell, Greer Townsend, Lily Summerville, Mikaela Jade Shedden, Miriam Hills, Morgan Dunham, Nene Hori, Regina Aguilar, Sarah Koslowsky, Simone Stolar, Sophie Janzen, Tierney Baker, Zofia Dyck, Tom Waters
8:00 PM
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Choreographer: Hofesh Schecter
Coach: Helen CoxStudent: Lindi Denkema
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Music: Shell by Gunn-Truscinski Duo
Choreographer: Graham McKelvieStudent: Willa Clark
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Music: Vivaldi
Coach: Helen CoxStudent: Alessandra Gladstone
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Music: Manége by Michael Karlsson
Choreographer: Kaitlyn SeaboldAbout the work: A gesture. A reflection. A thread pulled and woven again.
Something begins, is seen, and returns—but not as it was. Shapes fold into each other, shifting, slipping between memory and motion. A pattern forms, then unravels.
Familiar, yet changed. The echo is never quite the same.
This piece is a work in progress, developed by the Alberta Ballet students through exploration in contemporary movement.
Junior School Students: Adriana Hohman, Eleanor Jamieson, Elijah Minkley, Gabriella Zuniga,Hannah Stewart,Haydee Choi, Heloise Shen, Ivy Niebergall, Kaiden Rathwell, Megan Hills, Mila Tait, Milana Poverzhuk, Noah Findlay, Noemi Moe, Soleil Lam, Tamsin Hill,Alexandra Levis, Chanel Lee, Claudia Gimon, Ena Sato, Elsa Anderson,Himari Imada, Kanon Suzuki, Kizuna Narumi, Konomi Takeuchi, Lisa Tanaka, Massa Dewa,Mariia Vasylenko, Momone Nakada, Nanaho Miyahshita, Poppy Purwien, Riko Matshushita, Siwon Park, , Sophia Labelle, Yua Taguchi
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Music: We Sit and Cry by David Lang
Choreographer: Racheal Prince
Coach: Graham McKelvieStudent: Ava Arnold
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Music: Reflections by Timo Andres, Conor Hanick, and Sufjan Stevens
Choreographer: Helen CoxThis piece is set to a score written for two pianos, originally composed by Sufjan Stevens for the New York City Ballet. During my maternity leave, Stevens' album became a source of inspiration, sparking vivid imagery of shape, colour, and movement that resonated with the music.
In collaboration with the dancers, we have crafted a piece using the excerpts "Euphoros" and "Rodina." The resulting work, for me, embodies a sense of presence and connection. The title Glimmer refers to the fleeting moments of joy, pleasure, peace, and gratitude that punctuate our daily lives.
Senior School Students: Andie Watson, Bokyung Kim, Cameryn MacDougall, Charie Ngan, Chisato Yoshimura, Ella Plichta, Heewon Hwang, Indigo Jakeman, Jiho Jung, Koh Sato, Mary Hills, Masha Komina, Pascale Decelles, Raissa Doppelreiter, Roxanne Koehn, Siofra McAweeney, Yuhuza Arai
Intermission (10 minutes)
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Music: Leo Delibes
Choreographer: Helen CoxStudent: Eva-Marie Fox
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Choreographer: Graham McKelvie
Music: A Morning Spent Thinking of a Life Without You by FlatsoundStudent: Anika Bhatnagar
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Music: Fordlandia by Johann Johannson
Choreographer: Graham McKelvie
The Message In The Bottle is my observation of the times in which we live, in all it’s exuberance, anxiety and hope. I see around me everywhere, people carrying their burdens or dragging behind them their hopes, fears and aspirations. I wish for more in the way of a peaceful calm. This is one of my wishes for the world. In this work, the dancers themselves are the message in the bottle. Each of us is the sum of our experiences, joys, hurts, determination and hopes. Our experiences make us who we are. We become a longer story with ever more chapters until we are found and known. It is for these reasons I find the notion of a message in a bottle so compelling and filled with a kind of romance. When I was young there was a scroll put up in my house upon which was printed "Desiderata”. It was a well known piece of writing back in its day, written by Max Ehrmann in 1927. Desiderata means simply “things wanted or needed”. The lines that follow are but a few from the entire text but they stayed with me my entire life. They became for me, a kind of message in a bottle, written long ago... and found. I feel these lines retain their wonder and they have never failed to inspire me.Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
Senior School Students: Analise Evans, Eva - Maria Fox, Lucinda Huska, Hiyori Sampei, Kanon Harada, Lindi Denkema, Maria Santos, Miku Amemiya, Mimi Nordlund, Olivia Avinou, Sydney Parish, Brynn Eisler, Eden Robichaud, Esther Benson, Kaili Kirschbaum, Lucy Kim, Sophie Cruz, Takumi Iino, Tamaki Tsunomachi, Tsuzuri Hasunuma, Willa Clark, Anya Viinikka, Alana Ostrowski, Alessandra Gladstone, Anika Bhatnagar, Anna Pellietier, Annalise Read, Aoi Engauchi, Ava Arnold, Ella Southwell, Greer Townsend, Lily Summerville, Mikaela Jade Shedden, Miriam Hills, Morgan Dunham, Nene Hori, Regina Aguilar, Sarah Koslowsky, Simone Stolar, Sophie Janzen, Tierney Baker, Zofia Dyck, Tom Waters
Alberta Ballet Donors help Alberta Ballet School advance its mission.
Alberta Ballet School cultivates, trains and empowers the next generation of professional dancers, ensuring our students are prepared to excel in post-secondary studies or pursue a thriving dance career, be it in Alberta or beyond.
Their training is a foundational activity of Alberta Ballet's charitable mission, and our valued donor community makes it possible to help advance the career aspirations of these talented and dedicated dance students.
Alberta Ballet School’s Annual Contemporary Showcase is your generosity in motion. To learn more about donor impact, email us at donate@albertaballet.com.
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Anonymous
Behind the scenes, a whole community helps us inspire you with dance!
Alberta Ballet School gratefully receives funding support from:
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Chair
Heather Rae, HRJ ConsultingVice Chairs
NORTH - Heather Klimchuk, MacEwan University
SOUTH - Sarah Palmer, LL.B., ICD.DCorporate Secretary
Frank Molnar, Field LawTreasurer
Jana Neal, SFG Investments -
Denise Clark, One Yellow Rabbit
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CHAIR/PRESIDENT
Alfred SorensenSECRETARY/TREASURER
Peter StapletonDIRECTOR
Heather RaeDIRECTOR
Jana NealDIRECTOR
Joni HughesDIRECTOR
Rita TripathyDIRECTOR
George Bezaire