Ballet BC 25th Anniversary Celebration

Ballet BC 25th Anniversary Celebration with Ballet BC and The Turning Point Ensemble with Conductor Owen Underhill is playing April 14 to 16 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tonight was a rare treat. Artistic Director Emily Molnar opened the evening with thanks to the founders Jean Orr, David Y. H. Lui, Sheila Baggs, and present executive producer, Jay Rankin, the sponsors, contributors and audience.
4 original Canadian productions.. Les chercheurs de dieu choreographed by Serge Bennathan opened powerfully with a hint of whimsical.  The Turning Point Ensemble on stage participating with dancers silouetted in a night of magnificent lighting and costume.  I was moved, captivated, enthralled.  Dance and sound joined in heavenly wonder with moments of sheer profundity. Donald Sales and Makaila Wallace with all the dancers touched my very soul.
In Motion with choreographer Wen Wei Wang with music by Owen Underhill, Geometry of Harmoney filled the stage with big body movement of dancers together but little hand movements fluttering in the light.  Contemporary music and contemporary dance living and breathing as one. I love the dance of Leon Feizo Gas.
Moth, choreographed by Donald Sales spoke to loss with candelight and grief. Costumes in black and red.  Dancers Livona Ellis, Shannon Ferguson, Maggie Forgeron, Delphine Leroux, Peter Smida and Makaila Wallace.
Finally, Touch, choreographed by Gioconda Barbuto, music Anthony Genge, The Human Condition.  Alexis Fletcher, Gilbert Small, Rachel Prince were outstanding as were all the dancers.  15 dancers at least in the company, participating together, en mass, alone and as pas de deuxs..
The applause was enormous.  Yet somehow no standing ovation, not that the night did not deserve one but because we  all seemed mesmerized.. It was a magical evening of truly professional performance that left us feeling moved andthoughtful.  Throughout the year we've ushered from the theatre laughing at times, talking loudly about the brilliance of Ballet BC, delighted by the performances and grateful to be among the beautiful people at this greatest of gala events. Tonight, with the season ending, there was sadness, such a perfect season of incredible breadth and charm  had hardly been imaginable after the trials of the previous year.
Time to buy seasons tickets for next year. Without seasons tickets I would miss so many wonderful shows because frankly on Friday night or Saturday in the winter rain and cold It would be so much easier to stay home and watch tv.  With seasons tickets I'm moved to go, the decison made.   Vancouver is a richer more cultured and complete experience thanks to Ballet BC.  I lose myself in amazement at the sculptured sensations of movement and elegance..