Pacific Ballet British Columbia

Pacific Ballet British Columbia
Name	Pacific Ballet British Columbia
Founded	2014
Founders	David Lee; Emily Chen
Venue	Vancouver Playhouse (occasional); Queen Elizabeth Theatre (occasional)
Headquarters	Vancouver, British Columbia
Artistic director	David Lee
Ballet master	Emily Chen

Pacific Ballet British Columbia is a professional ballet company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company presents a repertoire that spans classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works and maintains educational partnerships with regional institutions. It performs in major Canadian venues and engages in touring, collaborations, and community programs.

History

Pacific Ballet British Columbia was established in 2014 by choreographer David Lee and pedagogue Emily Chen after both had worked with companies such as National Ballet of Canada, Alberta Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet. The founding drew on influences from George Balanchine-inspired neoclassicism, William Forsythe-derived contemporary techniques, and repertory shaped by exchanges with Nederlands Dans Theater and Béjart Ballet Lausanne. Early seasons included premieres at the Vancouver Playhouse and engagements at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, while artistic collaborations were fostered with organizations such as Vancouver Opera, Ballet BC, Dancer Transition Resource Centre, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Funding and project support came through partnerships with BC Arts Council, Canada Arts Training Fund, and municipal arts offices in Vancouver, Richmond, and Surrey. The company’s administrative model drew on governance practices used by National Arts Centre and Canadian Heritage initiatives.

Repertoire and Productions

The company’s repertory combines full-length story ballets, mixed bills, and world premieres. Productions have included reinterpretations of works linked to Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, and César Franck-scored ballets, alongside commissions from choreographers associated with Crystal Pite, Shawn Mendes-adjacent multimedia creators, Aszure Barton, Jiri Kylian, and emergent artists from programs like Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Notable mixed bills paired neoclassical pieces influenced by George Balanchine aesthetics with contemporary pieces informed by Twyla Tharp-style theatricality and Ohad Naharin-derived movement language. The company has staged narrative evenings drawing on libretti adapted from works associated with Charles Dickens, Anton Chekhov, and Emily Carr-inspired visual motifs, collaborating with designers who have worked for Cirque du Soleil, Royal Opera House, and Metropolitan Opera. Multimedia collaborations have involved artists linked to Vancouver International Film Festival, Björk-style sound design teams, and composers connected to Canadian Opera Company commissions.

Company Dancers and Artistic Staff

The roster has featured dancers trained at institutions such as Canada’s National Ballet School, Royal Ballet School, The School of American Ballet, Prix de Lausanne alumni, and graduates of Princess Grace Academy. Artistic leadership includes founder David Lee as Artistic Director, with Emily Chen as Ballet Master and Rehearsal Director. Guest choreographers and coaches have been drawn from networks that include Mats Ek, Alonzo King, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, John Neumeier, and répétiteurs trained under Natalia Makarova or Margot Fonteyn-linked lineages. The company’s répétiteur staff has worked with consultants from Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and pedagogues connected to Vaganova Academy, ensuring technical transmission aligned with international standards. Administrative and production teams include producers who formerly served at Vancouver Recital Society and technical crews with experience at Orpheum Theatre and festival operations like Vancouver Fringe Festival.

Education and Outreach

Education initiatives partner with institutions such as Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia School of Music, and community organizations including Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and Vancouver School Board. Programs include school matinees, masterclasses in collaboration with Canada’s National Ballet School, mentorships tied to Prix de Lausanne alum networks, and summer intensives inspired by models used at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Outreach projects have also linked with health and arts programs such as those run by BC Children’s Hospital and Vancouver Coastal Health to deliver movement workshops and dance therapy-inspired residencies. Artist-in-residence initiatives have been developed with support from Canada Council for the Arts and municipal cultural grants.

Touring and Residencies

The company has toured across Canadian provinces and undertaken international engagements, performing in venues associated with Arts Club Theatre Company circuits and festivals such as Vancouver International Dance Festival, Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and Canada Dance Festival. Residencies have been hosted at institutions such as Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Dancing on the Edge Festival, and collaborative residencies with University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University performance labs. International exchange programs included studio exchanges with ensembles linked to Helsinki City Theatre and choreographic collaborations tied to Staatstheater Hannover networks.

Awards and Recognition

Pacific Ballet British Columbia has received funding awards and nominations from bodies such as Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, and local arts endowments. The company and its artists have been nominated for regional honors including Lieutenant Governor’s Arts Awards (British Columbia), and company productions have been highlighted in year-end lists by publications associated with The Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, and arts critics tied to CBC Arts. Individual dancers have earned distinctions from competitions tied to Prix de Lausanne scholarships and scholarships administered by Canada’s National Ballet School.

Category:Canadian dance companies