Artistic Director: Jean Grand-Maître
One of the most successful Canadian choreographers of his generation, Jean Grand-Maître assumed the artistic leadership of Alberta Ballet in 2002. After working internationally for 14 years as an independent choreographer and theatre director, he has created and staged new works for many of the world's most prestigious ballet companies, theatre festivals, circus performers, opera companies, stage musicals, television specials, film and large scale outdoor events.
He has been commissioned by renowned ballet companies such as the Opéra National de Paris, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Stuttgart Ballet, the National Norwegian Ballet, the National Bavarian State Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Ballet British Columbia, the National Ballet of Cuba, Ballet Jörgen and the Hartford Ballet.
His experience in the creation of performance art is extensive and highly eclectic. He has staged and choreographed large scale musicals, he has collaborated with numerous renowned theatre directors and he has collaborated with Michel Lemieux for the street parade celebrating Montreal's 350th anniversary and in addition has also created dance for numerous television specials and for film.
Born in Hull, Quebec, he began his dance training at York University in Toronto and continued at Montreal's L'École Supérieure de Danse du Québec. He later danced with Ballet British Columbia and Theatre Ballet of Canada.
Alberta Ballet, under Grand-Maitre's directorship, has enjoyed considerable success both artistically and financially. He has managed to build the company's national and international profile while maintaining a very strong financial position and securing some of the highest financial surpluses in the company's history.
During his present tenure with Alberta Ballet he has set or choreographed numerous ballets of his own for the company all of which have received considerable public and critical acclaim such as Celestial Themes (2002) Carmen (2003), The Winter Room (2002), Cinderella (2004), Dangerous Liaisons (2004), Vigil of Angels (2005), Romeo and Juliet (2005) and The Fiddle and The Drum in collaboration with Joni Mitchell (2007), Mozart's Requiem (2008).
He has also planned seasons that have showcased the range and diversity of the dancers and he has acquired or remounted works by such renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Rudy Van Dantzig, Dominique Dumais, Christopher Wheeldon, Ali Pourfarrokh, and Mikko Nissinen.
He has also commissioned a large number of new ballets by established and emerging choreographers from Canada and elsewhere such as Yukichi Hattori, Reid Bartelme, Sabrina Christine Matthews, Emily Molnar, Edmund Stripe, Lorraine Chapman, Margie Gillis, Magdalena Popa, Reginald Amatto and Kirk Peterson.
No fewer than 22 one act ballets, as well as 8 full length works have received their premiere with the Alberta Ballet during the first 7 years of his tenure as Artistic Director. He has also revived 16 one act ballets as well as 6 full length ballets from the company's repertoire for performances at home and on tour.Mr. Grand-Maitre has also taken the company on many highly successful national and international tours and festivals to China, Egypt, Russia, Thailand, the United States and across Canada.
Michael Crabb recently wrote in New York City's prestigious Dance Magazine: "Rapidly emerging as the Canadian troupe to watch, the originality of its programming combined with the passionate commitment of its dancing has earned Alberta Ballet a strong following at home and growing attention abroad".
