ALBERTA BALLET APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Alberta Ballet's Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Darryl Lindenbach as the Company's new Executive Director, effective May 1, 2008. Mr. Lindenbach joins Alberta Ballet from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, where he served as their Executive Director. A cultural entrepreneur and proven senior arts administrator, Mr. Lindenbach has extensive experience in strategic planning, fundraising and organizational development.

As Executive Director, Lindenbach will be overseeing Alberta Ballet's administrative operations, including strategic planning, philanthropy, corporate development, marketing and communications, and providing leadership to the Company's administrative team.

"Darryl is deeply passionate about the arts in Alberta, and he understands the challenges we face," says Kristine Eidsvik, Chair of Alberta Ballet's Board of Directors. "His leadership can only strengthen our excellent team."

From his beginnings as a theatre director, designer and producer, Lindenbach assumed the role of Executive Director and Artistic Producer of Edmonton's Fringe Theatre Adventures (FTA), the producer of North America's largest fringe theatre festival in 1998. While at FTA, he established new and innovative partnerships, allowing the company to reach new markets and increase its operating budget by 22 per cent. During the last half of his tenure, he led FTA through the fundraising, construction and commissioning phases for a $9 million redevelopment of its home: a 40,000 square foot multi-use art facility located in the heart of Edmonton's Theatre District.

Following his tenure at FTA, Lindenbach took a break from the arts sector to provide consulting services and take on leadership roles in Edmonton's business, sport and civic government sectors.

In recent years, Lindenbach worked for the City of Edmonton, developing a comprehensive plan to guide the future of Fort Edmonton Park. In late 2006, he assumed a senior position with the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, an organization focused on building healthy communities by helping to change the lives of those who need it most.

"During the past four and a half years, I have enjoyed the work and challenges that I have had the pleasure of embracing outside of the arts community," says Lindenbach. "I'm thrilled, however, to be coming home to the cultural sector once again and leading such a passionate team focused on inspiring artists and audiences and delivering world-class creativity both within our community and to the world beyond."

Alberta Ballet is Canada's third largest dance company and is entering its 42nd season. Throughout the last decades, Alberta Ballet has developed a distinctive repertoire and performance quality, bringing it to the forefront of its home and international stages.

Since the Company's dance style is neither purely classical nor strictly contemporary, its dancers must master an eclectic repertoire, from classics to bold, cutting-edge works; for this, Alberta Ballet handpicks highly-trained dancers from all over the world and right here in Alberta. The Company's dancers work five days a week, 40 weeks per year. Alberta Ballet comprises 26 classically-trained professional dancers from Australia, Canada, England, France, Japan, South Korea and the United States.

Alberta Ballet operates and performs in both Calgary and Edmonton. The office in Calgary's Nat Christie Centre houses two studios, the dancers' lounge, wardrobe facilities and the administrative office. A northern office is located in downtown Edmonton. The Company also has a 10,000 square-foot warehouse in SE Calgary that stores existing sets and is used to build new sets.

Alberta Ballet reaches thousands of Albertans each season from September to May and performs across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In its home repertoire, the Company presents the best of Canada's ballet companies, including the National Ballet of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and Ballet British Columbia. For each dance season, Alberta Ballet strives to invite and collaborate with world renowned singer-songwriters, conductors and choreographers, as well as emerging and established guest artists to take part in the creation of new works.

For more information, please visit www.albertaballet.com.

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ALBERTA BALLET APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR