Evelyn Hart, a famous Canadian ballerina, is passing on her knowledge to young dancers at Kelowna’s Mission Dance Centre and Company.
Hart spent thirty years dancing with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, performing around the world, winning numerous awards, and being honored with the Order of Canada. Now, she is nurturing the future generation of ballerinas.
Hart expressed, “At this stage in my dancing career, the greatest satisfaction I receive is from giving back. That’s actually how dance is passed down, from one person to another.”
Hart is visiting the Okanagan as a guest coach. For the dancers at the Kelowna-based ballet company, the opportunity to be taught by Hart is a dream come true.
Hart shared, “I believe that the passion is sustained through learning because I feel that as soon as a dancer believes that they are unable to learn or access knowledge, it's as if they wilt.”
One of the ballerinas learning from Hart is Laika Wintemute, who has admired Hart for most of her life.
Wintemute said, “Ever since I was a little kid, Evelyn Hart has represented classical ballet in my mind. As a child, I would collect magazines, and I still have a large stack in my closet with Evelyn Hart on the covers.”
Hart is present before the twentieth-anniversary gala for the Mission Dance Centre and Company. The event aims to support the company as it nurtures emerging careers, education, and mentorships.
The Gala will include performances of Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and Swan Lake. The dancers will also demonstrate various dance styles including neoclassical Flamenco and modern dance.
Tanya Vadurova, artistic director and owner of Mission Dance Centre and Company, stated, “Many of the pieces we are performing are choreographic works that have been in the company since the beginning, so they have been danced by multiple generations of dancers.”
The dancers encourage you to dress up and walk the red carpet to join them in celebrating a unique performance on March 15. Tickets are still available online at www.missiondancecentre.com
