The School of Alberta Ballet Announces International Audition Tour

CALGARY, Oct. 16, 2014 /CNW/ - The School of Alberta Ballet with the generous support of Talisman Energy is kicking off a 12-city international audition tour this month. The School of Alberta Ballet is also pleased to announce its Dedicated Contemporary Dance Stream for students in grades 11 and 12, launching in the 2015-2016 Season. Dedicated contemporary auditions will take place in select cities.

At the auditions, aspiring professional dancers aged 9 and up will participate in a special ballet class to be assessed on their suitability for professional dance training. Less than 200 students will be accepted to the second stage of the audition – a three-week summer program held at the School of Alberta Ballet in Calgary. Successful graduates of the summer program will have the opportunity to attend the School of Alberta Ballet's Professional Division – a full-time dance and academic program for students in grades 7 through 12, with a part-time, dance only option for those in grades 5 and 6. The School also gives 25 full tuition boys' scholarships annually.

"Once again, the School of Alberta Ballet takes to the road, touring Canada, the United States and Japan, seeking out talented students to join our ranks for the 2015-2016 school year," says Edmund Stripe, Artistic Director.

"Together with the opportunity to join the School's Professional Division, a program of the highest quality classical ballet training that has been praised across Canada and the world, the School of Alberta Ballet 2015-2016 audition tour offers even more possibilities for students to pursue their dreams of a career in professional dance."

Talisman Energy supports the audition tour, and provides a generous donation of $250,000 to ensure that qualified students can access education and training provided by the School of Alberta Ballet.  "Talisman Energy is proud to support the School of Alberta Ballet's audition tours and scholarships," says Gina Chavez, Community Involvement Advisor for Talisman Energy Inc.  "Talented young artists need opportunities to hone their skills and talents, and we are pleased to help them reach their goals."

2015 – 2016 Season International Audition Tour:

Fort McMurray (October 19)
Halifax (November 2)
Quebec City (November 4)
Montreal (November 5)
Ottawa (November 8)
Toronto (November 9, February 1)
Edmonton (November 14, January 29)
Vancouver (November 15, January 30)
Calgary (November 24, February 2, March 2)
Houston (February 1)
Tokyo (TBD)
Osaka (TBD)

For audition details please visit www.schoolofalbertaballet.com

About The School of Alberta Ballet
For over 20 years, the School of Alberta Ballet has been consistently recognized as a world class training facility and charitable organization. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Edmund Stripe, the School has an annual enrolment of more than 500 students in its Open Division and Professional Division. The School of Alberta Ballet has an active community profile with free outreach and community programs reaching thousands of children every year.

SOURCE: Alberta Ballet

Danielle Bartha, Publicist and Promotions Officer, P: 403.245.4222 ext. 549, C: 403.606.4669, E: [email protected]