National Ballet Of Canada Honours Glen Tetley

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced competitors and repertoire for The Seventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize on March 3, 2007 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

The competition, named after one of the greatest male dancers of the 20th century, will showcase a total of eight dancers between the ages of 18-26. One male and one female dancer from The National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet and The Royal Danish Ballet will compete in a programme of classical and contemporary work.

Ms. Kain has commissioned a new work from Canadian choreographer Sabrina Matthews for Second Soloist Bridgett Zehr and First Soloist Keiichi Hirano to dance as their contemporary work. They will also perform the pas de deux from Le Corsaire.

Misty Copeland and Jared Matthews from American Ballet Theatre will dance the Act III pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty and an excerpt from Jirí Kylián's Petite Mort. The Royal Ballet will be represented by Yuhui Choe and Fernando Montaño who will dance the Bluebird pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty and the balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet. The Royal Danish Ballet will present a new work by British choreographer and Artistic Director of the Danish Dance Theatre, Tim Rushton, danced by Yao Wei and Ulrik Birkkjær as well as the full pas de deux from Bournonville's Flower Festival in Genzano.

The National Ballet will honour Glen Tetley as part of the competition. Mr. Tetley passed away suddenly, on January 26, 2007, at the age of 80. His masterwork Voluntaries will be performed both at the competition and as part of the company's winter season from March 21-25, 2007.
Ticket sales for The Seventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize are strong, and it is anticipated that the performance will sell out. -- www.national.ballet.ca