YOU dance

YOU dance Goes Virtual

YOU dance is the largest and most popular of The National Ballet of Canada’s community engagement programmes, reaching thousands of young people each year. In usual circumstances, YOU dance works with the young dancers of the RBC Apprentice Programme to offer free interactive performances and workshops for students in grades four through six, with a particular focus on communities without ready access to arts education. This season, with large gatherings prohibited due to COVID-19, YOU dance is embracing the virtual space to keep children inspired, empowered and connected through dance.

In a cruel paradox, the pandemic response has heightened the need for the arts while restricting access to in-person programming. Without the extracurricular activities, school clubs and family events young people rely on to feel productive and secure, the arts are more important than ever as a path to self-confidence and joy.

To fulfill this need safely, the National Ballet has forged a new partnership agreement with the Toronto District School Board to deliver virtual YOU dance workshops throughout the city of Toronto. Starting October 13, 2020, two Artist Educators – Annemarie Cabri and Nicole Rose Bond – have offered 82 workshops to over 2,088 students in the TDSB, plus another 11 workshops for Project Autism learners.

Students participating in the virtual workshops may also attend virtual rehearsal visits with the Apprentices, led by YOU dance Artistic Director Lindsay Fischer and accompanied by company pianist Zsanna Vaszilenko. Delivered virtually from The Walter Carsen Centre, the visits invite students to learn more about ballet while enabling the dancers to train and perform. One of the pieces being rehearsed is a new work by First Soloist Siphesihle November, created exclusively for YOU dance. To date, over 1,800 students have tuned in for 30 virtual rehearsal visits.

Donors have been instrumental to the continuation of the National Ballet’s community engagement priorities during the pandemic, particularly through the Together for Ballet campaign. Thank you to all who are helping reach young people with the magic of dance in these challenging times.

“I truly appreciated that YOU dance worked so hard to modify the programme so my students could be actively involved and have an equitable experience without barriers. Today was phenomenal.”

- Sheri Alcordo, Teacher, Students with Developmental Delays YOU dance is supported by Ballet Club Relevé, J.P. Bickell Foundation, Maxine Goldberg, the Steve and Sally Stavro Foundation, Beth & Brent Wilson, The Woodbridge Company and One Anonymous Donor.

The RBC Apprentice Programme is sponsored by The RBC Emerging Artists Project.