Choreographer Joshua Beamish is returning to his Canadian homeland to lead a new ballet company in Vancouver – Ballet Vancouver. Following an exclusive preview performance in November of this year, Ballet Vancouver will officially launch in April 2026.
Ballet Vancouvers first show, to be held at the Vancouver Playhouse from April 23-25, is aptly and simply titles “Inaugural Program”. Already announced for the evening are:
- Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain
- Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Redemption
- Wen Wei Wang’s Swan
After the Rain and Redemption are Vancouver premieres while Swan (a modern take on the epitome of classical ballet, Swan Lake) sees its reprise in the city.
Additionally, Beamish himself will create a new work for the company in collaboration with Indigenous artist and fashion designer Yolonda Skelton.
Although full casting will be announced at the beginning of next year, Stephanie Petersen (formerly of American Ballet Theatre and The Australian Ballet), Benjamin Freemantle (formerly Principal Dancer with San Francisco Ballet), Julian Hunt (Kidd Pivot), and Jonatan Lujan have already on the roster.
The complete 2026-2027 season will be announced prior to the April performance.
Ballet Vancouver: Canada’s Newest Ballet Company in Vancouver
“After recently celebrating the 20th anniversary of my eponymous dance company, Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY, I began reflecting upon what was missing from the local dance ecology of Vancouver – my home city.
While we have a wealth of exceptional contemporary dance companies and presenters, we don’t have regular access to professional classical ballet en pointe. This moment felt perfectly primed to launch this new Company, to serve and represent the
diverse population of Vancouver.”– Joshua Beamish, Artistic Director of Ballet Vancouver
Ballet Vancouver boasts an Artistic Advisory Committee of established figures in the dance space including:
- Wendy Whelan, Associate Artistic Director of New York City Ballet
- Chan Hon Goh, Goh Ballet Academy Director
- Heather Ogden, Principal Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada
- Crystal Costa, former First Soloist with the English National Ballet and Principal Dancer with Hong Kong Ballet
- Margaret Grenier, Executive and Artistic Director of Dancers of Damelahamid
- Paul Kay, Head of Intensives and Talent Identification at The Royal Ballet School
- Kit Holder, Director of BRB2 (Birmingham Royal Ballet’s junior company)
- Céline Gittens, Principal Dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet
“I am thrilled to welcome Ballet Vancouver to the dance landscape of this beautiful city. I’m certain the
audiences in Vancouver will enjoy the opportunity to experience a variety of repertoire, including both
classical and neoclassical pointe work pieces.As a ballet student from the Lower Mainland, I always enjoyed seeing the classical companies as they came through. The performances would give me endless motivation as well as strengthen the determination in my own training.
I’m sure that Ballet Vancouver will serve as a wonderful inspiration for the current generation of promising young dancers as well.”
– Heather Ogden, Member of Ballet Vancouver’s Artistic Advisory Committee
Featured Photo for Ballet Vancouver, a new ballet company in Vancouver, of Luciana Paris. Photo by James Jin.
