Canada's National Ballet School facts for kids

Canada's National Ballet School, also known as the National Ballet School of Canada, is a famous classical ballet school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's one of the main places in Canada where you can get professional ballet training, similar to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Mavis Staines has been the Artistic Director of the school since 1989.

History of the School

How the School Started

The National Ballet of Canada was created in 1951 by Celia Franca. She was an English ballet dancer who had danced with companies in the United Kingdom. Franca moved to Canada in 1951 and started the National Ballet of Canada that same year. She also hired Betty Oliphant, another English ballet teacher, to work with the company.

As the National Ballet grew, Franca and Oliphant decided they needed a special school to train dancers for their company. They wanted the school to be like Britain's Royal Ballet School. So, in 1959, the school opened in an old building at 111 Maitland Street in Toronto. The National Ballet Guild bought the building for $80,000. Betty Oliphant became the school's first Artistic Director.

In 1983, students from the school were part of a dance film called Flamenco at 5:15. This film even won an Academy Award!

Growing and Moving

In 2000, the school got a new location at 400 Jarvis Street for just one dollar! This property used to belong to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The old buildings there were fixed up and redesigned by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects (GBCA).

Three brand new buildings, called Project Grand Jete, were also planned and built by GBCA, along with Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB). Construction started in 2003, and the school moved to its new home in 2005. The big expansion was finished in 2007 and cost $100 million. The old building at 111 Maitland Street became the school's dining hall, now known as Currie Hall.

Famous Dancers Who Attended

Many talented dancers have studied at Canada's National Ballet School. Here are some of them:

• Frank Augustyn
• Neve Campbell
• Brennan Clost
• Guillaume Côté
• Anne Ditchburn
• Kimberly Glasco
• Martine van Hamel
• Rex Harrington
• Brooke Lynn Hytes
• Karen Kain
• James Kudelka
• Martine Lamy
• Evan McKie
• Kevin Pugh
• Mavis Staines
• Veronica Tennant

School Buildings

The school is made up of a mix of old and new buildings. The Margaret McCain Academic Building, for example, was built in 1898. It was first used by Havergal College until 1932. Later, from 1945 to 1996, it was home to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's main radio studios in Toronto.

Another important old building is the 1856 home of Sir Oliver Mowat. He was the longest-serving Premier of Ontario and one of the "Fathers of Confederation". This mansion was first called Norfield House. It was also used by Havergal College and the CBC. Now, it's called Lozinski House and holds the school's offices for artistic and administrative staff.

The architects, Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects (GBCA) and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB), connected these old buildings with three new ones. The new parts use modern materials like glass, steel, and concrete blocks. They look very open and clear from the street. These three new buildings were finished in 2007. They are the Celia Franca Centre, a "Bar" building, and a six-story "North Tower" building. The North Tower has three large dance studios, one on top of the other.

The Celia Franca Centre is a busy place used for many things. It has twelve dance studios of different sizes, some of which face Jarvis Street so people walking by can see the dancers. The centre also has a coffee shop, a library, study areas, and places to sit. The Betty Oliphant Theatre, where performances happen, is also part of the Celia Franca Centre. It includes change rooms, dressing rooms, and a wardrobe area. The outside of the Celia Franca Centre has glass walls and stone tiles. You can even see the dance steps for the opening scene of The Nutcracker on the glass of the south side!

Images for kids

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  A view of the school on Jarvis Street