25th anniversary celebrations
NBS Alumni perform Conservatoire at the 25th Anniversary Gala, November 21, 1984.
The year 1984 marked the 25th anniversary of Canada’s National Ballet School. In its first twenty-five years, the School had emerged as an international leader in professional ballet training, as evidenced by the fact its graduates were dancing in companies around the world.
In honour of this milestone, the City of Toronto named November 19th – 25th “National Ballet School Week.” A wide variety of celebratory activities took place, including public tours of the facilities, screenings of films about the School, and a gala performance by students and alumni, but a central event was an international conference on ballet’s future. Artistic directors, choreographers, composers, funders and critics from Canada and abroad accepted NBS’ invitation to participate in a diverse range of discussions on the state of the art form. This was a clear indication that the School was firmly established as an international centre for dance.
A program schedule for select 25th anniversary events, including an Open House, lunch and panel discussion, and screenings of Flamenco at 5:15 and A Private World.
NBS students on the steps of the School celebrate NBS' 25th anniversary in November 1984.
Betty Oliphant, the Honourable Pauline McGibbon, and Jack Layton at the opening ceremony of "National Ballet School Week."
NBS alumni Jeremy Ransom and Karyn Tessmer perform in Rudi van Dantzig's Four Last Songs at NBS' 25th Anniversary gala at the O'Keefe Centre on November 21, 1984.