MAINSTAGE 2025-2026
Beginnings
BALLET VANCOUVER
Photo: JACK TUPPER
Beginnings
Ballet Vancouver’s debut touring program will consists of five short works by Artistic Director Joshua Beamish, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Wen Wei Wang.
The program opens with Wen Wei Wang’s "Swan", an ensemble work originally created for Ballet BC in 2016. The work fuses elements of the classical ballet narratives Swan Lake and The Dying Swan with club culture.
Joshua Beamish’s "Lollapalooza" completes Act One. Beamish’s first work for The National Ballet of Canada premiered at the 2018 Mad Hot Gala. John Adams’ dazzling showpiece, Lollapalooza, sets the tone for this playful, bombastic celebration of ballet’s athleticism. The work features costumes by Canadian fashion designer Jason Wu, who rose to international fame after dressing Michelle Obama for Former President Barack Obama’s Inauguration events.
Act Two opens with "Allegro Non Troppo", a Beamish work originally created for the apprentice company of the The National Ballet of Canada. Set to the music of Shostakovich, this ensemble work centres complex musicality and intricate partnering.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s emotional, demanding solo "Redemption" follows. The work follows the penance of fallen angel. Originally created on Joshua Beamish, the solo now finds new life through the company artists.
The program closes with Beamish’s "Romeo & Juliet Balcony Scene Pas de Deux". One of ballets most romantic scenes finds a fresh interpretation through Beamish’s sweeping choreography vocabulary.
Ballet Vancouver
Formerly known as Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY, the company newly emerges as Ballet Vancouver in 2026.
The company is dedicated to the creation of innovative and engaging original dance productions by emerging and established choreographers. Virtuosic, compelling performance events are paired with outreach activities, such as educational engagement with youth, choreographic mentorship for emerging creators, national and international touring.
Founded in 2005, the company’s works have toured throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Notable presentations include The National Arts Centre/Ottawa, Lincoln Center/NYC, BAM Next Wave/NYC, The Joyce Theater/NYC, The Guggenheim Museum/NYC, Royal Opera House/London, Princeton University, Fire Island Dance Festival, The Harris Theater/Chicago, Artists in Action/Mumbai, Seoul International Dance Festival, the Bangkok International Festival and with Cirque du Soleil for World EXPO Shanghai. The company has been curated into the official programming of CINARS, PAMS, Busan Dance Market, Dance in Vancouver and Pacific Contact.
The company was an inaugural Company-in-Residence at The Joyce Theater’s Choreographic Center, in addition to undertaking residencies at The Banff Centre and Jacob’s Pillow, among others.
Outside of the company, Joshua’s commissions include The Royal Ballet, TheNational Ballet of Canada, Vancouver Opera, Cape Town Opera, New York City Ballet Principals Wendy Whelan for Restless Creature and Ashley Bouder for The Ashley Bouder Project, New York Choreographic Institute, Compania Nacional de Danza de Mexico and Toronto Dance Theatre. Joshua also choreographed for the CBC Radio Canada series Ils Dansent.
Performance History & Upcoming Performances
The debut performances of Ballet Vancouver will be April 23-25, 2026 at Vancouver Playhouse.
Project Created by: Joshua Beamish, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Wen Wei Wang
Key Artistic Collaborators: Performers - TBC artists of Ballet Vancouver in the 26-27 season
Swan
Lighting - James Proudfoot
Music - Sammy Chien
Costumes - Kate Burrows
Lollapalooza
Lighting - Jeff Logue, as adapted by Jeff Harrison
Music - John Adams
Costumes - Jason Wu
Allegro Non Troppo
New costumes & lighting design to be created in 2026
Redemption
Lighting - James Proudfoot
Costume - Georg Meyer-Wiel
Romeo & Juliet Balcony Scene Pas de Deux
New costumes & lighting design to be created in 2026
Performance type: THIS WORK IS BUILT FOR THEATRE
How do you define this work: BALLET
Length of performance: Roughly one hour of dancing plus an intermission and slight pauses between works.
Audience type: General Audience
General Technical Requirements: - We require a marley floor
- We will bring a prop for "Swan" and potentially a small balcony set piece for "Romeo & Juliet"
- "Redemption" requires a lighting tree. This has been easily created in every theatre it has previously been performed in
Required amount of time for tech set up: One full day before the performance day
Alternative Venues: N/A
Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 7
Number of Support Staff on Tour: 3
Availabilities: 2026/27 Season
Project Details
Community Engagement
The following past activities most represent a deeper community engagement:
- Creations for local youth that act as an opener for our performance
- Choreographic mentorship for local youth or professionals
In the past, we have engaged in projects like these with Sunshine Coast DanceSociety, Chilliwack Cultural Centre, ArtSpring/Salt Spring Island, The CapitolTheatre/Nelson and Rotary Centre for the Arts/Kelowna, among others.
We are open to collaborating with any age groups and with mutuallyinterested, and appropriate, community partners.
We prefer to craft these outreach projects in dialogue with the presenter and/or community partner. The structure and timeline of these projects impact fees, which would also be collectively determined.
Outreach Activities
We have a twenty year history of engaging with BC's regional communities in a multitude of formats. We are happy to work with each presenter to tailor the ideal outreach activity for their community.
Past examples have included:
- master classes for local dance students at various regional studios
- master classes with local school district dance programs
- community workshops for those new to dance (adult and youth)
- Q & A dialogues (post performance or in a classroom setting)
- Artist chats/salons with audience members before the performance
- Creations for local youth which act as an opener for our performance
- Choreographic mentorship for local youth or professionals