by Amy Brandt | Jul 26, 2024 | News, The Latest
Karen Kain’s 2021 retirement as artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada coincided with one of the biggest challenges of her 50-year career: mounting a new, full-length production of Swan Lake. Directing a ballet was something she’d never done before, and...
by April Deocariza | Apr 11, 2023 | Cross-Training, Health & Body, Pointe+
In 2015, National Ballet of Canada principal Jurgita Dronina sustained a nerve injury, which caused the left side of her upper body to “droop.” Daily tasks that involved moving her left arm, like showering and getting dressed, became difficult. Thankfully for Dronina,...
by Candice Thompson | Nov 12, 2017 | Career, Profiles, Technique
When Jurgita Dronina first danced Kitri for a guest performance of Don Quixote with Teatro Filarmonico-Fondazione Arena Di Verona, she was in essence cast against type. “Before Kitri, I was dancing only lyrical or dramatic roles, so I had to start from scratch...
by Chava Pearl Lansky | Nov 7, 2017 | Profiles
Dancewear brand Cloud & Victory is so much more than just clever t-shirts; founder Min is set on finding all kinds of ways to connect to the greater community. Earlier this fall she organized a master class led by American Ballet Theatre stars Gillian Murphy and...
by Amy Brandt | Oct 12, 2016 | Career, Profiles, Technique
This story originally appeared in the October/November 2016 issue of Pointe. In August Bournonville’s 1836 ballet La Sylphide, every gesture has meaning. The National Ballet of Canada’s Jurgita Dronina talks about her first time portraying the Sylphide. As...
by Laura Cappelle | Jul 31, 2014 | Career, Profiles
What qualities do you admire most in other dancers? Nowadays there are so many dancers who jump, turn, have high extensions, a beautiful body. But quality is much more than ability, because you can always hide your physical flaws: It’s musicality, artistry, port...