At age 11 Simone Orlando was swept up in the passion of dance which would eventually take her halfway around the world and back sharing her love of ballet.
Today, Orlando, in her third year as CEO and artistic director of , mentors a small family of dancers at one of 10 professional ballet companies in Canada.
sa国际传媒淎s soon as I took my first ballet class I realized this is what I really wanted to do, I wanted to be a dancer so I worked really, really hard and I was fortunate enough to be given a position at Canadasa国际传媒檚 national ballet school,sa国际传媒� said Orlando, following the troupesa国际传媒檚 performance at the Cleland Theatre Sunday.
After graduating she took an apprentice position with the , eventually earning a permanent position.
sa国际传媒淚t was an amazing opportunity as a young dancer, dancing in an environment every day with people I absolutely admired,sa国际传媒� she recalled. sa国际传媒淚t was such a special opportunity to be in that company and be able to tour and dance in places like Hong Kong and Tokyo and Germany.sa国际传媒�
While with the national company, Orlando got interested in another side of the creative process, choreography.
After leaving the National Ballet, Orlando began looking for a smaller company where she could explore her newfound interest. That landed her with Ballet British Columbia where she spent 13 years as a principal dancer.
sa国际传媒淚n terms of my passion for dance, first and foremost I am a dancer and always will be a dancer and secondly, I love to create dance, I love to choreograph,sa国际传媒� said Orlando, who has won awards for her choreography. sa国际传媒淚 have worked with the dancers to create those pieces and itsa国际传媒檚 absolutely inspiring to be in the studio.
sa国际传媒淚 am so fortunate to still be involved in this art form because young dancers, their careers donsa国际传媒檛 last very long, often times their bodies just cansa国际传媒檛 put up with the rigour of what it takes to be a ballet dancer, things just wear out.sa国际传媒�
Born and raised in Kelowna, Desiree Bortolussi, 21, is one of six young performers under Orlandosa国际传媒檚 wing.
sa国际传媒淪imone is very detail orientated and she really pushes us to strive for perfection of the technique and the artistry,sa国际传媒� said Bortolussi, who started dancing at age three. sa国际传媒淪he challenges us in the studio and is very supportive. Wesa国际传媒檙e very much a family, we definitely know each other like the back of our hands. Wesa国际传媒檙e in such close quarters all day, every day and you really build that bond.
sa国际传媒淭here is definitely tensions sometimes but at the end of the day you are a family.sa国际传媒�
Ballet Kelowna, founded in 2002, is putting together one of its biggest performances, 150 Moves Feb. 3 and 4 at the Kelowna Community Theatre in celebration of Canadasa国际传媒檚 150 birthday.
The collection of works is designed to showcase the tremendous talent and artistry of Canadian influence in classical and contemporary dance.
Ballet Kelowna will be joined by artists from Vancouversa国际传媒檚 Arts Umbrella Dance Company and Alberta Ballet II in the production.
sa国际传媒淚 think audiences will be surprised and incredibly impressed by the visual feast on stage,sa国际传媒� said Orlando. sa国际传媒淭he performance involves more than 30 performers, and the energy and athleticism of these dancers is sure to inspire and make one proud to be Canadian.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 incredibly happy to be with Ballet Kelowna, and still having that opportunity to be in the studio every day, creating dance, working with dancers and still being dancer every single day.sa国际传媒�
