Dear Friends of Ballet Edmonton,

In response to directives issued by the Government of Canada and local health authorities, we have cancelled our production of Chapter THREE scheduled for May 1, 2, 3. We had hoped to avoid this but accept without question the trajectory we are all on.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major shift in all our lives and although we are anxious about how this will impact our company, we know there are hardships faced by our local business community and many of you may be facing significant challenges. If you are suffering, we hope you will find a path to survive this. It will end.

Despite this cancellation, we continue to support our dancers and artistic staff as they are our most precious resource. I will be available to answer emails, should you need to reach me, at sheri@balletedmonton.ca. For those of you who are ticket or subscription holders, we will reach out to you directly.

The Canadian arts sector has taken a massive financial hit as a majority of our operating funds come from fundraisers, sponsors, ticket sales and donations. Ballet Edmonton would like to thank those supporters who have already stepped forward by making a donation and say that we especially appreciate those gestures in such uncertain times. All Edmonton arts organizations are suffering, so we thank you for thinking of us.

For now, we will continue to plan in anticipation of the end of this unpredictable time in our collective story. Some of the best art has been created in times of profound social distress. We will announce our upcoming season when we have more clarity.

We hope you are all safe and surrounded by your loved ones. Don’t let the kids drive you crazy – read a book, dance in your kitchen, drink some wine.

See you soon.

Sheri Somerville
Executive Director, Ballet Edmonton
Wednesday, March 25, 2020