Twin Alberta Ballet dancers retire after 15 years with company
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of Der Wolf and The Rite of Spring marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
The dancers are taking a final bow on their career after the show wraps.
Both have spent more than 15 years with Alberta Ballet.
They started dancing at nine-years-old and joined the Alberta Ballet School in 2009.
"(I've been) dancing for 27 plus years, so a long time," said Alexandra, a soloist.
Now 34, the pair have danced together their whole lives, so it is only fitting they retire together as well.
"(We are) looking forward to celebrating such a wonderful career at Alberta Ballet, and taking some time to really explore some new passions," Alexandra said.
"Whether dance is a focus or not, we're not sure, but it will always be a part of our lives."
Alexandra Gibson is retiring from Alberta Ballet. (Alberta Ballet) The pair are reflecting on their careers in Calgary, both citing their roles in Christopher Anderson's Cinderella and Helen Pickett's Petal as memorable moments in their careers.
"Ballet is one of those art forms that is rooted in tradition, which is what makes it so special and uniquely challenging because you're carrying generations of knowledge with you every time you step on stage," said Jennifer, a principal dancer.
Francesco Ventriglia joined Alberta Ballet as the new artistic director four months ago, and says while he would mix up the twins at first, it didn't take long to recognize their differences.
"They are very, very similar, but two completely different artists. They have different range, different colours, they're two different persons. They're very similar, but not," he said. "For me it was a joy to be able to share with them the last part of their career. I know how much they gave to this company over the last 15 seasons, so personally and on behalf of Alberta Ballet, what I can say to them is only, thank you."
Jennifer Gibson is retiring from Alberta Ballet. (Alberta Ballet) The twins are among several dancers that are retiring after performing in Der Wolf andthe Rite of Spring, including Jennifer's husband.
"They've done an incredible job and I'm sure their next chapter in life will be as brilliant as it was with us," says Ventriglia.
Ventriglia describes Der Wolf as a tale examining if Little Red Riding Hood acted "differently than the story we all know."
The Rite of Spring, meanwhile,comes with a long history and even evoked controversy and near protests during its 1913 premiere in Paris.
"Luckily, we have in the world-visionary artists that can see 10, 20, 50 years ahead and give us the opportunity to grow through art, so today the world has this gift of this amazing score," said Ventriglia.
The production is currently underway at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium until May 4,followed by performances at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium May 10 and 11.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
'I'm not wealthy': Ontario senior shocked she owes $40,000 in capital gains after gifting land
An Ontario senior who wanted to help her daughter and grandson eventually own homes one day decided to give them two lots on her property as a gift—but she didn’t know it would eventually cost her tens of thousands of dollars.
NDP want Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
These are the world's 20 best cities for foodies, according to Time Out
Some travellers pick a city break based on the destination’s cultural offerings. Others eye up cities with buzzy nightlife or opt for a destination hosting a festival or event. But for many vacationers, the most exciting part of any trip is the food.
Israel's war cabinet minister moves to dissolve parliament: statement
Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz's centrist party has proposed holding a vote to dissolve parliament in a bid to bring about an early election, his party said in a statement on Thursday.
BMO services restored following outage from data centre fire alarm, the bank says
Bank of Montreal clients saw services restored Thursday morning after an overnight, false fire alarm caused outages, the bank says.
Exorbitant fees get Gazans out with no help from Ottawa
The comforting sound of giggling grandchildren has chased away the cloud of anxiety that has loomed over Mohammed and Intisar Nofal's home for the past seven months.
Largest vaccine production plant in Canada opens in Toronto
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is announcing the opening of a major vaccine production plant in Toronto today — part of Canada's efforts to build up the domestic biomanufacturing sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., begins RBC Canadian Open defence
Nick Taylor begins the defence of his RBC Canadian Open title this morning.