Meet Winnipeg

Meet Two Royal Winnipeg Ballet Dancers.

RWB Company Dancers; Photo by Bonnie Holmes (2)

NOTE:  Photography by Bonnie Holmes – as provided by RWB Marketing Team.

I have the absolute honour to attend the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s upcoming annual party, Barre After Hours.  As you may recall, I covered the event with Culture Card last year and had such a blast spending time with the local talents, enjoying local culinary creations, and mingling with the principal dancers.

Barre After Hours 2017

  • Saturday, September 9th
  • 9:00pm-Late
  • Royal Winnipeg Ballet (380 Graham Avenue)
  • 18+ event
  • Tickets:  $40.00
  • Official Website
Stephan Possin and Sarah Davey; Photo by Bonnie Holmes
Stephan Possin and Sarah Davey; Photo by Bonnie Holmes

 

Meeting Stephan Possin & Sarah Davey

I had the opportunity to sit and chat with two dancers who grace the stage at many different shows for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to get to know a little bit more about them.

 

  • When did you know that you wanted to be a professional dancer?
    Stephan Possin was dancing at 8 years old, but was 15 when he decided to commit to doing so professionally.  Sarah Davey was dancing at 3, and was doing competitive dancing at a young age.  In 9th grade, she made the switch to the professional division.
  • What has been the biggest challenge for you as a dancer?  The biggest reward?
    Possin points out the sheer physicality needed to maintain the strength needed to be a dancer – and that their schedules are dancing 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week.  He finds it most rewarding in seeing the way that the performances impact the audience, and by giving his best, the audience enjoys their experience at the ballet.  Davey also points out the nerves that she gets, despite how many shows she has performed – that she never shakes it off until the music for her piece begins to start.  For her, the rewards come in seeing her growth as an artist and surprising herself, as well as landing dream roles.
Stephan Possin and Sarah Davey; Photo by Bonnie Holmes
Stephan Possin and Sarah Davey; Photo by Bonnie Holmes
  • What makes Winnipeg unique and feel like home to you?
    Both agreed that the sense of community that combines the small town feel with a growing city really lets Winnipeg live up to its “Friendly Manitoba” tagline.
  • What can we expect from this year’s Barre After Hours event?
    They both agree that the most unique part of Barre After Hours is that patrons meet the dancers and get to know them off-stage.  You get to enjoy local artists and bands and, this year, there will be some dance performances as well.
  • As dancers, what has been your favourite moment in Barre After Hours past?
    Possin mentions that you don’t even need to have gone to a ballet or have any background in dance to attend Barre After Hours – it’s how they, as a company, connect to their community.  Davey mentions that she loves that people get to connect a person behind the characters on stage and that it’s open doors.  In the past years, she’s enjoyed meeting people who have never seen a ballet and now are interested in seeing performances and supporting the arts, now that they have personal connection to it.

RWB Company Dancers; Photo by Bonnie Holmes
RWB Company Dancers; Photo by Bonnie Holmes

When the lights go down and the crowns come off

Join me and the community at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet campus at this year’s Barre After Hours.  Meet the dancers for a night of creativity and celebration.  Enjoy some cocktails, live music, live dance, appetizers, and decadent desserts.  Complimentary bubbly doesn’t hurt either. 😉

For more information of Barre After Hours, check out their website and their Instagram account, @rwbbarreafterhours.

Thank you again to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet for this opportunity!  Can’t wait to see everyone this Saturday for a celebration of the arts!

xoxo,

Judianne

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