Canada’s Ballet Jörgen’s Apprenticeship program enables emerging professional dancers to gain the experience necessary to succeed technically and artistically as professional dancers in a ballet company. Each year, with support from the RBC Foundation, CBJ offers a limited number of apprenticeship contracts to dancers in the first few years of their career. CBJ is proud to introduce the 2018-19 company apprentice, Márcio Teixeira.
Márcio discovered dance at the age of 14 while at school in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2008, one of his teachers observed his special talent for dance and brought him to his first ballet class. “I took my first ballet class, and then I quit,” laughs Márcio. He swiftly changed his mind after attending the ballet production, Le Corsaire. The performance inspired Márcio to pursue ballet through full-time intensive training at Escola de Ballet Sandra Amaral in Brazil (2008-2011), Pacific Dance Arts in Vancouver (2011-2012), and English National Ballet School in London, England (2012-2015). Márcio’s professional career began in 2015 with the Vancouver-based Coastal City Ballet, where he danced in productions such as Hansel and Gretel, Giselle, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Márcio’s path to becoming a CBJ Apprentice began in the summer of 2017 when he attended the 5-week intensive Junior Company Program. “I saw Bengt’s dance philosophy and approach,” Márcio explains. “He inspired me to work harder.” Márcio returned to the Junior Company in the summer of 2018, after which he was given the CBJ apprenticeship contract. “I’m glad to be here and I am so inspired by the dancers in the Company,” reflects Márcio. “I’d like to thank all the people along my path for the opportunity.”
As an apprentice, Márcio will participate in CBJ’s performances, community events, and youth engagement programs across the country. You can catch him on stage in CBJ’s 2018-19 season productions of Coppélia and The Nutcracker, touring across Canada and into the United States.
Márcio’s participation in the 2018 Junior Company was made possible through the generous support of Maxine Goldberg.
To learn more about CBJ’s Apprenticeship and Junior Company programs, visit: https://cb.dtsandbox.com/cbj.old/education/apprenticeship-and-junior-company/
Written by Victoria Campbell Windle, CBJ Communications Contributor
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