Leader, SK Welcomes Ballet Jörgen for opening their 2021/2022 season at the Leader Community Centre

“Thanks again for giving Leader the opportunity to have you perform in Leader. It is something we will never forget.” 
– Leader & District Arts Council

Dance for All: Leader & District Arts Council Volunteers with Ballet Jörgen Dancers.

Thank you to the Leader & District Arts Council and the entire community for bringing Canada’s Ballet Jörgen to Leader, Saskatchewan — population 836.

It takes an amazing group of people with the support from their entire community to pull off major arts events in smaller rural centres. On Thursday October 14th Canada’s Ballet Jörgen was honoured to be the first live event hosted by the Leader & District Arts Council after a 19-month shut down due to Covid, opening their 2021/2022 season at the Leader Community Centre. The volunteers from the Arts Council transformed the Community Centre, working long hours to prepare the hall for a major dance presentation. They worked tirelessly setting up lights, sound and laying a dance floor for our dancers.

Long before the company arrived in town the Leader community came together to make this event possible. The Sandhills Credit Union was their major sponsor, donating the funds to pay our performance fee. Tiffany Wagner, owner of the Leader School of Dance provided the dance floor for the performance. A number of supporters helped pay for the accommodation of our dancers in town: Jackie Mertin – IG Wealth Management, Dirk Family Pharmacy, Leader Pharmacy and the Leader Inn. Gordon Stueck of Gopher One Signs sponsored the digital advertising to promote the performance.

Some 160 people (close to 20% of the population of Leader) came out to see the company perform, this is double their average attendance for performances. They then stayed for a raucous Question and Answer sessions with our artists. The following day the Company taught master classes and offered pointe shoe clinics for local dance students.

It was an amazing experience to see everyone come together to make it possible to bring professional dance into their community. The arts matter and its heart warming to know that there are so many people that care.

Together with all the local supporters and Canada’s Ballet Jörgen’s National Presenting Partner BMO Financial Group we were able to make dance more accessible in one corner of Saskatchewan — Thank you!

The CBJ Family.