Meet a Mentorship Student: Kendra Haskett

“Being in a professional atmosphere gives you a taste of what could be in store for you in the future, which in turn motivates you to push yourself even harder to get to that place.”

In this final interview in our Meet a Mentorship series, George Brown Dance graduate Kendra Haskett shares her motivations for pursuing a mentorship with CBJ and offers an inside-look at what she’ll be working on this 2019-20 season. 

Why did you decide to pursue a mentorship with the company?  

I decided to pursue a mentorship with the company to help me continue to better myself artistically and technically as a dance artist in a professional setting. This company is full of so many different and wonderful professional artists from whom I can learn. Being in a professional atmosphere gives you a taste of what could be in store for you in the future, which in turn motivates you to push yourself even harder to get to that place.

Kendra helps Ayva with her costume backstage at Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet™.


What will you be working on this 2019-2020 season?

This 2019-2020 season I have the privilege of being a part of the creation of the never- before-done Anne of Green Gables – The BalletWorking on this ballet these first few months has been quite the experience, and it is very exciting to see such a fondly loved story from childhood coming to life in the ballet world. This season I will also be working on The Nutcracker with the company. It has been almost two years since I danced in my last Nutcracker back home in BC, so I have been itching to get back to it. I can’t wait to perform Canada’s Ballet Jorgen’s interpretation of this Christmas classic. 

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I hope to grow stronger both mentally and physically through this experience, so I can have better confidence in myself and in my abilities as a dancer. The company dancers pass down so much knowledge, and I hope to pick up as much of it as I physically can to better myself as a dance artist. 

Kendra in the studio during the Summer Dance Academy.

“The company dancers pass down so much knowledge, and I hope to pick up as much of it as I physically can to better myself as a dance artist.”


Describe a typical day in the life of a mentorship student?

A typical day as a mentorship student resembles that of a company dancer. The day starts with class at 9:30 a.m. followed by creation and rehearsal for the remainder of the day, finishing at 6:00 p.m. In rehearsals we jump from one thing to another, so you really have to be on your toes, which means knowing the choreography and various roles beforehand so you can jump right in whenever needed. 

Interested in pursuing a mentorship with Canada’s Ballet Jörgen? Graduates of GBD’s P105 Dance Performance Program are eligible to apply. To learn more about your pathway from GBD to a mentorship opportunity, click here.  

Written by Victoria Campbell Windle, CBJ Communications Contributor.