Blue Gala aims to brighten the day with dance Organizers of second annual charity performance hope to continue expanding
The initial goal was to add a little warmth to a gloomy time of year, but the Blue Gala has become much more than that for the architect of an upcoming dance extravaganza.
“I just always felt like arts organizations tend to stay on our own course and not interact. So I wanted to do something to bring in different genres and different styles and rev up the arts scene,” said Yukichi Hattori, artistic director of H/W School of Ballet.
“The economy is tight right now and when that happens the first thing that’s cut is the arts. So if we stand together, it’s a little bit of a survival, too. And I think it’s great to collaborate with other genres. It reminds us of a time when we were all eager but had no skill.”
Hattori’s name will no doubt ring a bell for Calgary ballet fans. A longtime principal dancer and choreographer with Alberta Ballet (think The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, Mozart’s Requiem, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and his finale — the sensational Elton John-inspired Loves Lies Bleeding), he retired in 2016 and opened the dance school with two former Alberta Ballet dancers — his wife Galien Johnston-Hattori and Tara Williamson.
Their first Blue Gala last year sold out and they hope to repeat that success on Feb. 3, particularly as proceeds from the accompanying silent auction will be donated to Pancreatic Cancer Canada.
The Blue Gala in the Martha Cohen Theatre will feature a variety of solos and collaborations by special guests and acclaimed ballet, contemporary, hip hop, ballroom and tap artists from companies in Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. Dancers include Myriam Simon and Raphael Bouchard (Les Grands Ballet Canadiens), Alexis Fletcher and Scott Fowler ( ballet/contemporary artists, Ballet BC), Donna Hammerschmidt and Ryan Anderson ( ballroom dance, Alberta Dancesport), Katherine Burrows and Edgar Reyes (hip hop, illfx Entertainment), and Brock Jellison (tap artist, who danced in the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics).
But the show will also be a homecoming of sorts as it reunites Hattori with his former co-stars at Alberta Ballet. He will perform with principal dancer Kelley McKinlay, while fellow principal dancers Hayna Gutierrez and Garrett Groat help headline the bill.
“If you are a fan of Alberta Ballet, this will be like a reminiscence.”
Following the performance, there will be a gala reception where guests can meet the performers, enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres and peruse the silent auction. Guests are encouraged to wear their best blue outfit to help fend off the winter blues. Hattori hopes the event will expand each year.
“Around the world, there’s always a big gala at the end of the season. People get very excited as it can attract the big stars of the world. I wanted to bring big stars of the world here, but it never came to fruition … at Alberta Ballet.
“When I started this school, I thought why not try again?”