The School of Alberta Ballet Announces International Audition Tour

CALGARY, Oct. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - The School of Alberta Ballet with the generous support of Talisman Energy is launching the first phase of a ten-city international audition tour Sunday, October 27, 2013 in Edmonton, Alberta. Auditions will take place 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Dance Alberta, 11205 - 107 Ave. in Edmonton.

Aspiring professional dancers aged 9 and up will participate in a special dance class to be assessed on their suitability for professional dance training. Less than 200 students will be accepted to the second stage of the audition - a three-week summer program held at the School of Alberta Ballet in Calgary, Alberta. Successful graduates of the summer program aged 12 and over will have the opportunity to attend the School of Alberta Ballet's full-time ballet training, academic education and residential care program.

"Our international audition tours give the School of Alberta Ballet the chance to see what talent is out there. Sometimes the next great dancer is where you least expect it, and this creates the opportunity to train at one of the world's respected dance training institutions and pursue that dream," says Edmund Stripe, Artistic Director.

Talisman Energy supports the audition tour as well as provides a generous donation of $250,000 to ensure that qualified students can access education and training provided by the School of Alberta Ballet.  "Talisman Energy is proud to support the School of Alberta Ballet's audition tours and scholarships," says Gina Chavez, Community Involvement Advisor for Talisman Energy Inc.  "Talented young artists need opportunities to hone their skills and talents, and we are pleased to help them reach their goals."

2013 - 2014 International Audition Tour:

About The School of Alberta Ballet
For over 20 years, the School of Alberta Ballet has been consistently recognized as a world class training facility and charitable organization. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Edmund Stripe, the School has an annual enrolment of more than 500 students in its Foundation Training Program and Professional Division. The School of Alberta Ballet has an active community profile with free outreach and community programs reaching thousands of children every year.

SOURCE Alberta Ballet