Ballet BC is going through what some may call a revival. They’ve turned to newly appointed artistic director Emily Molnar to infuse something fresh and exciting for their 2010-11 season — and she hopes to deliver just that.

It doesn’t take much to see that Molnar, 36, is passionate about ballet. She says that being an artistic director entails a lot. Overall, Molnar sets the tone for the artistic vision of the company. “The hats I wear are many and varied,” she says.

“The thing about dance which is so thrilling is that we use our bodies as the instrument,” she says. “We’re like the painter or the writer who access their creativity, but we translate it through our body. We are artists and athletes in one.” To Molnar, putting together elements of athleticism and artistry is an exciting cultural opportunity. It creates a type of drive and passion that she feels makes dance uniquely relevant to our society today.

A child with too much energy, Molnar has been dancing since she was about five years old, when her grandmother suggested she enrol in dance classes. Couple that with her parents’ inspiring love for the golden oldies and dances with her father — who she says “is the best dance partner I’ve ever had” — Molnar has since had a very accomplished career. 

Coming from the National Ballet School, she has been a member of the Frankfurt Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and Ballet BC, developing an international reputation as a dancer and choreographer. She says that she “learned the foundations of the profession” through all of her experiences, which makes her perfect for the job. “I could not be doing this job had I not had the career as a choreographer and dancer in classical and contemporary ballet companies.” 

One of the things the company is working on right now is Dances for a Small Stage 22, a project that allows dancers to speak up close and personal to an audience. “It’s an idea that originated in Toronto,” she says. “It takes a smaller, more social cabaret environment and brings dance into it.” All the works are done for a very small stage, which makes for an interesting performance with a lot of experimentation and things that audiences wouldn’t normally see in traditional ballets.

“We have a history as a company of creating unique work,” says Molnar. “My vision is to continue that history by nurturing an environment where dance artists and choreographers can push their art forward, creating accessible and inspired work for a range of audiences, acting as an ambassador for Canadian work by touring nationally and internationally, and continuing to make dance a meaningful and riveting experience for our public.”

Right now, most dancers in the world take, or have taken ballet as part of their training. However, it is imperative that people understand that ballet is an enduring art, says Molnar: “As a training, [ballet] will sustain itself forever. The ballet of the future is taking classical understanding and being able to work off of it in as many ways as you can imagine.” 

When asked what keeps her inspired and motivated in ballet, Molnar does not hesitate to reply. “It’s my way to answer my questions about life. It’s my way of bringing reason and meaning to who I am — and that’s the reason I know I should be doing this.” •

Dances for a Small Stage 22will be at The Legion on the Drive for three nights beginning June 16, 2010. Tickets can be purchased at the door.


Photo by Michael Slobodian