Karen Kain, C.C.

I’ve written about the Encore! Dance Hall of Fame in another post but as we get closer to this years event, I will be unveiling some of the video content we have produced for the event and website. Dance Collection Danse will be inducting Karen Kain, C.C. along with 9 other spectacular dance artists.  It was a great pleasure and honour to sit down with Karen Kain, C.C. Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada and national treasure.

I remember watching her career unfold as a student at Canada’s National Ballet School. There was an essence to her that was so far beyond great technical prowess. You couldn’t take your eyes off her. Her performance was never boastful or flashy as some tend to be. It drew you in close, poignant, human with a beauty that was captivating.

As I sat across from her for the interview, those qualities were all intact. I found her to be  open, candid and insightful about her craft. Kain has made a lifetime commitment to the art form and not the celebrity.  She has taken the National Ballet of Canada to new heights internationally. Not only was she one of Canada’s most prolific ballerinas, she transformed into an astute business leader and stateswoman for Canada’s cultural identity. The company is in good hands under her direction.

Karen Kain, C.C. will be inducted into the Encore! Dance Hall of Fame on March 24th. It will be an opportunity to recognize and celebrate her contributions to Dance in Canada and abroad. The event is open to the public and you can get tickets at http://www.encoredancehalloffame.com. I hope you can make it.

Here is a snippet from the interview where she talks about her famous partnership with Frank Augustyn.