KAREN KAIN

Artistic Associate

To say that ballerina Karen Kain is a Canadian icon is an understatement. The beloved former Principal Dancer of The National Ballet of Canada was elevated to the status of Companion of the Order of Canada in 1991, the country's highest civilian honour. The French government appointed Kain an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in 1998. She has been the recipient of numerous university honourary degrees, the 1992 Performing Arts Award, one of the prestigious annual Toronto Arts Awards, and the 1997 National Arts Centre Award for Excellence. Kain is also the first Canadian to receive the international Cartier Lifetime Achievement Award. She has appeared in numerous television productions of ballet works, as well as being the subject of a host of documentaries. On stage, she has performed in annual Christmas pantomimes produced by actor husband Ross Petty. During her illustrious career, she was a guest artist with world class companies such as the Bolshoi Ballet, London Festival Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Ballet National de Marseille, Stuttgart Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, and Feld Ballets/'NY. Kain's country-wide, farewell tour played to sold-out houses in 1997.

The great prima ballerina is now using her wealth of experience to inspire a new generation of dancers. In 1998, she became Artist-in-Residence at the National Ballet, and the following year was appointed Artistic Associate. In this capacity, she teaches and coaches dancers, and acts as artistic advisor to James Kudelka. Internationally, Kain has participated as a jury member for several ballet competitions and this season has been invited to jury competitions in New York Moscow, Lausanne and Shanghai.

Kain was a tall, young girl from Hamilton, Ontario when she became a student at the National Ballet School. She graduated in 1969 and within a year, was promoted to Principal Dancer. In 1973 Kain was awarded the silV. e.r medal in the women's category at the 1973 2rid International Ballet Competition in Moscow. And so a brilliant international career was born. For 28 years, Kain graced the stage with the National Ballet, magnificently performing both the classical and contemporary repertoires, a favourite muse to choreographers. The fact that Kain is still an active, hands-on part of Canadian dance is to be treasured. That she is able to place herself, out of the limelight, in pursuit of excellence in others, says even more about her greatness, both as a dancer and a citizen of the dance world.