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“Emily Grizzell's Wendy is a can-do girl who figures everything out from sewing on shadows to staring down a ship of pirates. Her sparing with evil Captain Hook (played by swarthy RWB principal Jaime Vargas) -- and all on pointe, too -- is a highlight, as she becomes transported into an empowered, newly-knickered heroine."
– Winnipeg Free Press, 2006
A native of Spokane, Washington, Emily Grizzell is embarking on her 11th season with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Grizzell trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division and graduated in 1996. In 1997, she joined the Company as an apprentice. She moved her way up through the ranks of the Company and became a soloist for the 2005/06 season.
Grizzell has performed many roles while dancing with the RWB. Her favourite role is ‘Juliet’ in Rudi van Danzig’s Romeo & Juliet. Other roles that Grizzell treasures include ’The Cowgirl’ in Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo, ‘Nancy’ in Val Caniparoli’s A Cinderella Story, the lead in George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, ‘Papagena‘ in Mark Godden’s The Magic Flute, and the ‘Third Song’ in van Danzig’s Four Last Songs. Last season she originated the role of ‘Wendy’ for the world premiere of Jorden Morris’ Peter Pan.
In June 2000, Grizzell participated in the New York International Ballet Competition and as a finalist was asked to perform Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux at the event’s Gala performance.
This season Grizzell looks forward to once again portraying the role of ‘Clara’ in Nutcracker, and to making her debut as ‘Princess Aurora’ in The Sleeping Beauty. She also cannot wait to once again perform the works of her all-time favourite choreographer, George Balanchine.
“ ..[a] standout in this non-stop test of female endurance and precision was Emily Grizzell as the quicksilver princess in the bluebird pas de deux"
– Winnipeg Free Press, 2005
“Lead couple Emily Grizzell and her dashing partner romped through Balanchine's fleet footed dance set to Tchaikovsky's unfinished Third Piano Concerto with panache”
- The National Post, 2003
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