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Jorden Morris
Choreographer
After retiring from the stage as a principal dancer, Jorden began to study and explore choreography. He spent a summer at NYU studying dance and theatre arts under the direction of Dr. Gregory Scott. During this time Jorden also worked with Claude Bessy and Serge Golovine from the Paris Opera, studying early French choreography.
In 1999 Jorden premiered his first work, The Three Musketeers, for RWB School Director David Moroni. This work was a 55 minute one act ballet depicting the classic Alexander Dumas novel. The ballet was successful and since has been remounted for RWB performances of Ballet in the Park.
In 2000, Jorden choreographed a smaller work for the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama. Elle est Quatre, a 20 minute work to the music of Aaron Copland, was taken to the Birmingham arts festival after it's premiere at ASFA. He then set the work on RWB Aspirants for performances in Winnipeg.
Jorden was commissioned by RWB Artistic Director André Lewis to choreograph two works for the visit of Queen Elizabeth in 2000. Faure, a pas de deux for company dancers Tara Birtwhistle and Johnny Wright as well as Pas Espagnol, a classical group piece for the RWB School, Professional Division were performed for her majesty and broadcast nationally on CBC television.
In 2002, Jorden took on the concept, direction and choreography of "Head Start, Feet First". This project was collaboration between the RWB School and four innercity junior high schools. Jorden choreographed the popular jazz work Free Zone for this project, as well as the finale, which incorporated 160 dancers on stage.
In 2003, Jorden took the popular children's television show "The Toy Castle" and transformed it into an interactive live dance performance. This show, directed and choreographed by Jorden, played to sold out houses during its run. In 2005 he re-staged the work for Atlanta Ballet. Jorden starred in the television series and was nominated for a Genie award in 2003. During the production of "The Toy Castle", Jorden was also creating a classical work for the RWB School to celebrate the career of David Moroni, founding director of the RWB School, Professional Division. Jorden used every student in every level of the school in a 45 minute classical spectacle known as a Defilé. Sections of this work were also re-staged for Ballet in the Park.
In 2004, Jorden choreographed Miss Independent for Kelly Bale, Principal of the RWB Recreational Division. The work took top honours at the Manitoba Provincial Dance Festival.
In 2005, Jorden choreographed the Celtic themed ballet Deverell, which has become his most popular and well known work. A favourite of critics and audiences, the piece was taken on tour throughout Manitoba and Ontario with Concert Hour Ballet.
Jorden has also choreographed the "Salute to Vienna Concert" series in 2005 and 2006. This New Years day concert celebration is one of the biggest in the nation; concerts are held all over the world on January 1st in major cities everywhere. After the success of Jorden's work on the Winnipeg 2005 series, his choreography was taken to Hamilton and Kitchener performances as well as Winnipeg in 2006. More venues are planned to showcase Jorden's work in 2007.
Anne Armit
Costume Designer
Anne Armit was born in St. Andrews, Scotland but moved to Ottawa at age four. She attended Seneca College in 1972, was named Student Designer of the Year in 1975 and was awarded a scholarship to the Ontario College of Art.
After graduation, she worked for one year in the fashion industry before obtaining work as a seamstress at the St. Lawrence Centre. Anne also freelanced for organizations such as The National Ballet of Canada, Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival, Charlottetown Festival, the National Arts Centre and the Canadian Opera Company. A promotion to Junior Cutter at the St. Lawrence Centre was followed by an offer of employment from The National Ballet of Canada.
From 1979 to 1989 Anne owned her own business creating costumes for film, television and theatre, including the contract for Cats. She joined Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1989 as Director of Wardrobe and this position has given her the opportunity to travel and design productions such as L.I.F.E., La Bayadère, Raymonda, Creaturehood and more.
Daniel Ford Beavis
Fight Director
Daniel is happy to be working with the RWB this year. While he is no stranger to stage combat, this is his first time working with a ballet company on this level. He has had a busy year teaching and working in film and television. He recently appeared as a drunken brawler in The Velvet Devil on CBC, he was lit on fire in the film Urban Assault, and he has been doing Fight Direction for Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan for the last five years. Daniel taught in the Drama Department at the University of Saskatchewan this year as well as teaching workshops in Regina, Seattle and Edmonton. He will be teaching at the Banff Centre for the Arts in the start of the new year. Daniel is very honored to be working with so many talented people on such an ambitious production. He has always been a big fan of pirates, so he is pleased to be helping bring Peter, Wendy, Captain Hook and all the rest to life on the stage.
Don Rutley
Scenic Designer
Don Rutley was born in Dauphin, Manitoba in 1947 but moved with his family to BC where he completed school. A year of work in the smelters of Cominco provided the incentive to move on in a different direction and after being encouraged by a former teacher, decided to study theatre arts at the University of Winnipeg. His first professional job was Technical Director for Theatre 3 (now Phoenix Theatre) in Edmonton in 1972 followed by a couple of years as Scenic Carpenter and Instructor at the University of Saskatchewan and Technical Director at 25th Street Theatre in Saskatoon. He first began to work at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as Assistant Electrician in 1976 and then later as Master Electrician/Technical Director until 1982 when he left to work in various capacities at Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon. He was also Stage Carpenter and Stage Manager at the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium for ten years before returning to the RWB as Production Director in 2000.
Don has created scenic designs for a number of stage productions over the years, mostly original works for 25th Street Theatre. He worked as Construction Coordinator for the film version of Who Has Seen the Wind by W. O. Mitchell, working with director Alan King and a wonderful cast that included Gordon Pinsent, Jose Ferrer and Helen Shaver in 1977. One of his most memorable career events was working as Technical Director and Construction Coordinator for the RWB premiere production of Romeo & Juliet with Rudi van Dantiz and Toer van Schayk in 1981.
Don is grateful to the RWB for allowing him the opportunity to take on the challenge of Scenic Designer for Peter Pan and could not have done this without the support and understanding of his wife Christy and the collaboration of co-designer Andrew Beck.
Andrew Beck
Scenic Designer
Andrew Beck was born in Staffordshire, England in 1961 and was brought to Winnipeg as a child in 1967. He was educated in the Fine Arts Department at the University of Manitoba and completed a thesis of painted steel sculptures in 1983. Since that time he has worked on landscape painting and steel sculptures, which have been exhibited in parallel and commercial galleries across Canada. His work is included in private and public collections such as at Great-West Life, Power Corporation, Manitoba Legislature and Manitoba Arts Council Art Bank.
In addition to his own work Andrew has worked as a scenic artist and designer for fifteen years. In this capacity he has worked at Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Theatre Centre and Rainbow Stage. Other credits include the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards and the TV series Falcon Beach.
"The inspiration for the set of Peter Pan came not only from the story, but the paintings of Maxfield Parrish. His orange/blue colour harmony and his use of atmospheric perspective are ideally suited to a depiction of Neverland. The waterfall was inspired by the YS River Falls in Jamaica."
Bill Williams
Lighting Designer
Bill Williams is a well known Canadian lighting designer, specializing in both stage and architectural lighting design. With over 500 project credits, Bill has worked across Canada and in Europe, Asia, South America, the USA and the UK
Previous lighting designs for the RWB include: The War Collection, The Seasons, Mahler 4: Eternity is Now, Magnificat, Le Sacre du Printemps and Family Scenes.
As a dance lighting designer, Bill has worked with many chorographers, including: Oscar Araiz, Anna Blewchamp, Rachel Browne, Anne Ditchburn, David Earl, Rodney Griffin, Cliff Keuter, Judith Marcuse, Sophie Maslow, Robert Moulton, Brian McDonald, Vicente Nebrada, Sandra Neels, Linda Rabin, Kelly Robinson, Paul Sanasardo, Margo Sappington, Stuart Sebastian, Paddy Stone, Lynne Taylor, James Waring and Norbert Vesak.
When not designing lighting, Bill is actively involved as an author, teacher and webmaster.
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