The Goh Ballet Academy celebrated Jardin Animée, several pieces from the Academy's triumphant 8th China tour to Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. The mixed dance program brought together classical, contemporary, modern jazz and ancient Asian traditions by Vancouver's finest youth dance troupe, composed of senior students and recent graduates of this celebrated Ballet Academy.

Other dances included Jewelry, a new piece choreographed by the company's own Jian Rong Sheng, which garnered this year's Surrey Festival of Dance. The last piece, Jardin Animee (Enchanted Garden) is a new addition to the company's repertoire, staged by Anne-Marie Holmes.to the choreography of Constantine Sergeyev. After staging this piece for Goh Ballet, Ms. Holmes staged all of Le Corsaire for American Ballet Theatre, which opened last week in New York to rave reviews.

Other pieces performed were Journey by Toru Shimazaki, a former Goh Ballet student who is now renowned internationally, and a very energetic jazz piece, Meraviglia, by Gino Berti which was performed to the delight of the audience.

The Ensemble has toured internationally in both western and easstern hemispheres led by Choo Chiat Goh and Jia Nian Chen. Many of these students have gone on to national and international fame, including Celine Gittens, a 2006 graduate, who recently won a Gold Medal at London’s Genée International Ballet Competition.

© 2006 Ed Farolan