Black Ballerina
"Black Ballerina" by Syreeta Hector is not your everyday ballet performance; it’s also one woman’s deeply personal exploration of trying to find home in an art form that has not traditionally welcomed diversity."
-The Globe and Mail
Based on Syreeta Hector’s relationship to race, and her experiences in classical ballet, "Black Ballerina" is a powerful exploration of the nuances within one’s identity, and the unconscious ways that we all try to fit in.
With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts along with the Toronto Arts Council, Syreeta explored short versions of this work starting in 2017. The solo gained recognition at the SummerWorks Festival in 2019 and won the Stratford Festival Lab Award for Research and Creation. During that same year, Syreeta was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by an Individual from her performance at the Citadel Dance Mix.
"Black Ballerina" is currently touring across Canada and the full length show is available for booking.
Touring Dates
Native Earth Performing Arts: Aki Studio Theatre Toronto ON 2025
Springboard Dance Calgary AB 2025
Prismatic Arts Festival Halifax NS Fall 2023
Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers Winnipeg MB Winter 2021
Festival of New Dance St. John's NFLD Fall 2020
Citadel Dance Mix Toronto ON 2019 (Work In Progress Showing)
WoWen Festival Brussels Belgium 2019 ( Technical Residency Showing)
Summerworks Festival Toronto ON 2019 (Excerpt Showing)
Creative Team
Creator/Performer: Syreeta Hector
Movement Dramaturg: Seika Boye 2017-2020
Rehearsal Director/ Movement Dramaturg: Dedra McDermott 2020
Production/Lighting: Helin Gungoren: Noah Feaver
Set Design: Elissa Horscroft, Tristan Goethel, Mary Spyrakis (Courtesy of Canadian Stage)
Sound Design: Germaine Liu and Mark Zurawinski
Music: Marie Davidson, Richard Reed Parry, Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Red, Germaine Liu, XRNA, Mark Zurawinski
Costume Alterations: Kleanthi Markakis
Outside Eye/ Film Editor: J. Adam Brown
Social Media: Clara Chemtov
Technical Rider Available Upon Request
Partners: Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, RBC Canadian Stage Creators’ in Residence, Creative Residency Program through Workspace Brussel, Kaaitheatre in Belgium, York University