Ballet Edmonton welcomes new artistic director Kirsten Wicklund

After two years dancing as a demi-soloist for Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Belgium, Kirsten Wicklund recently returned home to the Vancouver area. But she will soon be packing her bags again, as she settles here and takes on the role of artistic director for Ballet Edmonton.

In February, Wicklund debuted My Instinct is That This is Nearly the End, her first piece for the company. Having grown up in the Vancouver area, the home base of Ballet Edmonton’s departing artistic director, Wen Wei Wang, Wicklund welcomed the opportunity to collaborate. Wang was a fixture in the dance world when Wicklund was coming up, and she would take his open classes when the opportunity arose.

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”Wen Wei has been very generous in terms of this transition,” says Wicklund. The hand-off has been fluid, with Wang welcoming Wicklund’s input in current decisions. “He’ll be able to support me as I move into this role and I know that I’ll be leaning on him for advice.”

Moving from being in the studio full-time, dancing and choreographing, to now spending more time online and in meetings is a big change, but Wicklund welcomes the new challenges.

”As a dancer, you’re just really responsible for yourself. Even as a choreographer, you’re responsible for organizing your own thoughts and your own contribution,” she says. “This is very different. I’m responsible for things that extend a bit further beyond me.”

Stepping into the role, her first priority is establishing a common language and working relationships with the dancers, to ensure a sense of unity and clear direction.

Once these elements are solidified, Wicklund hopes to make the world the company’s oyster, continuing Wang’s legacy of building its audiences, touring across the country, and hopefully beyond.

“I really hope to continue the trajectory that Wen Wei has been paving,” she says. “He’s done such a beautiful job.”

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