Created in 2002, Ballet Victoria (BV) acknowledges it operates on the traditional territories of the Lkwungen and Wsanec peoples. 

Ballet Victoria’s mandate is to promote diverse, emerging, and established Canadian dance talent in an inclusive and accessible environment; to educate the public on the value of dance in all communities; and to provide seasons of professional performances. 

BV’s mission is to provide productions and development programs to preserve Canadian dance heritage and to contribute to it with new works to enrich our artistic repertoire and develop capabilities to share our cultural achievements with Canadian and international audiences. 

BV thus promotes emerging and established Canadian dance professionals and enhances awareness of the value of dance to local, provincial, and international audiences, growing our global community’s size and breadth. 

BV is committed through its performances and community programs to demonstrating and fostering respect for the individual human rights of all Canadians, as performing arts offers a space in which community members take part in an uplifting expression of humanity’s creative spirit with a common language.

BV’s flagship community program, Tea for Tutu, started in 2008. Each season the program allows seniors in the capital region to enjoy BV’s productions and social programming without physical or financial constraints. BV has since expanded the program to include community members facing related obstacles, from single parents, to marginalized groups, and individuals. Each season, BV offers 8+ free Tea for Tutu performances in its Kirk Hall theatre to over 1,300 patrons. Performances are followed by a social hour, including refreshments donated by local businesses, to foster conversation between patrons and artists.

In 2018, BV purchased a passenger van to facilitate Tea for Tutu access to isolated seniors and further promote accessibility. This free service offers transport for people with mobility issues. During the pandemic’s interruption of live performances, BV offered free access to on line videos of its productions to senior residences and individuals. BV is now starting its BVideo program, which allows anyone without access to live performances the opportunity to watch videos of the performances for free on computers, tablets, or smart tv.

In 2014, BV opened its not for profit dance school, the BV Conservatory (BVC). BVC provides accessible dance training to children and adults, including seniors. BVC has affordable rates and tuition assistance to minimize/remove financial barriers to dance training. BVC offers "dance ability" workshops for youth with diverse physical or mental abilities which may prevent them from attending regular classes. Several children from this program have joined BVC's regular dance classes. BVC also offers a professional ballet training post secondary program, certified by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. BVC's policies and culture of inclusion foster a diverse student body.

Short  History of the Ballet Victoria Project

In 2007 Paul Destrooper was hired as Artistic Director and choreographer to instil new life into the the fledgling company. In 2008, Destrooper also became Executive Director and started to build the company into a repertoire-based organization with resident dancers, four yearly mainstage productions, touring, and community programs to  support the artistic practice of ballet locally in a financially sustainable manner. 

Destrooper's artistic direction, rooted in classical technique and narrative ballets, focuses on creating works with original ideas and of contemporary and multicultural relevance. The works seek to evolve beyond colonial stereotypes and breathe a modern perspective into ballet, not limiting the expression to traditional classical technique and acting, but expanding it to free flow movement and modern acting. Destrooper's approach enables the development of individual dancers through repertoire. BV soon became a talent incubator where each season, funding allowing, Destrooper invited one or more choreographers to set or create a work on the company. The different styles and techniques these choreographers brought benefitted dancers greatly. Many dancers have been able to pursue their careers further by joining large international ballet companies: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and more. 

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