Memories of Yondering

by Mavis Staines, Artistic Director and CEO, Canada's National Ballet School

My most cherished memory from my 27 year tenure as Artistic Director of Canada's National Ballet School continues to be the creation of the ballet Yondering. “Magic” imbued the ten days in February 1996 when John Neumeier was at NBS, creating the ballet. The energy and excitement of Neumeier’s creative process had a powerfully compelling impact on the students, but I think it is fair to say that working with our students was powerfully compelling and inspiring for John too. 

When John arrived at Toronto's airport to begin working with NBS students the next morning, he was exhausted, having just completed a mammoth project.  He insisted that he did not have the energy to create more than a ten minute work, with a cast of about eight students. Ten days later Yondering was born, a thirty-three minute masterpiece for a cast that could include close to forty dancers. NBS students had inspired and energized him. 

The vitality and creativity of those initial ten days are deeply embedded in the ballet itself and so learning and performing Yondering continues to be a captivating experience for every cast lucky enough to have performed the ballet since.