One of the most stylish events on Toronto’s social calendar is just around the corner. On June 3, The National Ballet of Canada (NBOC) will welcome dance enthusiasts to Mad Hot Ballet, a glamorous evening of ballet and bold fashion with a goal to raise $1 million in support of the company’s community engagement programmes. At this year’s gala, visitors will embody the theme New Wave, described as a tribute to the “fearless spirit and creative explosion of the early 80s.” 

“My understanding of New Wave is that it’s very bold…very energetic. Thinking like Blondie, David Bowie. There’s going to be bright colours and bold makeup and spiky hair, that’s what I’m picturing,” says Heather Ogden, NBOC Principal Dancer.

The audience at Mad Hot Ballet will be treated to an hour-long showcase, featuring three performances. Partygoers will receive an exclusive first look at On the Nature of Daylight, a pas de deux by David Dawson, who was just named the company’s Resident Choreographer, as well as a performance of Sir Frederick Ashton’s Rhapsody. Another highlight is Guillaume Côté‘s Boléro, which Ogden describes as “a real showstopper.” This will be one of Côté’s final performances as part of NBOC, before his departure in June. 

Following the performance, guests will mingle with fellow attendees and dancers, enjoying a stylish reception with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and activations. Meanwhile, VIP ticketholders will head to the stage for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. “You watch a show with all these dancers on stage…so they seem sometimes otherworldly,” Ogden says. “Then one hour later, everybody’s dining on stage and partying with those same dancers.”

While the gala is a hotspot for Toronto’s dance lovers and culture connoisseurs, Ogden also appreciates how newcomers to ballet can join in on the fun. “People who are ballet lovers or supporters often bring people in their lives who might not always come to the ballet, and so there’s an energy of people discovering ballet for the first time,” she says.

Since the inaugural fundraising gala in 2007, NBOC has raised more than $17 million in support of the company’s community engagement programmes, a series of initiatives designed to reach communities who may otherwise not have access to the ballet.

These programs include reduced ticket prices for students, relaxed performances designed to welcome the disability community, YOU Dance, a free in-school ballet program for elementary students, and Share the Magic, a series of free shows in partnership with social service agencies and other community organizations.

“It’s amazing what the company is doing,” Ogden says. “They really prioritize exposing people to this art form and letting them have a chance to experience it.”

Ogden says the dancers feel particularly proud of these initiatives. She describes her experience meeting some of the young participants in the programmes, many of whom have never seen a dance performance before. 

“They have the best questions. Some of them are hilarious. Some of them are very honest and curious, some of them will get up and be dancing,” she says. “It’s just very beautiful to see their eyes open to this art form.”

Glitz, glamour, and the best of our country’s ballet dancers in one room, all in support of a worthy arts cause—Mad Hot Ballet will be a night to remember. 

Tickets for Mad Hot Ballet on June 3 are available now.

Mad Hot Ballet photos by George Pimentel Photography. Courtesy of The National Ballet of Canada.