About Us

Welcome to Ballet Ouest de Montréal

Ballet Ouest de Montréal is a non–profit, professional ballet company, recognized by both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.

The company’s first performance of The Nutcracker in 1984 was made possible by the generous support of a group of families and the guidance of its founding Artistic Director Margaret Mehuys. From these beginnings, Ballet Ouest established the goals by which it is still guided: to contribute to the promotion of classical dance and the artists who lend their vitality to this artistic discipline. The company focuses on creating, producing and performing new ballets, mounting and presenting updated versions of ballets from the classical repertoire, and inviting outside choreographers to create original works from which a contemporary dance language can be constructed.

There have been many outstanding performances over the years. Giselle d’ici, the modern story of a teenage suicide, is largely inspired by the romantic ballet Giselle. Ballet Ouest has also presented Margaret Mehuys’ versions of Coppelia and The Sleeping Beauty. The company’s well–loved version of The Nutcracker has enthralled over 200,000 spectators. In 2002 Ballet Ouest began Danse–Mobile, a program of truly exceptional dance theatre for children. Tens of thousands of children in Quebec have been delighted by these works.

In order to more fully share its mission and professional expertise with the community, the company opened the Ballet Ouest Centre de Danse in 2006. With its Ballet, Danse–Études, Performance Team and Adult programs, the company now provides excellent dance training for all ages.

A Word from Our Artistic Director