Peter Quanz

Peter Quanz

Peter Quanz, choreographer (born at Kitchener, Ont 22 Aug 1979). Peter Quanz has quickly earned a reputation as an internationally renowned Canadian choreographer, creating works for the world's greatest dance companies. Quanz went to a performing arts school in Kitchener before moving to Winnipeg to study at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, where he was drawn to choreography as a teenager. He performed briefly as a dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet and began his professional choreographic career there. In 2002, Quanz started freelancing as a choreographer; he created his own company, Q Dance/Quanz Danse, in 2010.

Quanz created his break-through work Kaleidoscope in 2005 for the American Ballet Theatre, and later staged it on LES GRANDS BALLETS CANADIENS DE MONTRÉAL. In 2007, Quanz was invited by Valery Gergiev, artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, to create Aria Suspended on the Mariinsky Ballet. This auspicious invitation was the first time a Canadian had choreographed a work for the Mariinsky (formerly the Kirov). This important commission made Peter Quanz a hot commodity in the global ballet scene. In 2010, for the Hong Kong Ballet, Quanz created the highly-praised Luminous, which became part of the repertoire of the ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET. He has also choreographed for the NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA.

Peter Quanz's choreography has been acclaimed by critics on 2 continents. He received the Clifford E. Lee Award for choreography in 2005.