Browse "Arts & Culture"

Ballet is a stylized form of Western theatrical dance based on a codified system of movement. It can be used to tell a story, evoke a mood, illustrate a piece of music, or simply provide a presentation of theatrical movement that is entertaining or intriguing in itself.

Annette av Paul was the first artistic director of Ballet BC. She was followed by Reid Anderson, Patricia Neary and Barry Ingham.

The mandate of Ballet Jörgen Canada continues to be the discovery, encouragement and development of new choreographers, particularly in the field of ballet. To this end the company concentrates on new and innovative creations, which it presents in Toronto and on tour.

Ballets and dance theatre.

Band festivals. Festive gatherings, usually for competition, of civic, military, and youth bands. Canada's first band festival probably was the one held in 1877 in Berlin (Kitchener), Ont.

Band music composition. The presence of British military bands in garrison towns such as Quebec City and Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake) provided the spark for the composition of the first Canadian band music.

Music bands are large instrumental ensembles consisting mainly of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Traditionally, bands have been associated with outdoor activities or ceremonies, e.g., to accompany marching, add cheer to festivities, and contribute to the pomp of state occasions. The symphonic (concert) band is a modern refinement; the jazz and dance band are distant relations. The predominance of bands over orchestras and chamber ensembles was due also to the fact that band instruments can be learned more quickly than string or keyboard instruments. Furthermore, the extroverted music and vigorous sound of bands, their suitability for rousing patriotic emotions, and their usefulness in enhancing non-musical events made them popular.

Banff Centre for the Arts (Banff School of Fine Arts, 1933-89). In 1991 one of three divisions of the Banff Centre for Continuing Education, so named in 1978 when the Alberta Legislature proclaimed the Banff Act establishing the Banff School of Fine Arts as an autonomous institution.

Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC). Organized by Kenneth Murphy to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Banff CA. The success of the first competition, held in April 1983, led to the decision to make it an ongoing triennial event.

Because banks competed for clients, they recognized the value of an architectural image that would attract customers. They adopted chiefly classical architectural forms which expressed wealth, integrity, endurance and confidence.

Bar Salon established writer/director André Forcier, who was only 25 years old at the time of filming, as a major talent in Québec cinema.

Barbara Allen. Ballet in nine scenes by David Adams to music by Louis Applebaum and based on the folksong and legend of the same name.

Formed in Scarborough, Ontario, in 1988, the Barenaked Ladies (BNL) first rose to fame in the early 1990s with the release of a demo cassette and a cover of a Bruce Cockburn song, followed by their debut studio album, Gordon (1992), which has since been certified diamond in Canada for sales of more than 1 million copies. Their fourth album, Stunt (1998), sold more than 4 million copies in the United States and yielded the No. 1 hit song “One Week.” Known for their comedic lyrics and quirky alternative rock sound, the Barenaked Ladies were ranked No. 13 on CBC Music’s list of 100 Best Canadian Bands. They have won eight Juno Awards, including three for Best Group, and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2018.

The film Barney's Version (2010), produced by Robert Lantos and directed by Richard J. Lewis, takes on the challenge of adapting Mordecai Richler's unruly onslaught of a final novel.

The Baroque Strings of Vancouver. Founded in 1966. The ensemble made its debut at the opening of the JMC (YMC) national string competition in June 1967 and performed with the harpsichordist George Malcolm at the 1967 Vancouver International Festival.