Igor Dobrovolskiy, M.S.M., O.M.

Artistic Director/ Choreographer

Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Atlantic Ballet Canada, Igor Dobrovolskiy is one of Canada’s most prolific choreographers – having created 15 full-length ballets, one one-act ballet and over 50 short works in 20 years. Igor Dobrovolskiy’s creative work has catapulted the Company onto the international stage.

In 2014, Mr. Dobrovolskiy received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for High Achievement in the Performing Arts. He was the recipient of RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award in 2016, which recognizes inspirational immigrants who have achieved success and helped make Canada a better country. In 2017, Mr. Dobrovolskiy was awarded the Senate of Canada’s 150th Anniversary Medal. Mr. Dobrovolskiy was also one of the 2017 recipients of the Order of Moncton. In 2021, he and Atlantic Ballet co-founder, Susan Chalmers-Gauvin, were both awarded a Governor General’s Meritorious Service Decoration (Civil Division) followed by the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals in 2022.

Igor Dobrovolskiy’s works weave dramatic narrative with inventive choreography to create powerful, emotional and lyrical forms which explore the human condition. Mr. Dobrovolskiy uses the solid foundation of classical ballet technique as a springboard for an expressive dance lexicon limited only by his boundless imagination. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in pedagogy of ballet, dance and choreography from the Kiev National University of the Arts.

Collaborating with like-minded artists attracted by his vision and his artistic philosophy, Mr. Dobrovolskiy has created a work environment which has become a focus for exploration and discovery. He has built a company of high artistic standard and international appeal which has resulted in a loyal and growing audience, nationally and globally.