About the Company

Our creative practice uses ballet-art as a platform to see our world differently – in more compelling, poignant and imaginative ways.
-Susan Chalmers-Gauvin

Founder and CEO

Founded by CEO, Susan Chalmers-Gauvin and Artistic Director Igor Dobrovolskiy, Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada is an acclaimed creation based Canadian ballet company with a focus on new works, collaboration and inventive creative practices that foster cross sectoral innovation, learning and dialogue that interface with community and the public in new ways. The Company’s distinctive style and approach has made a unique and valuable contribution to dance in Canada and our works are presented regionally, nationally and internationally.

Susan Chalmers Gauvin and Igor Dobrovolskiy co-founded Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada (now Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada) with a vision of establishing an internationally ranked professional ballet company, of high artistic standard, that would serve and represent the Atlantic region in Canada and around the world. Since 2001, they have brought Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada from start-up to an international touring company.

Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada is a ballet-theatre company dedicated to performing original works by one choreographer – Artistic Director – Igor Dobrovolskiy. As a Company we are committed to placing creation at the centre of our existence. Igor Dobrovolskiy fuses ballet technique with theatrical expression – what he terms a “theatre of movement.” Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada pursues a continuous creative process in an environment that supports origination and strong technical and expressive dancers who co-create with him. The Company embraces diversity and is a multi-cultural company of soloist artists well known for their extensive technical abilities and strong emotional qualities on stage. Through collaboration with like-minded artists attracted by the vision and artistic philosophy of our Artistic Director our creative practice uses ballet-art as a platform to see our world in more compelling, poignant and imaginative ways.

Susan and Igor firmly believe the arts are a means to engage communities in public dialogue, contribute to the development of a community’s creative learning, provide a powerful tool for community mobilization, and help build community capacity and leadership. In addition to creating and touring internationally, Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada actively engages in projects and initiatives in the community every year on relevant challenges and issues. Their largest national project, CELEBRATE COURAGE, mobilized over 300 front-line service organizations and forty communities across Canada in a dialogue on violence against women.