Collaborations
Industry Partnerships
Ballet BC
Arts Umbrella’s longstanding partnership with Ballet BC gives students real-world experience within a professional company. Through workshops, masterclasses, and mentorship, young dancers learn directly from Ballet BC’s artistic team, deepening both their technical skills and artistic experience. Students have the opportunity to perform alongside Ballet BC in Vancouver and around the world in productions such as Crystal Pite’s Frontier and Shahar Binyamini’s Bolero X.
Ballet BC also offers the Dancers of Today Scholarship, supported by the Y.P. Heung Foundation. This scholarship enables aspiring dancers, to advance their training through Arts Umbrella, creating a pathway into professional dance and supporting a more inclusive future for the art form.
Symphonic Cinema
In 2025, our dancers had the opportunity to travel to Europe to participate in the filming of LOSS – based on The Planets by Gustav Holst, starring Emma Thompson and Greg Wise. This production brought together art forms that reimagine the relationship between music and storytelling.
The project will be brought to life on stages across the world, with performances by the London Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Bamberger Symphoniker, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, and The National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands in 2026.
Education and Professional Development
National Ballet School of Canada
Each year, Arts Umbrella and the National Ballet School participate in a summer exchange program, offering dancers from both institutions the unique opportunity to broaden their artistic experience.
We are also proud to collaborate with NBS on the Ballet Forward Initiative. This student led initiative strives to empower youth across Canada to address equity, reconciliation and anti- racism in dance.
École Supérieure de Ballet
Each summer, dancers from École Supérieure de Ballet and Arts Umbrella participate in a collaborative exchange program, offering valuable opportunities to train in new environments and connect with peers from partner institutions.
Vancouver Community College
The partnership between Vancouver Community College (VCC) and Arts Umbrella Dance gives students the unique opportunity to combine professional dance training with post-secondary academic study. Through this program, students receive intensive instruction in technique, choreography, and performance from Arts Umbrella, while earning a recognized diploma through VCC.
McCall MacBain Cultural Leadership Scholarships
Recipients of the McCall MacBain Cultural Leadership Scholarships receive financial support in addition to personalized mentorship and hands-on experience through immersive professional development workshops and projects, designed to accelerate their growth and leadership skills.
The Dutch National Ballet Academy
Arts Umbrella Dance maintains an exciting international connection with the Dutch National Ballet Academy, one of Europe’s leading ballet institutions. Through shared performances and collaborative projects, Arts Umbrella students have had the opportunity to perform alongside Dutch National Ballet Academy dancers, gaining exposure to world-class choreographers, European ballet techniques, and diverse creative approaches.
Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre
Arts Umbrella dancers have the opportunity to perform alongside the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, enriching their performance experience while building meaningful artistic connections within Canada’s dance community.
Health and Wellbeing
PainPRO
Through our partnership with PainPRO, we integrate professional dancer health and wellness support into our training environment. This partnership connects Arts Umbrella dancers with specialized movement‑focused care and expertise tailored to the unique demands of dance training—supporting students’ well‑being, performance longevity, and technical development.