Founded in 1986 by David Y. H. Lui, Jean Orr and Sheila Begg, with Annette av Paul as first Artistic Director, the company has been under the artistic direction of Reid Anderson, Patricia Neary and Barry Ingham, followed by John Alleyne for 17 years and Emily Molnar for 11. As of July 2020, the company is proudly under the directorship of Medhi Walerski. Ballet BC is an internationally acclaimed collaborative and creation-based contemporary ballet company that is a leader and resource in the creation, production and education of contemporary dance in Canada. Bold and innovative, the Company’s distinctive style and approach has made a unique and valuable national contribution to the development of dance. In 2019, the Company was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for their tour to Sadler’s Wells in London.