One of the top international ballet companies, The National Ballet of Canada was founded in 1951 by Celia Franca. A company of 70 dancers with its own orchestra, the National Ballet has been led by Artistic Director Karen Kain, one of the greatest ballerinas of her generation, since 2005. Renowned for its diverse repertoire, the company performs traditional full-length classics, embraces contemporary work and encourages the creation of new ballets as well as the development of Canadian choreographers. The company’s repertoire includes works by Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, Rudolf Nureyev, John Neumeier, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Wayne McGregor, Alexei Ratmansky, Crystal Pite, Christopher Wheeldon, Aszure Barton, Guillaume Côté and Robert Binet. Located in Toronto, Canada's premier dance company has performed for over 10 million people. The National Ballet has toured in Canada, the US and internationally with appearances in Paris, France, London, England, Hamburg, Germany, New York City, Washington, D.C. San Francisco and Los Angeles. The National Ballet is committed to outreach and education for families and youth who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the joys of ballet. The company has a wide range of age appropriate programmes designed to engage with schools and children in the GTA and communities across Canada. YOU dance, the National Ballet’s signature programme, is designed to introduce students in grades four, five and six to the world of dance through FREE workshops and performances. The National Ballet employs 120 artists, dancers and musicians, as well as production and administrative staff. All of the costumes and sets are built at The Gretchen Ross Production Centre. As a pre-eminent builder of full productions for ballet in North America, the National Ballet regularly rents out sets and costumes to ballet companies around the world.