We are seeking to recruit new volunteer Board members – individuals who wish to donate their time and energy to contribute to the growth and development of an exciting performing arts organization that is also involved in education and community capacity building.

About the Company

Founded in 1987 as Ballet Jörgen Canada, Jörgen Dance https://www.jorgendance.ca/ is a leader in dance programming across Canada through touring, performances, community engagement and educational events. Our mission is to advance the art and appreciation of ballet and Canadian choreography through performance, education and outreach.

As the fifth largest dance company in Canada, Jörgen Dance reaches all 10 provinces with over 1,500 events each year, bringing dance to over 65,000 Canadians annually. In addition to its home city of Toronto, Jörgen Dance has established community ‘hubs’ in Halifax, Hamilton, Ottawa, Kitchener and Saskatoon which enable the Company to offer enhanced programming in these communities.

Through its over 30-year partnership with George Brown College, Jörgen Dance runs George Brown Dance, the only college-level dance program in Ontario offering one- and two-year training programs in ballet, contemporary and commercial dance.

Artistically, the company is superb, with a repertoire of more than 265 original works and the founder, Bengt Jörgen, is a fascinating case study in entrepreneurial leadership. The focus is on providing opportunities for Canadian choreographers and Canadian content. The Company only performs works choreographed and created for the Company’s dancers. Ballet Jörgen’s full-length repertoire includes works like Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet, Swan Lake, Anastasia and The Nutcracker. The Company is currently developing a brand new major ballet. Core funding for the Company is received from the Canadian Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council together with corporate and foundation support and generous individuals. Our revenue from performances largely contributes to our operational support – we have one of the highest share of earned revenue for any major Canadian dance company at 50% of our budget. Revenue generation is critical for the Company.

Director Criteria

The Board is active and engaged, providing oversight and direction to the affairs of the Company as well as guidance and coaching to the Artistic Director and CEO. The Board meets about 6 times per year. Each director has a specific portfolio and contribution to make that typically involves participation on at least one committee or working group in addition to attendance at Board meetings. All directors are expected to support the Company financially each year and to participate in generating revenue in ways that they feel personally comfortable – which may be as simple as sharing the magic of the Company with friends by inviting them to performances or facilitating introductions to their network.

Our search is for experienced strategic thinkers who enjoy being proactive, seizing an initiative and making things happen. More specifically, we are looking for volunteer directors with strong government relations/public affairs, marketing/social media and/or revenue-generation skills and experience. There is certainly no shortage of interesting engagement opportunities for someone who wants to make a difference in the performing arts community!

If you are interested in exploring this volunteer opportunity please contact Kathy O’Brien, Chair of the Governance Committee, at kobrien@inq.law.