Evan McKie

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Evan McKie
McKie and Xiao Nan Yu in 2017, National Arts Centre, Ottawa
Born	April 7, 1983 (1983-04-07) (age 38) Toronto, Canada
Occupation	Theatre artist, ballet dancer, movement-content creator and coach, writer, photographer, supporter of various charitable efforts.

Evan McKie (born April 7, 1983) is a Canadian ballet dancer, writer, artist, movement-content creator and coach and volunteer supporter of various charitable initiaves. McKie's performances are "within the realm of best in the World" according to London's Dance Europe Magazine.^[1] He is currently a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada and performs as a guest dancer with many historically prominent ballet companies including the Paris Opera Ballet (2011, 2012, 2014), Bolshoi Ballet (2013), Mariinsky Ballet (2016) and Tokyo Ballet. McKie is the first dancer from Canada to guest-star with the much celebrated trio of the Mariinsky Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet and says he owes much of this success to fellow Canadian, Reid Anderson who often facilitated initial contact in Paris and Moscow. In a statement to The Toronto Star, the National Ballet of Canada's Artistic Director, Karen Kain, noted that "McKie is a very intelligent dancer and has the spirit of a true artist", "He loves the contemporary and the process of creation but also absolutely embodies the classical danseur noble."^[2] McKie continues to have very close ties with the Stuttgart Ballet, where he trained and rose through the company's ranks. He credits his time there as the rare chance to find harmony between a fascination for classical ballet technique and an inner passion for Ausdruckstanz (expressionist dance). This would provide the impetus for what would become a global dance career. He is also a contributor and advisory board member for American Dance Magazine and for Canada’s Dance-archive, DanceCollectionDanse. He has been a freelance contributor for Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. McKie recently received "Executive Leadership" certification from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School Online Program and a "Digital Marketing and Analytics Strategy" diploma from Columbia University Online Education.

Career[]

McKie studied at Canada's National Ballet School, The Kirov Academy of Ballet and Germany's John Cranko School, where he was given his first professional job as a dancer by the Stuttgart Ballet's Artistic Director, Reid Anderson. Just before becoming professional however, McKie suffered a severe knee-ligament injury and was told by doctors that he may never be able to be a ballet dancer. Though the ligament was irreparable at the time, McKie attempted to dance without it and began training with the late ballet legend Pyotr Pestov. McKie started performing and eventually took a place at the Stuttgart Ballet. At the time doctors called it a "miraculous recovery." Promotions to soloist and highest rank of Principal Dancer followed and in 2011, McKie was invited to be a guest dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet. The Financial Times stated that his performance (of John Cranko's Onegin) was "the sensation of the entire season".^[3] McKie received further critical acclaim when he was invited to be a guest at the Bolshoi Ballet in 2013 which led to further guest-engagements at the Paris Opera Ballet in both January and July 2014 in different roles. In Stuttgart, under the direction and mentorship of fellow Canadian Reid Anderson, McKie danced the major roles in classical ballet as well as being a part of over 30 contemporary collaborations and was also given opportunities to develop himself as a creative director during the world-famous Noverre Society workshops. Over the last decade, he has been nominated as International Dancer of the Year by dance magazines in Tokyo, London, Paris, Berlin and New York^{[citation needed]} for dance works ranging from classical to dramatic narrative to contemporary. Danse Magazine Paris wrote, "Evan McKie's limitless spirit and unusual storytelling abilities make him one of the brightest of all of today's most famous dance stars."^[4]

McKie has choreographed two dance works for Stuttgart's Noverre Society and a work for Olga Smirnova of the Bolshoi Ballet in cooperation with the Youth American Grand Prix at Lincoln Centre in New York. He is a visual artist specializing in backstage portraits of artists and dancers and recently held an exhibition in Germany entitled Schichten.

McKie is also very active in researching the use of dance as part of rehabilitation from depression and drug addiction.^{[citation needed]} He is a part-time volunteer contributor to the recreational-therapy program at Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and is also involved in independent research focussing on neuro-plasticity training.^{[citation needed]}

McKie holds a certificate in Interpersonal Relations and Leadership from L'école des Hautes Etudes Commerciales de Paris^{[citation needed]} and recently shadowed Mikko Nissinen, the artistic director of the Boston Ballet to enhance his own practical experience initiative in the field of creative leadership.^{[citation needed]} McKie graduated with honours from Oxford University's three-month Executive Leadership intensive-course and was also invited to participate in an "emerging leaders" retreat through Dance East, an organization in Ipswich, UK.^{[citation needed]}

McKie is a benefactor, volunteer and advisory board member for DanceCollectionDanse Canadian Dance History Archive and a "friend" of CanadianStage, Animal Welfare Institute and anti-bullying organizations in Canada and the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Awards[]

• Hamilton Spectator "Best Performances of the Year List, 2019" for Apollo in George Balanchine's Apollo with the National Ballet of Canada. "Of all the Apollos I saw on the Four Seasons' Centre's stage the one that had the most power, passion and Balanchine style was McKie's." – Gary Smith^[5]
• MyTheatreAwards Performance of the Year Nominations 2017 for John Neumeier's Nijinsky and Wayne McGregor's Genus with the National Ballet of Canada
• MyTheatreAwards Cross-Canada Fan Favourite Award for body of work in 2016 including Onegin, The Winter's Tale, The Four Temperaments and Romeo and Juliet at the National Ballet of Canada
• The Kirov Academy Award, Washington, D.C., for outstanding achievement in dance and contribution as a humanitarian, 2016
• Best Theatre Performance in Canada nomination 2016, Hamilton Spectator: "This intelligent, elegant dancer is simply the best thing that's happened to The National Ballet of Canada in years. His feral performance in Chroma, his dark demonic presence in The Winter's Tale and his over-the-moon fresh and astounding performance in Romeo and Juliet were dance highlights of the year."^[6]
• Apuli Arte Merit Prize, Italy. Outstanding Performance in International Dance, 2012
• Best Newcomer Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2001, Dance Europe Magazine, London
• Best International Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2012, Dance Magazine Japan
• Best International Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2012, Dance Europe Magazine, London
• Best International Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2012, Danse Magazine, Paris
• Best International Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2013, Tanz Magazine Yearbook, Germany
• Best International Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2014, Tanz Magazine Yearbook, Germany
• Best International Dance Performance of the Year, nomination 2014, Dance Europe Magazine, London and Dance4You Magazine, Germany

Performance repertoire[]

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• ** = New creation
• John Cranko
  • Onegin and Lenski in Onegin
  • Romeo and Paris in Romeo and Juliet
  • "Aus Holberg's Zeit" Pas de Deux
  • Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake
  • Lucentio, Hortensio, Priest/Waiter and Pas de Six in The Taming of the Shrew
  • Lead Man. Third and Second Movements in Initials RBME
  • Captain Belaye in Pineapple Poll
  • Lover (3) in Poeme de l'extase"
  • Second Deal, second variation in Jeux de cartes
  • Prince and Moondog in Lady and the Fool
• Kenneth MacMillan
  • Offortorium in Requiem
  • Des Grieux in Manon
  • Der Ewige/Messenger of Death in The Sing of the Earth"
• Maurice Béjart
  • Ludwig II of Bavaria, friend and Grand Pas de Deux in Gaîté Parisienne
  • Songs of a Wayfarer
• John Neumeier
  • Karenin in Anna Karenina
  • Diaghilev in Nijinsky
  • Petruschka in Nijinsky
  • Iago in Othello
  • Des Grieux in The Lady of the Camellias
  • Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire
  • Fratres
• Glen Tetley:
  • Pas de Trois in Voluntaries
  • The Rite of Spring
• Rudolf Nureyev:
  • Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty
• DAVID DAWSON
  • "WHITE SWAN PAS DE DEUX"
• PETER WRIGHT:
  • Albrecht in GISELLE
• OLEG VINOGRADOV:
  • Siegfried in SWAN LAKE
• Wayne McGregor
  • "Nautilus"**
  • "Eden I Eden"**
  • Yantra**
  • Chroma
  • Genus
• KEVIN O'DAY:
  • Hamlet and Laertes in "HAMLET" **
  • "DREAMDEEPDOWN"
  • "IGOR POEMS"
• WILL TUCKETT
  • The Ringmaster in "PINOCCHIO"
• MARCIA HAYDEE:
  • Prince Desire, Blue Bird and Prince of the North in The Sleeping Beauty
• WILLIAM FORSYTHE:
  • "THE VERTIGINEOUS THRILL OF EXACTITUDE"
  • "LOVE SONGS"
  • workwithinwork
• CRYSTAL PITE:
  • Emergence Man #1.
• GEORGE BALANCHINE:
  • Lead Man in "THEME AND VARIATIONS"
  • Apollo in "APOLLO"
  • Phlegmetic, Sanguinic, First and Third Themes in "THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS"
  • "SYMPHONY IN C"
  • "VIOLIN CONCERTO"
• HANS VAN MANEN:
  • FRANK BRIDGE VARIATIONS
  • "CORPS"
  • "KLEINES REQUIEM"
• JIRI KYLIAN:
  • White in "FORGOTTEN LAND"
  • RETURN TO A STRANGE LAND
• CHRISTIAN SPUCK:
  • Der Vater in "DER SANDMANN" **
  • Alwa in "LULU"
  • "NOCTURNE" **
  • "LA PEAU BLANCHE" **
• MARCO GOECKE:
  • "BLUSHING" ** °
  • "SWEETSWEETSWEET" **
  • Solo from OnVelvet for Youth American Grand Prix
• DOUGLAS LEE:
  • "NIGHTLIGHT"**
  • "LACHRYMAL" **
  • "FANFARE LX" **
  • MINIATURES**
  • CAPRICCIO**
  • "MASK DUET"**
• MAURO BIGONZETTI:
  • Vincenzo in "i FRATELLI"
• DAVID BINTLEY:
  • Baron in "EDWARD II"
• MARC SPRADLING:
  • "MELODIOUS GIMMICK.." **
  • THE SHAKING TENT
• REID ANDERSON / VALENTINA SAVINA after MARIUS PETIPA:
  • Albrecht in GISELLE
• SABRINA MATTHEWS:
  • "SOLES" Pas de Deux **
• ROBERT NORTH:
  • Lead Man in "LIGHT FANDANGO"
• JORMA ELO:
  • RED in 3
  • Slice to Sharp
• Bridget Breiner:
  • Sirs **
• JEROME ROBBINS:
  • "THE CONCERT"
  • DANCES AT A GATHERING
• NICOLO FONTE:
  • "GAMBLINGx5"**
• PETER QUANZ:
  • "PAS D'ACTION" **
• EDWARD CLUG:
  • "POCKET CONCERTO" **
  • NO MAN'S LAND
• ITZIK GALILI:
  • "HIKARIZATTO" **
• UWE SCHOLZ:
  • "SIEBTE SYMPHONIE"
• DEMIS VOLPI:
  • Tonda in KRABAT
  • FINGERSPITZENGEFÜHL **
• LOUIS STIENS:
  • CHRISTOPH**
  • STURM**
  • RAUSCH**
• JAMES KUDELKA:
  • Peter/Nutcracker in THE NUTCRACKER
  • Prince Siegfried in SWAN LAKE
• CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON:
  • Jack/The Knave in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
  • King Leontes in "THE WINTER'S TALE"
• ALEXEI RATMANSKY:
  • Romeo and Tybalt in "ROMEO AND JULIET"
  • Eros in PSYCHE
• JULIANO NUNES
  • "SOSPIRI"
  • IN TIME WE TRUST
• ANDONIS FONIADAKIS
  • Art Teacher work in progress
• MICHEL FOKINE
  • Chopiniana
• NICHOLAS ISEAH KING ROSE
  • Allegretto Appassionato
• KUNAL RANCHOD
  • Project

Quotes in the media[]

• "McKie is a dancer who understands that Balanchine's obsession with "the steps" shouldn't invite blankness, but more truthfulness, more commitment." Martha Schabas, The Globe and Mail^[7]
• "I admired it (The Winter's Tale) more in this performance than when I saw the ballet's first performances in London, principally because of Evan McKie's eloquent interpretation of Leontes." Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times^[8]
• "He has the line and elegance of a young Anthony Dowell, the visceral intensity of a passionate Nureyev, and the spirit of someone unique, like the exquisite Evelyn Hart." Gary Smith, Ballet Review^{[This quote needs a citation]}
• "McKie takes his Tatiana, Aurélie Dupont, along for the ride, and the chemistry is obvious. Dupont is the POB's supreme classicist, a guarded vision of poise and femininity; few partners have brought out so fully the emotional fire beneath the ice. The mature Tatiana of Act III fits her like a glove, and her last pas de deux with Onegin was a blaze of defiance and abandon unlike anything seen in Paris recently, with both dancers utterly lost in the roles and in each other. One dazzling premiere later, what was an emergency fix has turned into the sensation of the season." Laura Cappelle, Financial Times^[9]
• “Within the realm of best in the world" – Dance Europe^{[This quote needs a citation]}
• "The National Ballet of Canada may have waited until closing matinee of this John Cranko ballet to pull out all the stops, but pull them out they did. A stunning version of this dramatic piece starring Svetlana Lunkina and Evan McKie was sheer perfection. These are real stars who make riveting dance drama from ballet. The fact they are doing this at The National Ballet of Canada is our gain. This was the dance event of the year, a single performance that should have been repeated several times. Their towering performances as Onegin and Tatiana in the John Cranko ballet Onegin for The National Ballet of Canada were world-class. This was drama that dripped with passion as well as dance that made your heart beat faster. These two are the real thing when it comes to ballet that goes beyond dance to the place where theatre oozes magic." Gary Smith, Dance International^[10]
• "Not since Nureyev has a dancer executed the introspective, yearning passion of Prince Florimund's solo the way this star has here. The body is elegant, lean and masculine, suggesting the clean, uncluttered line of a danseur noble. The airborne theatrics are never flashy for the sake of pyrotechnics. Everything fits from the exquisite tilt of the head to the heart-stopping beats of the feet." Gary Smith, Dance International/Ballet Review^[11]

References[]

Further reading[]

• Hüster, Wiebke (November 6, 2007). "Cranko-Festival. Die schwere Erbschaft einer Wunderzeit". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German) (258). p. 35. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
• "Tanzsichten II. Tanzsichten II Orma. Drei Uraufführungen für die Stuttgarter Kompanie". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). April 2, 2004. Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
• Bosshard, Dominique (February 25, 2006). "Danse. Dans l'ombre des grands". L'Impartial (in French). Retrieved July 15, 2008.
• "Evan McKie – Principal Dancer". Stuttgart Ballet. Retrieved February 26, 2010.