-
Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
-
Maurice Jarre to Lawrence N. Kasha
Karen Kain Biography (1951-)
Full name, Karen Alexandria Kain; born March 28, 1951, in Hamilton, Ontario,Canada; daughter of Charles Alexander (an electrical engineer) and Winifred Mary (a real estate agent; maiden name, Kelly) Kain; married Ross Petty (a producer and actor), May, 1983. Career: Ballet dancer. National Ballet ofCanada, Toronto, Ontario, dancer, 1969-70, principal dancer, 1970-97; retired, 1997. Dancer's Transition Centre, president of board of directors; BalletNational de Marseille, guest performer, 1972-82, member of touring company, Japanese and Korean cities, 1981-82; member of teaching and performance tour with Frank Augustyn, Chinese cities, 1981; Eliot Feld Ballet Company, guest performer, beginning in 1984; guest artist in dance performances around the world; classical dance consultant for the Broadway musical The Red Shoes,1993. Kidney Foundation of Canada, honorary patron. Member: CanadianActors' Equity Association, Association of Radio and Television Artists. Awards, Honors: Silver Medal and (with Frank Augustyn) best pas de deux, 2nd International Ballet Competition, Moscow, U.S.S.R., 1973; honoraryLitt.D., York University, 1977; honorary degrees from University of British Columbia, McMaster University, and Trent University; Order of Canada, member,1976, companion, 1991; honored with a special "Celebrating Kain" performanceof the National Ballet of Canada, 1988; Toronto Arts Award, 1992; Canadian Governor General's Award, 1997. Addresses: Office: c/o National Ballet of Canada, 157 King St. East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 1G9.
- Nationality
- Canadian
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Ballet dancer
- Birth Details
- March 28, 1951
- Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Famous Works
-
CREDITS
-
Stage Appearances, with National Ballet of Canada
-
The Mirror Walkers, Ottawa, Ontario, 1970
-
Swan Lake, Tempe, AZ, 1971
-
Fandango, North Bay, Ontario, 1971
-
Autumn Song, Sudbury, Ontario, 1971
-
Le Corsaire, 1971
-
Bayaderka, 1971
-
Les Sylphides, 1971
-
Kraanerg, 1971
-
Intermezzo, 1971, then Windsor, Ontarion, 1972
-
Romeo and Juliet, Toronto, Ontario, 1972
-
The Nutcracker, Ottawa, 1972
-
Sleeping Beauty, Houston, TX, 1972
-
Solitaire, Windsor, 1973
-
Giselle, Windsor, 1973, then New York City, 1974
-
Les Sylphides, Hamilton, Ontario, 1973
-
Don Juan, Toronto, 1974
- Title role, La Sylphide, New York City, 1974
- Swanhilda, Coppelia, Toronto, 1976
-
Elite Syncopations, Toronto, 1978
- Chosen maiden, The Rite of Spring, 1979
-
Sphinx, Toronto, 1983
-
Alice, Toronto, 1986
-
The Merry Widow, Toronto, 1986
-
Impromptu, 1987
- The actress, La Ronde, O'Keefe Centre, Toronto, 1987
-
Karen Kain 20th Anniversary Gala, O'Keefe Centre, 1989
-
The Taming of the Shrew, 1992
-
Musings, 1992
-
Now and Then, 1993
-
The Actress, 1994
- Natalia Petrovna, A Month in the Country, O'Keefe Centre, 1995
-
Tides of Mind, Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, 1997
- Appeared as Titania, The Dream, as Lise, La Fille Mal Gardee, and as Louise, Mad Shadows.
-
Other Stage Appearances
-
Carmen, 1973
-
Les Intermittences De Coeur, Ballet National de Marseille, Theatredes Champs-Elysees, 1974
-
A la Recherche du Temps Perdu, 1974
- Princess Aurora, Sleeping Beauty, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, then with London Festival Ballet, English and Australian appearances, 1975
-
Nana, 1976
-
Coppelia, 1980
-
Don Quixote, 1982
- Giuletta, Tales of Hoffmann, Ballet National de Marseilles, Marseilles, France, 1982
-
Nelligan Pas de Deux, Spoleto Festival, 1982
-
Alladin and His Wonderful Lamp, 1982
-
Onegin, Spoleto Festival, then with the Stuttgart Ballet, 1984
- "Grand Pas de Deux," Sleeping Beauty, Chicago, IL, then Metropolitan Opera House, both 1984
-
Dick Wittington and His Cat, 1985
-
The Cinderella Gang, Hamilton Palace, 1986
- Alice Hargreaves, Alice, Metropolitan Opera House, 1986
-
Forgotten Land, 1988
-
Daphnis and Chloe, 1988
-
Tagore, 1989
-
Time Out with Lola, 1991
- The woman, Song of the Earth, 1991
-
Pastorale, 1991
-
Cafe Dances, 1991
-
Musings, Glory of Mozart Festival, Toronto, 1991
-
Dancers for Life AIDS Gala, 1991, 1992, and 1994
-
White Swan Pas de Deux, Hong Kong Ballet, St. Lawrence Centre, Toronto, 1992
-
Echo, Eliot Feld Ballet Company, Ottawa and Montreal, Quebec, 1993
-
Sleeping Beauty, Michigan Opera Company, Detroit, 1993
-
Now and Then, Hamburg, Germany, 1993
- Mother, The Miraculous Mandarin, 1993
- Appeared as the bride, The Seven Daggers, and as white swan/blackswan, Swan Lake, Vienna State Opera Ballet; also appeared in Afternoon of a Faun,
Collective Symphony,
Concerto,
Concerto Barocco,
The Dream,
Dream Dances,
Etudes,
Flower Festival in Genzano,
Four Schumann Pieces,
The Four Temperaments,
Kettentanz,
Monument for a Dead Boy,
Napoli,
Offenbach in the Underworld,
Serenade, and Symphony in C.
-
Major Tours
-
The Sleeping Beauty, North American cities, 1972-73
-
Giselle, Bolshoi Ballet, Soviet cities, 1977
-
Swan Lake, Soviet cities, 1977
-
Snow White, Canadian cities, 1987
-
The Actress, National Ballet of Canada, Canadian cities, 1997
-
Karen Kain Farewell Tour (with the National Ballet of Canada), Canadian cities, 1997
-
Television Appearances
-
Specials
-
The Karen Kain Super Special, CBC, 1978
-
The Pleasure of Your Company, 1979
-
The 100th Anniversary of the Met, PBS, 1983
-
Giselle, CBC, 1976
-
The Merry Widow, CBC, 1987
-
La Fille Mal Gardee, CBC, 1979
- Title role, Giselle, Arts and Entertainment, 1985
-
The Cinderella Gang, CTV, 1987
- Co-host, Competition for the 1st Annual Erik Bruhn Prize, CBC, 1988
-
Live from the Met: Nureyev's 50th Birthday Party, PBS, 1988
-
La Ronde, CBC, 1989
-
Alice, CBC, 1989
-
Karen Kain: Prima Ballerina, CBC, 1990
- Also appeared in Andre Gagnon Television Special,
Jeff Hyslop Television Special, and in a French television production of Coppelia.
-
Episodic
-
If Only My Piano Could Sing and Dance, CBC, 1978
- Alice Hargreaves, "Alice," Texaco Performing Arts Showcase, syndicated, 1992
-
WRITINGS
-
Nonfiction
- (With Marilyn Linton) Karen Kain's Beauty and Fitness Book, Doubleday (New York City), 1983
-
Movement Never Lies (autobiography), McClelland & Stewart, 1994
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Periodicals:
-
Calgary Sun, September 20, 1997, .
-
Chatelaine, December 20, 1994, p. 35; June, 1997, p. 61.
-
Dance, May 20, 1995, p. 56; April, 1996, p. 28.
-
Maclean's, November 28, 1988, pp. 46-53; June 9, 1997, p. 59; December 22, 1997, p. 48.
-
New York Times, July 22, 1975, .
-
Ottawa Sun, June 12, 1997, .*
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: