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, .*

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