Ballet BC Opens Its 40th Season With Bodies & Voices

By Date Spark team · Published October 30, 2026

Ballet BC opens its 40th anniversary season with Bodies & Voices, a double bill by Dutch sibling choreographers Imre and Marne van Opstal, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on November 5, 6 and 7, 2026. There are four performances: 7:30pm on Thursday and Friday, then 1:30pm and 7:30pm on Saturday, according to the company's performance page.

Sixteen singers, six dancers and one brand new piece

One half of the bill is the North American premiere of I'm afraid to forget your smile, made for six dancers and 16 voices, with the Vancouver Chamber Choir singing live on stage. Ballet BC describes it as a meditation on letting go, memory and loss. The other is Miriam, a world premiere for the full company with original music by Amos Ben-Tal, the van Opstals' second creation for Ballet BC after Heart Drive in 2022.

That pairing is why this is our pick for a date who swears they are not a dance person. A choir in the room gives the newcomer something familiar to hold onto, and nobody is going to ask either of you to explain the plot of a tutu. Expect contemporary dance rather than tutus; Nutcracker is a separate production on the company's season list.

Seats from $19, and where the money goes

Ballet BC's ticket site lists balcony seats from $19 for the Thursday and Friday shows, with the top orchestra and mezzanine seats at $144.25. Saturday night runs a little higher, to $155.25. At the Saturday matinee the balcony is not on sale, but dress circle and mezzanine seats start at $19. Two of the cheapest seats come to $38, which is a small price for a world premiere with a live choir. Single tickets are final sale, though exchanges may be possible by phone for $3 a ticket at least 48 hours ahead. The company says tickets bought anywhere other than balletbc.com are not legitimate, so skip the resellers.

How we would plan the evening

Arrive early on purpose. Artist talks are free for ticket holders with no RSVP: a pre-show talk at 6:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, and a post-show talk after the Saturday matinee. The lobby opens at 6:15pm and Ballet BC does not admit latecomers once the show starts, so eat before 5:30pm or plan dinner afterwards. Oysters and bubbles at Fanny Bay or a late jazz set at Frankie's are both a short walk from the theatre. If you are driving, the theatre's parkade is underneath, entered off Cambie Street between West Georgia and Dunsmuir, and the company says parking is limited, so arrive early.