JOSYANNE SIDIMUS

Josyanne Sidimus began her dance career in her native New York City, where she studied under George Balanchine at the School of American Ballet before joining the choreographer's New York City Ballet. She subsequently performed as a soloist with London's Festival Ballet and as a Principal Dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada.

One of contemporary ballet's most respected and knowledgeable authorities on the work of George Balanchine, Josyanne Sidimus' extensive and intimate understanding of the choreographer's works has led her to stage them for ballet companies all over the world, including the Grands Ballets de Geneve in Switzerland, Stuttgart Ballet, the Northa Carolina Dance Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Teatro Municipale of Rio de Janeiro, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada.

In addition to her work as a guest repititeur, Ms. Sidimus is the founder of the Canadian Dancer Transition Resource Centre and the Artist's Health Centre. She is the co-author, along with Carol Anderson of Reflections In a Dancing Eye; the role and value of the artist in contemporary Canadian society, published by the Banff Centre Press.

Ms. Sidimus was awarded the Governor General's Performing Arts Award which is the United States equivalent to the Kennedy Center Award.