PETER QUANZ, Resident Choreographer of Harbin Ballet & Artistic Director of Q DANCE, is a Canadian choreographer of international renown known for his groundbreaking choreographic collaborations in dance, music, and visual art. His diverse aesthetic encompasses classical and contemporary ballet, contemporary dance/theatre experiences, and classical Chinese dance. Cultural immersion is a significant component of Peter’s work and he is attracted to projects that offer opportunities to build international cooperation.
Peter is Resident Choreographer of the Harbin Ballet, China. For this company of 35 dancers, he has staged: The Nutcracker, Winter Dream, Meet Again when the Flowers Bloom, Give Wings to You, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, If I had Never Seen the Sun, and Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto.
Q DANCE is an annual choreographic laboratory focused on creating new dances using neo-classical and contemporary dance techniques. In the twelve years that Peter has led this company, thirty-one new ballets have been premiered. Q DANCE was founded following an exceptional collaboration with Royal Winnipeg Ballet dancers, New York City’s Guggenheim Museum’s Works & Process Series, and iconic composer, Steve Reich.
Peter delved into an extended research/creation process with Montréal Danse, Instant Community, which twists the manner we encounter each other through handheld technology.
Peter has built exceptional collaborative relationships with numerous Chinese dance companies and institutions including Harbin Ballet, Beijing Dance Academy, Guangzhou Ballet, and the Wuxi Song & Dance Theatre. In August 2019, Guangzhou Ballet performed Peter’s Memory on Water at Lincoln Center, New York City.
Peter Quanz has choreographed dances for leading dance companies around the world including the Mariinsky Theatre, Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, National Ballet of Cuba, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, and Montréal Danse.
With Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Peter has staged Kaleidoscope, RODIN/CLAUDEL, and Blushing.
In 2011 Peter became the first non-Russian to receive a State Medal for highest contribution to literature and the arts for his creation of Dzambuling, a Buddhist-inspired journey through the Mongolian culture of Russia.
In 2005 Peter received the Clifford E. Lee Award, Canada’s national award for young choreographers. He has also been supported by grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Winnipeg Arts Council, the Chalmers Foundation, and the Judy and Henny Jurriens Choreographic Fellowship.
