Madam Constance V. Pathy, President of the board of directors of Les Grands Ballets, today announced the departure later this year of Alain Dancyger, who after 22 years as executive director has decided to concentrate on personal projects.

“Les Grands Ballets constitutes a milestone in my life, a period during which I’ve had the great joy and the great privilege of meeting exceptional people,” stated Mr. Dancyger. “But the time has come to turn to other adventures, to open up to the wonderful surprises that life sets aside for us.”

A native of Limoges, France, Mr. Dancyger studied the violin in both London and New York, where he earned a master’s degree from the renowned Juilliard School, before receiving an MBA in 1987 from the École Supérieure des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales in Paris. He held various management and marketing positions in Paris, New York and Montreal before being appointed Executive Director of Les Grands Ballets in 1996. He is also the author of a book, L’Économie du bon sens – Redevenons humains (The Economics of Good Sense – On Becoming Human Again), published by Éditions Édito; has received the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre National de Mérite awarded by the French government; and has been a frequent lecturer.

Since his arrival at Les Grands Ballets, Alain Dancyger has worked with three Artistic Directors: first, Lawrence Rhodes, then Gradimir Pankov for 18 years, before undertaking a collaboration with the company’s new Artistic Director, Ivan Cavallari, in 2017. His expertise in marketing, fundraising and arts management has helped broaden the celebrity of Les Grands Ballets. With art being the constant focus of his vision, Mr. Dancyger has instilled a holistic vision of the business world, and in that light has supported the development of a number of philanthropic and public events, always with the goal of making dance accessible to everyone and of promoting its benefits.

The move to a building devoted to dance in the Quartier des spectacles was the last of Mr. Dancyger’s numerous accomplishments as part of the organization. With his team, a number of bold and innovative projects were developed over the years, among them the presentation of international ballet companies beginning in 1997, and the creation of the Nutcracker Market, the first philanthropic market in Montreal. He also created the National Centre for Dance Therapy, the first centre of its kind in the world, and Les Studios, a place of well-being and dance for the general public.

A selection committee chaired by Constance V. Pathy has been set up to choose a successor to Mr. Dancyger – he will be leaving the Grands Ballets in late 2018 – with the aim of ensuring a smooth transition.
“Alain Dancyger succeeded in sharing his vision of artistic excellence, and has contributed significantly to the development and prominence of the company. This is a man who enjoys challenges, a man who is leaving an important and original mark on Les Grands Ballets.”

-Madam Constance V. Pathy, CM, CQ, President of the board of directors of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal