40 Years of One Night Stands

The Story of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet

The year is 1938. Winnipeg is a lonely place set in the middle of the Manitoba farmlands, a stop-off to somewhere else, a city recovering from the devastation of The Great Depression. It is into this remote centre of the Canadian prairies that two English women arrive- 37-year-old Gweneth Lloyd and 23-year-old Betty Hey. What they don't know is that here, in this unlikely setting, they will start a dance group that will one day be known internationally as The Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company - the first professional ballet company in Canada. Through the diverse voices of former RWB company members and rarely seen original dance footage, 40 years of One Night Stands recounts the dramatic, and challenging first four decades of one of the world's premier dance companies.

Director

Jeff McKay

Writer

Robert Lower

Released

July 1, 2008

Language

English