Ballet Jörgen's Tara Butler retires

Tara Butler in Ballet Jörgen Canada's Cinderella / Photo by Karolina Kuras

>> by Brittany Duggan
Tara Butler, principal dancer at Ballet Jörgen Canada, has retired after sixteen years with the Toronto-based touring ballet company. A native of Pickering, Ontario, Butler trained at Canada's National Ballet School graduating in 1992. She apprenticed with The National Ballet of Canada for one season before joining the Alberta Ballet for two years, and the Banff Festival Ballet for three summers. Butler joined Ballet Jörgen Canada in 1995 and has been a principal dancer ever since. As a principal with Ballet Jörgen, Butler has danced lead roles in Cinderella, Anastasia and Romeo and Juliet – a role created especially for her by Bengt Jörgen, artistic director of the company. “Only a few artists in every generation have the ability to connect in their art form with the ease and sincerity that Tara has communicated in her love for dance to so many people,” commented Jörgen by e-mail. “Tara is an extraordinary dancer, a consummate artist and a spellbinding performer.”

Butler’s transition from the stage will include coaching Ballet Jörgen’s dancers, teaching at George Brown Dance as well as teaching Bikram Yoga, a certification she received last year thanks to a retraining grant from the Dancer Transition Resource Centre. “I am happy with my decision to retire from Ballet Jörgen Canada and look forward to the many adventures ahead. Dance will always be a part of my life and will always bring me joy. I will continue to contribute to the dance world in any way that I can. I believe very deeply in this art form and the power, magic and inspiration it holds,” commented Butler via e-mail.

Butler’s final performance was in Halifax on April 19th at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. She chose Coppélia as her farewell role.