The Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) unveiled their program for the 2026-27 season on Feb. 19. The unveiling of this season largely focused on changes and new beginnings in the company while honouring its roots. 

“This gathering marks a really important moment for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet,” said Maureen Kinnear, vice-chair of the RWB’s board of directors. “We are entering a new chapter in the life of the company, and that builds on a proud legacy while comfortably moving towards the future, fostering understanding and connection through dance.” 

This season will be the first fully curated by new artistic director Christopher Stowell, who took over from longtime director André Lewis in June 2025. Stowell has been planning this season for over a year — it was part of the hiring process for his appointment to artistic director. 

The company is scheduled to perform five productions at the Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg. These productions include two multiple-bills — the double bill Stravinsky Stories and the triple bill The Mix. Stowell said that the inclusion of these double- and triple-bill programs is intended to provide variety for audiences. 

“I don’t want us to always do one story or one ballet all evening, so I try to develop ways of attracting an audience but still diversifying their experience,” he explained. 

Both programs feature classic and new choreography. Stravinsky Stories pairs The Fairy’s Kiss, choreographed by former RWB principal dancer Alexei Ratmansky, with a new adaptation of The Firebird, choreographed by RWB School graduate Jera Wolfe and Houston Thomas. 

“[Wolfe and Thomas] are really fascinating creators,” Stowell said. “[They have] very different movement styles, and I’m assigning them different characters in the story […] I felt like hiring two choreographers is going to really enhance the impact of the story.”

The Mix, planned as the first in what will be an annual series for the RWB, will close the season in May 2027. It will include 5 Tangos, choreographed by the late Hans van Manen (1932-2025), Rubies by legendary choreographer George Balanchine (1904-1983) and a new work by Alysa Pires to honour iconic Canadian band The Tragically Hip and the 10th anniversary of lead singer Gord Downie’s passing. 

While highlighting new works, RWB will not be shying away from the classics this season. Following their beloved annual production of The Nutcracker in December 2026, the company will perform Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic Swan Lake in March 2027. As with this season’s The Sleeping Beauty, it will feature Stowell’s choreography. 

“I like to focus on the narrative and make sure we’re always propelling the story forward […] No one’s standing around in the back while the stars dance,” Stowell explained of his approach to Swan Lake. “But the famous set pieces from Swan Lake […] a bunch of swans and white tutus, the Black Swan doing her 32 fouettés, all of that is in there, but at a faster pace.”

One of Stowell’s biggest hopes is to give RWB’s dancers more opportunities to perform and allow more people to see ballet in Winnipeg.

“I want this community to get to know our artists more, and I want our dancers in front of audiences more,” he explained. “I just think we need to be out there more often and in different ways.”

To achieve this, Stowell has planned new initiatives such as the Studio Series, running from Sept. 24 to 27, 2026, which presents ballet in a more intimate setting and brings audiences closer to the creative process. The inaugural edition, George Balanchine’s Who Cares? will be set to the music of George Gershwin and will be in collaboration with U of M’s faculty of music jazz department. The RWB will take the Studio Series directly to U of M with a performance planned at the Desautels Concert Hall on Sept. 27. 

Stowell expressed excitement at the breadth of experience that the company’s dancers will gain this season. “They’re going to be working with all these choreographers in different styles,” he said. “Dancers’ careers aren’t very long […] You don’t want to be coasting. You want to be challenged all the time, learning new things […] That’s going to happen for everybody here.”

For more information on the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, visit rwb.org.