Anik Bissonnette

This spring, prima ballerina Anik Bissonnette, a fix­ture at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal for the last 17 years, announced she is on the move. She is retiring from Montreal’s top-drawer ballet troupe next season, the company’s 50th anniversary. It’s a sad moment for Bissonnette and her fans, but one of excitement too. “Ready for new adventures,” she’s looking forward to putting her renowned versatility, technical expertise and beautiful line at the service of independent choreographers and delving into new projects. “I want people to know that I’m not stopping.

I’m going on to other things,” she says.
LGBCM offered Bissonnette roles in the great classics. Dancing in ballets by Kudelka, Kylián, Duato, van Manen, Christie, Brandstrup, Balanchine, Forsythe, Maillot and Wheeldon further demonstrated the full capabilities of her enormous talent, and allowed the public to better appreciate her versatility. ­Bissonnette’s heart and conviction drive her career. Her advice for younger dance artists? “Listen to your heart. You have to dance for the right reason. It’s not just because you have talent that you dance, or that people have told you that you’re good. Dancing has to be a ...