Bengt Jörgen is a co-founder of Canada’s Ballet Jörgen and serves as its Artistic Director and CEO. In 1992, his artistic vision led to the formation of a partnership with George Brown College in Toronto where he is the Artistic Director of the full-time dance program.
He is an acclaimed choreographer who has created more than 30 full-length ballets for numerous ballet and opera companies including the National Ballet of Canada, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the American Ballet Studio Company, and the Hong Kong Ballet. His re-creation of major classical works such as The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty are celebrated for re-energizing and bringing dramatic clarity to traditional ballet.
Bengt Jörgen is a winner of the prestigious Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award presented by the Banff Centre to recognize new works by Canadian choreographers. He is also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his significant contribution to Canada by bringing professional dance to communities across the country.
Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Bengt Jörgen is a graduate of the Royal Swedish Ballet School, one of the oldest classical dance training schools in the world. He furthered his studies at the National Ballet School of Canada and went on to join the National Ballet of Canada. A major influence on his training that continues to shape his approach to classical ballet today was New York teacher Maggie Black, with whom he studied for extended periods in the 1980s. An accomplished teacher in his own right, Bengt Jörgen is focused on helping develop the next generation of Canadian dancers with the technical discipline and quality of movement of classical ballet along with the enhanced artistic sensibilities demanded of contemporary audiences.
As Artistic Director of George Brown Dance, he has championed bringing together highly specialized professional training for different dance forms within a singular student body. This allows for a more diverse student body while providing emerging artists with broader experiences and a connection to dance values beyond their own field of specialization.
Bengt Jörgen’s commitment to creating relevant and innovative work, together with his demonstrated choreographic and artistic vision, has garnered national and international acclaim. Under his directorship Canada’s Ballet Jörgen has grown into one of the country’s largest dance institutions, delivering a record amount of programming across Canada.
Bengt Jörgen strongly believes in classical ballet as a powerful language and foundation to engage contemporary audiences with dance. He is committed to ensuring ballet is relevant to and has a place in the life of Canadians living in communities from coast to coast.
Bengt takes a keen interest in history especially Russian history from the mid-1900s through to today. He is also an avid ship enthusiast.