The decision of twins Jennifer and Alexandra Gibson to put down their pointe shoes and retire might have seemed effortless, much like their performances onstage. But similar to the classical dance form, which requires intense physical training to perform elegant manoeuvres, the two mainstays of the Alberta Ballet say their move to gracefully plié into retirement required strength. "The choice to retire is generally a very big deal in the dance world," says Jennifer.
"There were a lot of discussions on the couch. The acceptable ways to leave is either you get an injury so bad you can't keep dancing, you feel like you're too old to be doing the amount of work that is required or you burn out. "I think (we) were able to find a perfect happy medium for ourselves.
It felt like time for a change." The 34-year-old sisters say they weirdly began thinking about retiring at the same time. Their last performance was in May of "Der Wolf" and "The Rite of Spring.
" "The idea that one of us would continue dancing on the stage without the support of the other just didn't feel right to us," says Alexandra. The Alberta Ballet's artistic director Francesco Ventriglia says the twins shone over the 15 years they performed for the company. "Their work showcased dedication, passion and outstanding talent, and their careers have resonated with countless awe-inspiring performances and unwavering commitment to excellence," he says.
"It's a heartfelt moment for us to reflect on the many years they've.
