Take initiative in plotting out a summer of fun

New series terrific addition to RWB repertoire

‘See the music, hear the dance,” is a famous quote from quintessential ballet influencer George Balanchine, whose pithy bons mots have defined much of American classical dance since the legendary Russian-born choreographer first blazed a trail with the New York City Ballet.

Local balletomanes were given a golden opportunity to experience both up-close-and-personal Thursday when the Royal Winnipeg Ballet officially kicked off its 87th season with its newly minted Studio Series, which runs until Sunday.

The brainchild of the company’s artistic director, Christopher Stowell, the series features an abridged “concert version” of Balanchine’s seminal Who Cares?, set to a playlist of catchy George Gershwin tunes that make up the backbone of the Great American Songbook.

The Studio Series is the latest initiative taken by Stowell as he settles into his arguably still new position. Some of those endeavours will invariably stumble; others will hit their mark. This venture belongs in the latter category, bringing a 500-plus-year-old art form, often perceived as rarified, to audience members who may be hesitant, shy or just plain intimidated to visit the cavernous Centennial Concert Hall.

Ex-CAO’s pay ‘adds insult to injury’

A Manitoba government deputy minister was paid by both the province and the city even though he left his civic position more than a year ago.

The city’s public disclosure compensation report revealed the extent to which two levels of taxpayers were on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary payments to Michael Jack, who is Manitoba’s deputy minister of business, mining, trade and job creation and formerly the city’s chief administrative officer.

Jack resigned as city CAO on July 15, 2024 and was paid $410,769 that year — 43 per cent more than his previous year’s salary, $286,782.

In 2025, after Jack was appointed deputy minister at a starting salary of $184,554, he also received $164,007 in compensation from the City of Winnipeg, although he did not work for the city that year.

NHL embarking on money-losing season with no guarantee of completion

It's not quite juggling chainsaws while walking a tightrope above the Grand Canyon, but the National Hockey League is about to embark on a risky venture when the puck drops Wednesday on a new season.

Some might go as far as to suggest it's downright reckless.

A COVID-19 outbreak has already delayed the 2021 debut of the Dallas Stars, while early scares in Columbus, Pittsburgh and Vancouver have served up a reminder the virus remains in charge and isn't going away anytime soon — while also giving critics plenty of ammunition to argue none of this is necessary right now.

All of which raises the question of why you'd flirt with potential disaster and push forward during the worst of the global pandemic — especially given the eye-opening claim NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made on Monday afternoon.

Marathon racer Diver, 44, picked for Australian Olympic team

Canadian golfer uses her length to her advantage during a six-birdie day.

Winnipeg author Joan Thomas wins GG fiction award

Winnipeg author Joan Thomas has been awarded the 2019 Governor General's English-language award for fiction for her fourth novel, Five Wives.

The winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards were announced Tuesday morning; each winner in the English and French categories receives $25,000, while each publisher receives $3,000. Five Wives was published in September by HarperCollins.

“It's incredible,” Thomas said on the phone from HarperCollins' Toronto office, where she was doing media interviews following the announcement of the win.

“I woke up this morning to my phone going crazy. I know there are a lot of people in Winnipeg who were cheering for me, and who are very happy, and that just deepens my joy about the whole thing. I was calm at first, but when I walked into the offices here I started crying.”

Winnipeg a character all its own onscreen

Watch something shot in Winnipeg with a Winnipegger, and you will be treated to a live running commentary. We can’t help playing “spot the location.”

When we recognize that field/statue/mall/intersection/theatre, we have to say it. It’s practically civically mandated.

A friend told me she was at a film screening at which people literally applauded footage of the Mint. (That likely would have been 2005’s The Constant Gardener.)

Being excited about seeing Portage Place Mall at Christmastime in the trailer for Violent Night 2 — and then exclaiming, to your husband, “Oh, look, it’s Portage Place Mall at Christmastime!” — is not, I will admit, particularly cosmopolitan behaviour. In fact, I could be accused of suffering from a mild case of Podunkitis.