Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People

About Us

The Company

Formerly known as Children in Dance, Alberta Dance Theatre is celebrating its 30th year in 2010, making it Alberta's oldest youth dance company. As many as 50+ young performers, ages 7-17, create and perform in its annual dance production. New and existing children's literatures provide the basis for the productions and original music is commissioned. As a result, a rich tradition has been established that provides imaginative, engaging and affordable family entertainment to Calgarians. Works of the company have also been performed around the world in Brazil and Holland, and province wide in Edmonton, Banff and Lethbridge.

Alberta Dance Theatre is a non-profit, non-competitive performing company for youth based in Calgary and supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development and The Calgary Foundation.

The Artistic Director

Christie Preston
Born and raised in Calgary, Christie Preston started her performing career with Children in Dance (now Alberta Dance Theatre) at a young age and spent seven years with the company. Christie's formative experiences with CID served as a springboard to a career as a dancer, choreographer, and dance teacher. Christie received her B.A. in Dance with distinction from the University of Calgary in 2001 and has since continued her education through trips to West Africa and training throughout North America. Christie has developed a unique choreographic style coupling her roots in contemporary and creative dance with the dynamism she finds in West African and jazz forms. Christie loves mentoring young dancers and has greatly enjoyed her experiences working with ADT, EKO Dance Projects, as well as numerous companies and public schools around Calgary. She returned to the U of C in 2003 and completed her Masters in Teaching and has enjoyed sharing her passion for Dance full-time at a Calgary high school ever since. After choreographing for ADT for multiple years, Christie assumed the role of co-artistic director for the last two productions, Fairytale Fiascoes and The Jungle Book. Christie is thrilled to return to ADT this year as Artistic Director.

The Composer

Darin Gregson is ADT's 'in-house' composer. He has created music for 12 previous productions including: The Nut Cracks, James & the Giant Peach, The Visit of the Sea Queen, Redwall: The Adventures of Martin the Warrior, Writes of Passage, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Voyage of the Dawntreader, Lost in Space, Fairytale Fiascos: The Untold Stories, and The Jungle Book. He has also written music for television, video, live theatre, the internet, and dance for Youth Dance Unlimited, Springboard Dance, the Garry Theatre, The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the University of New Orleans. He created music for the acclaimed U.S. video series The Parenting Project and is an award-winning film composer.