Meet Mollie Oates-Johnson 2020 Talent Trust Ambassador

“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”

For Mollie Oates-Johnson (@mllieoj_ballet) this quote, by Jennifer Lee, means never giving up on her goals, despite any fears, obstacles, or uncertainties.

The last few weeks have shown us that art has a special way of bringing us together and helping us to heal during difficult times. And Mollie, now more then ever, is committed to her dreams as she continues to train and dance while sheltering-in.

Mollie Oates-Johnson is a grade 11 student in the Professional Division at the Alberta Ballet School. She previously trained at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts (MCPA), Leica Hardy School of Dance, and Halifax Dance. Past summer intensives include: Alberta Ballet School, Colorado Ballet Academy, Ellison Ballet, the Dallas Conservatory, Canada’s National Ballet School, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She has been accepted to train this summer in Europe, at the Royal Ballet School and the Dutch National Ballet Academy. Last year, she participated in the Genée International Ballet Competition and the Youth American Grand Prix. She has received scholarships from Nova Scotia Talent Trust (NSTT), Alberta Ballet School, the Society of Russian Ballet (The Marijan Bayer Award), and the School of Dance at MCPA. 

Notable performances include: MCPA’s Alice the Ballet, Symphony Nova Scotia’s The Nutcracker (6 seasons), and Ballet Jörgen’s Coppélia and Romeo & Juliet, as a local participant in both. 

She is excited to be chosen as this year’s NSTT Ambassador and is very grateful for the Talent Trusts continued support.

You can watch Mollie dance and train almost every day on her Instagram stories at https://www.instagram.com/mollieoj_ballet/ 

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Dancer, Carrigan MacDonald, trains through COVID-19

Talent Trust Alumna Carrigan MacDonald shares her story of dancing through COVID-19.

"It keeps us connected and it keeps us in shape", she shared with the Montreal Gazette (Dancers on the cusp of professional career innovate to stay in shape).

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Carrigan started dancing at the age of 4. She danced at Halifax Dance from 2008-2015. She moved to Montreal in the Fall of 2015 to attend École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, where she is currently training. She has had the opportunity to attend summer programs at schools such as The National Ballet School of Canada in 2011 and 2012, and Arts Umbrella in 2018.

While in Montreal, Carrigan has had the chance to work with companies such as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for their Nutcracker in 2016, 2018, and 2019 and Rubberbandance for theor production Fils de Ville in 2017.

As a choreographer she has created pieces for École Supérieure's choreography competition, in both their junior and senior versions. Her piece Passion Project won the judges choice award in 2019. In the Fall of 2019 she had the chance to perform a duet choreographed by Gaby Baars at the Opera Gala in Regensburg, Germany.

Want to hear more about the Talent Trust? Please sign up for our newsletter.

Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotian artists? Donate today! (smile)