Annette Bakala

Annette grew up in Kelowna, B.C. and has trained and performed at Mission Dance Centre for 15 years. She attended the Ballet Jorgen Summer Intensive IV in Toronto for five weeks in 2018 and trained in ballet, pointe, repertoire, and contemporary. She also attended Ballet Kelowna’s Summer Intensive with Heather Myers in 2017 where she was taught ballet and contemporary technique as well as Heather’s repertoire. Annette has performed leading roles in productions such as: MDC’s “The Nutcracker” 2015-2018 as the Sugar Plum Fairy partnered by the former MDC student who graduated from The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Jera Wolfe. Annette also danced the role of Odette in MDC’s “Swan Lake” in 2016 & 2019, partnering with Jera Wolfe and Ballet Kelowna’s Valentine Chu, graduate of The Paris Opera. She was also the recipient of The Teen Honour in the Arts Award for the Kelowna Civic & Community Awards in 2018.

She just recently graduated from MDC’s Pre-Professional Program in 2019 and continued her career in Toronto, Canada where she trained under Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s former Prima Ballerina Evelyn Hart, as well as Alberta Ballet’s former Ballet Mistress Mercedes Bernardez-Carret. Annette is a passionate teacher and loves to inspire and mentor the younger generation.