Nevada Ballet selects interim artistic director

By Kristen Peterson

Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 | 4:24 p.m.

James Canfield arrives Monday to serve as Nevada Ballet Theatre's interim artistic director following the abrupt departure of the company's 10-year artistic director Bruce Steivel.

Steivel left the company in December following its holiday productions of "The Nutcracker."

Canfield, who began guest teaching last year for the company, arrives Monday. He will help prepare Nevada Ballet for this season's last two productions -- "East Meets West" and "Cinderella" -- and help plan the 2008-09 season.

Canfield was the founding artistic director for Oregon Ballet Theatre (from 1989 to 2003) and worked with Nevada Ballet's new executive director Beth Barbre, also from Oregon Ballet Theatre.

Nevada Ballet is seeking candidates for the artistic director position and a search committee is being formed.

There is no word on whether Canfield will apply for the position.

He was already scheduled to come to Las Vegas in March to help teach while ballet mistress Clarice Rathers accompanies eight company dancers to Seoul Korea for their March 14 performance at the National Theater of Korea.

Canfield was a member of the Washington Ballet in Washington D.C., the Joffrey II Dancers in New York City and the Joffrey Ballet under the direction of Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino.

Nevada Ballet performed Canfield's "Equinoxe" at its Feb. 8 program.