It’s been 13 years since Desiree Bortolussi joined Ballet Kelowna and ever since, she has become synonymous with the company.
“[Bortolussi] has been instrumental in helping us build the repertoire we have built here at Ballet Kelowna,” said Simone Orlando, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Kelowna
“[She] not only does so well in the creative process but she really lights up the stage and in that way, she has been really connected and engaged with our audiences.”
Born and raised in Kelowna, Bortolussi has been dancing since she was four years old. Now 29, the dancer has become one of the faces of her hometown ballet company, which is a rare career opportunity in the ballet world.
“It’s really humbling and I feel so proud of where I have come from so being able to put Kelowna on the map in these amazing large places and far away places is really special,” said Bortolussi, who is a senior artist at Ballet Kelowna.
With the Okanagan company, she has represented her hometown on stages around the world, but now Bortolussi has made the difficult decision to hang up her pointe shoes and retire.
“It’s always tough to make the decision to move on and to a new career. Dancers have this choice of having two careers potentially in their lives,” said Bortolussi.
“For me, I felt it was the right time in my own life to challenge myself in a different way and be able to move on to something that I can continue doing after my body can’t dance anymore to the extent that I can now.”
Beyond retirement, she will continue teaching Ballet Kelowna’s In Motion adult dance program, as well as fostering the next generation of dancers at Creator’s Art Centre while attending school to become a Registered Massage Therapist.
In her final performance, the company is paying tribute to the dancer in their first show of the season called ‘Ode’.
“I am a real believer that when a dancer retires we need to honour that and honour the contribution they have made to the company,” said Orlando .
“With [Bortolussi] having been here for 13 years it was really important for me to help her make that transition and put some closure on her life as a professional dancer.
Bortolussi will take her final bows on the stage at the Kelowna Community Theatre Nov. 8 and Nov. 9.
