Toronto’s Terminal Theatre took over the former Fleck Dance Theatre last year, and will be presenting its first season of programming starting July 25, 2026, with Moonlight Ballet. The Toronto International Tap Dance Festival follows in August.
After a summer of dance, theatrical and opera productions take the Terminal stage from Fall 2026 through spring 2027.
Here’s a look at what’s in store.
Dance
The Animated Garden by Moonlight Ballet (July 25, 2026)
The Animated Garden is an ode to the iconic classical work Le Jardin Animé, a ballet with an interesting history. It features choreography by Marius Petipa, with music by Léo Delibes.
Le Corsaire is a full-length ballet that was originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, and based on the poem The Corsair by Lord Byron. The work was performed in Russia between 1849 and 1858.
Choreographer Marius Petipa later revived the ballet, adding material as he did. Le Jardin Animé was created as a dream sequence within Le Corsaire, and Petipas premiered in 1868 in St. Petersburg. Le Jardin is often performed on its own, separate from the much longer Le Corsaire. The scene is set in a dreamscape full of flowers and blossoms, an ethereal place that’s meant to be a visual delight. The choreography showcases the ensemble, the corps de ballet.
Moonlight Ballet takes that inspiration and adds a modern twist. It begins in the present day, following the stories of three artists. The lines between reality and imagination begin to blur in a landscape based on the Gardens of Versailles, where the dance shifts through scenes that include ornamental paths, flowers, sculptures, and fountains.
Moonlight Ballet is led by Artistic Director, ballerina and choreographer Alena Loboda. She studied in the Vaganova method at the Perm State Choreographic College (Perm’, Russia), the Kiev State Ballet School (Kiev, Ukraine), and Koltun Ballet Boston (Boston, USA).
Loboda founded the company with a view to creating new works using the classical and neoclassical ballet vocabulary. They look to expand the audience for ballet with imaginative productions .
- Find tickets and show details [HERE].
Toffan Rhythm Projects Presents The Toronto International Tap Dance Festival (August 21 & 22, 2026)
This biennial festival returns after sold-out shows in 2022 and 2024, featuring a diverse range of artistic approaches, histories, aesthetics, and perspectives.
Program 1: Friday, August 21 — Milestones
The festival opens with a tribute to London, ON tap dancer, singer, and conga player Joey Hollingsworth, who will be celebrating his 90th birthday a few short weeks later.
Joey made Canadian history as the first Black man to appear on CBC television in 1954. He was a competitor on “Pick the Stars”, and would go on to other major TV appearances, including the Ed Sullivan Show, Wayne and Shuster, and Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood.
Milestones also plays tribute to Heather Cornell, in her 70th year, with a career that spans more than a half century. She has been recognized for her vital contributions to the evolution of tap dance, including improvisation, composition, and education. She is co-founder and artistic director of Manhattan Tap, among other projects. After spending more than 40 years abroad, she has recently returned to her home base of Ontario.
An homage to Chicago’s Bril Barrett, an admired solo artist, trailblazer, and leader in dance training through his company MADD Rhythms, closes the day. Barrett is celebrating 25 years in the business, and his credits include Riverdance and Imagine Tap. In 2024 he received the National Heritage Fellowship, the United States’ highest honour in the folk and traditional arts.
Program 2: Saturday, August 22 — Convergence
Boys’ Club Tap Dance Collective — Laura Donaldson (Calgary), Elise McGrenera (Toronto), and Veronica Simpson (NYC) — present Ostinati, a 30-minute work. It draws on the artists’ life experiences at all levels, is set to original music, and spotlights solidarity and community among female-identifying artists.
Boston’s Subject: Matter presents With Far Hand, a touring stage work created by Berklee Master of Music graduates Ian Berg (tap dance) and André Sudol (drums/composition). It explores tap dance as both a movement and sonic art form, expanding the reach of tap dance while honouring its roots.
More…
There will be a closing night jam, and before that, masterclasses, clinics, workshops, free panel discussions, our production team internship, and the Bril Barrett Residency Program where 12 selected dancers ages 18-25 from across Canada will train with and perform alongside him.
- Find event details and tickets [HERE].
Coming Up Next…
Dancer (A Musical In Ten Furlongs) (October 6 to November 1, 2026)
This thrilling and joyful story is based on the life of Northern Dancer, who was thought too small to compete, but went on to beat the odds and become the first Canadian horse to win the Kentucky Derby.
The show was written by Dora and Chalmers Award winning playwright and lyricist Jim Betts, with music by multi-award-winning composer Marek Norman, choreography by Emmy-Award Nominee Stacey Tookey, and stars Keanu Uchida as Northern Dancer.
Produced by Oh What A Ride! Productions in association with Crow’s Theatre.
- Find details, tickets, and more theatre at Terminal [HERE].
Toronto City Opera Residency
Terminal Theatre’s Season One kicks off a two-year residency for Toronto City Opera. Each season, TCO will present two classic operas at the venue.
La Boheme (November 27 & 29, 2026)
Sung in Italian with projected English translations and piano accompaniment.
The Pirates of Penzance (June 18 & 20, 2027)
Performed in English with projected sung text and piano accompaniment.
- Find out more, and get tickets [HERE].
Final Thoughts
We’re wishing the very best of luck for Toronto’s newly revived venue on their first wonderful season on the lakefront.
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