The National Ballet of Canada: Inviting new audiences in
Ballet is in the midst of a sea of change. Often perceived as elitist and exclusive, it is evolving to welcome more diverse talent, audiences and creative perspectives. With new leadership, Artistic Director Hope Muir is the driver of this change at The National Ballet of Canada.
BMD was asked to help reflect this shift through a new identity, tasked with reflecting the organization as a collective and creation company.
In our research, we came across the concept of the ‘uncertainty gap’ as a barrier to attending the ballet. New audiences are unsure of what to expect from a performance and if they will enjoy it, leading many to feel that ballet is not for them.
To help bridge the gap, we created a wordmark that doubles as a storytelling device. We can describe themes and stories in a narrative that flows directly from the wordmark. The National Ballet of Canada “invites”, “welcomes”, “presents” as a collective entity, playing an active part in lifting the curtain and drawing us in.
The narratives can be evocative, such as Swan Lake’s “what would you do for love” or charming, such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’s “falls further down the rabbit hole”.
Story and movement create a dynamic identity that welcomes all.
An elegant, contemporary serif, Eiko, was chosen for its strength and beauty, and as a contrast to the typeface used in the mark and narrative applications. For colour, a trio of vibrant, jewel-toned colours actively counter gendered notions of ballet like pinks and pastels.
Motion was critical for a discipline embodying expressive movement. BMD developed a set of motion templates that would allow the client to easily change text, image and video.
We use the approachable sans serif typeface, Haffer, in lower case, a bold departure from the formality common in the category. The dynamic spacing between the words brings implied movement to the mark, even when it is still.
*Don’t let these images inform your ticket purchases – these are only mock-ups!
“The [brand] asserts our commitment to an innovative and accessible future.”Hope Muir, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada
