Quinte Ballet School’s History
2023 … Board of Directors Chair, Christina Taylor receives Quinte Arts Council “Arts Recognition Award”
2022 … Artistic Director, Catherine Taylor receives the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for her services to the arts, youth, and community.
2022 … In June 2022, QBSC Celebrated a milestone anniversary, 50 Years! Students and guest artists appeared in a special performance of Dance of Spring. Supporters, staff, families and alumni joined us for “Ballet & Bubbly, The Afterparty Fundraiser”.
A huge thank you to our sponsors that made these events possible!!
2022 … Sadly this year, founding Artistic Director Brian Scott passed away. Donations to the Founders Scholarship celebrating the many people who made QBSC possible are gratefully accepted. Donations can be made by calling 613-962-9274 x 21 or online using this custom payment form.
2019 … Artistic Director Catherine Taylor receives Quinte Arts Council “Arts Recognition Award”
2019 … Under the continuing leadership of Artistic Director Catherine Taylor, the QBSC enjoys a higher level of artistic excellence and financial stability.
2018 … Elimination of long-term debt from 2002 when the Quinte Ballet School facility was built and repayment of Trenval loan thanks to a grant from the John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation.
2017 … Dancing with Parkinson’s program launched at Quinte Ballet School and continues to be successful each year.
2015 … Quinte Ballet School purchases the land that their Palmer Road dance facility sits upon from the Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board, thanks to the John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation.
2012 … Former Assistant to the Artistic Director at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Catherine Taylor is appointed as Quinte Ballet School of Canada’s Artistic Director.
2009 … John Ottmann becomes Artistic Director.
2004 … Gizella Witkowsky, former principal dancer with the National Ballet Canada, becomes Artistic Director.
2002 … Quinte Ballet School is renamed the Quinte Ballet School of Canada to better reflect its contribution to the arts on a national level.
2002 … The new 23,000 sq. ft., purpose-built training facility on Palmer Road is officially opened. QBSC expands its academic training partnership with the Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board.
2000 … Brian Scott retires as Artistic Director. Mercedes Bernardez becomes the new Artistic Director and stays with the school until 2003.
1997 … Honouring the School’s cultural and economic impact during its 25th anniversary, the City of Belleville declared May 1997, “Quinte Ballet School Month” throughout the city. 
1992 … Quinte Dance Centre becomes Quinte Ballet School. During this time, founding AD Brian Scott is awarded the Confederation Medal for dedicated service to the community and country.
1987 … Students from the Quinte Dance Centre perform with Martine Lamy, Daniel Nelson, Vanessa Harwood and Luc Amyot, guest artists from the National Ballet of Canada, in Yuri Ng’s debut version of The Nutcracker.
1984 … David Scott starts as a guest teacher and later becomes Artistic Advisor to the School.
1983 … QDC establishes an academic training partnership with the Hastings County Board of Education. 
1980 … The Quinte Dance Centre establishes itself as one of the best professional ballet Schools in Canada and the only one not attached to a professional dance company.
1978 … QDC offers it’s first four-week Summer Dance attended by 123 Canadian and International students. The teaching faculty includes Celia Franca, founder of the National Ballet of Canada.
1972 … The Quinte Dance Centre (QDC) is established as the Belleville branch of the National Ballet Guild, a fundraising and public awareness arm of the National Ballet of Canada. Brian Scott is the school’s founding Artistic Director.
For a detailed history of the first 25 years of Quinte Ballet School of Canada, view QBSC 25 Years of Dance by T. Lynn Miller