Award-winning performer and choreographer Jera Wolfe reunites with The National Ballet of Canada for a world premiere in his acclaimed voice, showcasing the emotional depth and athleticism that have captivated the dance world. In Kismet, Wolfe turns to the idea of fate, explored through our relationship with nature. Set to two movements from Ezio Bosso’s Symphony No.2, the work follows a central character on a personal journey that is both beautiful and destructive.

This is Jera Wolfe’s first mainstage creation for the National Ballet and follows the success of his piece Soul, which premiered as a film and then was performed live at Harbourfront Centre in 2021

Kismet runs May 29 – June 4, 2026

For tickets visit national.ballet.ca.

This new work will be presented as part of a thrilling double bill that also features Helen Pickett’s Emma Bovary, which returns with additional scenes.

About Kismet:

Featuring 36 dancers, Kismet is a much larger work than Wolfe’s 2020 creation Soul, a pair of duets filmed for the company’s digital season and then presented live at Harbourfront Centre.

The piece was inspired by Ezio Bosso’s Symphony No. 2: Under the Trees’ Voices, which references the Val de Fiemme in Italy, whose trees have been used for centuries to craft musical instruments.

Kismet includes a set piece of a tree, but it is the dancers who make it mutable and alive. Their bodies are limbs, trunk and leaves.

The tree reflects a central idea in Kismet: our tendency to damage things in the pursuit of our dreams, for example when we cut down beautiful trees for their wood.

Speaking about his approach to dance, Wolfe has said: “The Métis people were from two worlds and they connected and created a community, one culture. There’s something really beautiful about that idea and I try to bring it into my life and my choreography.”

The Creator:

Born in Toronto, Jera Wolfe is a Dora Award-winning choreographer and performer of Métis heritage. He has collaborated with a range of outstanding dance companies and festivals, including Fall for Dance North, Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur, Danse Danse and Jacob’s Pillow, with recent works including Bare for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Arise for Canada’s National Ballet School.

Photo: Jera Wolfe.