Jorden Morris

After retiring from the stage as a principal dancer, Jorden began to study and explore choreography. He attended New York University studying dance and theatre arts. Jorden also worked with Claude Bessy and Serge Golovine from the Paris Opera, studying early French choreography.

In 1999 Jorden premiered “The Three Musketeers”. This first work was a one act ballet depicting the classic Alexandre Dumas novel.In 2000, Jorden choreographed “Elle est Quatre” for the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama. This contemporary work to the music of Aaron Copland was taken to the Birmingham arts festival after its premiere at ASFA.

Jorden was commissioned by Royal Winnipeg Ballet artistic director Andre Lewis to choreograph two works for the visit of HRH Queen Elizabeth in 2000. The pas de deux “Faure”, and “Pas Espagnol”, a classical group piece for the RWB Professional Division were performed for her majesty and broadcast nationally on CBC television.

In 2002 Jorden took on the concept, direction and choreography of “Head Start/Feet First”. The project was collaboration between the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and four intercity high schools. Jorden choreographed the popular work “Free zone” for this project as well as the finale, which incorporated 160 dancers on stage.

In 2003, Jorden took the popular children’s television show “The Toy Castle” and transformed it into an interactive live dance performance. Directed and choreographed by Jorden, the production incorporated a live host with interactive dance for pre-school children. Since then, Jorden has re-staged the work for Atlanta Ballet. Jorden starred in the television series and was nominated for a Genie award in 2003.

In 2005, Jorden created the Celtic themed ballet “Deverell”, one of his most popular and well known works. A favourite of critics and audiences, “Deverell” continues to be re-staged and taken on tour.

Jorden choreographed the Salute to Vienna Concert series in 2005 and 2006. After the success of Jorden’s work in the Winnipeg 2005 series, his choreography was taken to Hamilton and Kitchener performances as well as Winnipeg in 2006.

In December of 2006, Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet presented the world premiere of Jorden’s full length classical ballet “Peter Pan”. The critically acclaimed work played in sold out houses over the Christmas season, making it the biggest box office success in the company’s history.

Jorden’s second full length creation, “Moulin Rouge” had its world premiere in October 2009. Additional performances were added in Winnipeg and on tour due to box office demand for this one of a kind production. “Moulin Rouge” ticket sales surpassed “Peter Pan” and it is now the company’s biggest box office success to date.

In the fall of 2010 Jorden re-staged “Moulin Rouge” for Atlanta Ballet. In 2011 Pittsburgh Ballet Theater presented “Peter Pan”, and will perform “Moulin Rouge” in 2013.

In the spring of 2011 Jorden was commissioned to choreograph a new work for the Canadian Genie Awards. Broadcast nationally, “Dance me to the end of Love” was created to Leonard Cohen lyrics and orchestrated by the award winning musical group Karkwa.

In the spring of 2012, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet premiered two new works by Jorden. “The Doorway” is set to the music, poetry and voice of Leonard Cohen. “MOA”, a work inspired by the artist Egon Schiele was performed at the “In Concert” showcase.

After playing to over 280,000 people in North America, “Moulin Rouge” will make its return to Canadian audiences in 2013, and was transformed into a full feature dance film. In the fall of 2015 the Royal Winnipeg Ballet toured “Moulin Rouge” to Europe, marking its first European premiere.”

In 2014, Festival Ballet Providence performed “Peter Pan“, and in 2015-16 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet all performed Jorden’s works. Jorden was also guest ballet master for Cincinnati Ballet and Edmonton’s Citie Ballet in 2015.

In the summer of 2015 Jorden accepted the position of Artistic Director with Citie Ballet in Edmonton, Canada. Over the next three years he choreographed twelve new works on the company and brought in guest choreographers Alysa Pires, Yukichi Hattori and Brett Taylor. Jorden’s artistic leadership and success was acknowledged by critics and dance journalists across the country.

In 2018 Jorden left Citie Ballet to begin working on his next full length “The Great Gatsby”. Jorden currently divides his time between his new and existing productions as well as working as Senior Creative Director for Shumka’s Nutcracker Production.