Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 16, 2010
• Invested on: February 13, 2015

For her commitment to the education and well-being of individuals in the field of dance.

Mavis Staines is an innovative and visionary leader in the Canadian dance community. As artistic director of the National Ballet School of Canada, she has helped to enhance this institution’s reputation as one of the best in the world. Under her leadership, the school’s facilities and curriculum have been expanded and modernized. She has also represented Canadian dance on the global stage, both as artistic president of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne, and by initiating partnerships with international ballet schools and dance companies. Influential in her field, she has helped to redefine the concept of a “healthy dancer” and to alter people’s perception of beauty in dance.