"Celia Franca left an extraordinary legacy of excellence and creativity at The National Ballet of Canada, the company she founded in 1951 and stewarded for 24 years as Artistic Director. She was a visionary in all her arts-related contributions, but particularly with the National Ballet, where she nurtured Canadian talent, built a vibrant repertoire and established an international reputation for a young company that now ranks among the best in the world." - National Ballet of Canada