Celia Franca

Because of Celia Franca, I fullfilled my dream as a ballerina, soloist and theater artist. This has enriched my life and those who've entered my life. My condolences to the World of Ballet.

Dear Miss Franca...thank you for the grace, elegance and dignity that you brought into all the lives that you touched. Thank you for the ultimate honor of personally touching mine. With one last hug and kiss, Kate Schutta

Celia was a true inspiration to all dancers and to all Canadians. I offer my condolences to everyone who's lives were touched by her.

Canada has lost a great lady in the person of Celia Franca. We in Ottawa have had the privilege of enjoying her company, her wisdom and her invaluable ongoing support and interest not only in the Ballet world but also in the Arts as a whole in the Ottawa area.
I feel blessed to have known her and to have benefitted from her vast knowledge and experience in the Arts.
Celia Franca will always be with us in the standards she set and the examples she demonstrated. For many a Canadian dancer, whether near or far, she has been the guiding light. Her legacy is legion , and for that we are all grateful.
May she rest in peace.

During my 15 plus years as School Coordinator for The School of Dance (Ottawa) it was my great privilege and pleasure to work with Miss Franca on a daily basis. What an amazing woman - visionary, single-minded, uncompromising at times, but never selfish, unfair or unkind. It was an honour to "share the road" with her for the time that I did.

Cher Mme Franca

Thank you for bringing my love of ballet to life in Toronto for all those great years of Karen Kain,Veronica Tennant, Vanessa Harwood & Kevin Pugh to name a few of the outstanding performers I was privileged to see. None of that would have been possible without your vision for The National Ballet of Canada.
Imagine my surprise years later to meet you when I came to work in Ottawa. I enjoyed our many conversations, your grace and wit.
You are missed but will never be forgotten.

Miss Franca,
You have encouraged our ''7 year old ballerina'' Emily to be the best that she can be...you will forerver be an inspiration for generations to come!

Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, the Royal Winnpeg Ballet - Ludmilla Chiriaeff, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and now Celia Franca. We have now lost the founders of Canadian dance. Celia Franca the driving force behind The National Ballet will be missed but what she gave to dance in this country will live on forever. Miss France, rest in peace.
Love,
Richard

I auditioned along with my classmates for the National Ballet School in my early teens. Miss Franca was at the audition and inspired me in that brief moment with her kind words and her absolute elegance and grace to always try my very best at everything. It was the best lesson I ever had, and I still apply it to my life today.

I worked with many of Celia Franca's students, post 'graduation', and primarily in British Columbia. I moved to Ottawa in 1989 and had the honour of meeting her several times where, without her knowing it, I could imagine many parts of her life just by observing the twinkle in her eyes. It is there I could see repeated, the artistry and reverance of those she taught, and of whom she influenced, throughout her career.

Miss Franca you are truly a LEGEND. You made ballet the beautiful dance it is today. You will be missed by so many people that you inspired to believe in themselves,and also the people that had the pleasure of watching you grace the stage with your unbelievable talent.
God Bless You Miss.Franca....

A true light has left us - she will be missed.

My sister, Susan, and I took ballet lessons from Bernice Harper's School of Dance in London, Ontario in the early l950's. Our family lived in south London and Susan and I travelled together by bus once a week, after school, to north London to the location of the ballet school. Miss Harper was a wonderful teacher! At her invitation, Celia Franca came to the school on more than one occasion and she was indeed an unforgettable presence to two shy but committed-to-ballet little girls! Never to be forgotten.

How very blessed we were to have had her give us even just a few lessons and to have known her grace and her elegance.

The memories are a treasure for us. What an extraordinary good fortune was ours to have met her, even at that tender age.

CAROLYN BOHM

I was privileged to take class from Miss Franca. She will always be an inspiration to me.

Had the great privilege of meeting this "LADY" several years ago,she will be missed....and a void has been created in our world..