Geneviéve Salbaing

Geneviève Salbaing (née Nehlil; 2 February 1922 – 8 May 2016) was a Canadian dancer, choreographer and director. She was born in Paris but moved to Casablanca shortly afterwards. She began taking classes at three years old and returned to Paris to continue her training. After dancing with the Washington Concert Ballet for three years, she moved to Montreal and danced for various choreographers. After getting injured, she turned her attention to choreography and co-founded Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal. She became its artistic director and opened dance studios in various Canadian cities to train dancers in the ballet-jazz style. She retired as its artistic director in 1992. In 1987, Salbaing was appointed a member of the Order of Canada and, in 2012, she became an officer of the National Order of Quebec.