The National Ballet of Canada is one of the top international ballet companies. The company is known for its diverse repertoire and outstanding history of Creative, Artistic, and Music Directors. Located in Toronto, the National Ballet performs globally and engages in community outreach for audiences of all ages.
The Problem
The National Ballet of Canada approached Adage with a request to revitalize their digital presence in preparation for the upcoming launch of their new brand in the summer of 2024. Their objectives encompassed a redesigned user interface, enhanced information architecture and navigation, and an improved purchasing journey aimed at streamlining the checkout process for all users. Moreover, the National Ballet sought a website that would exude inspiration, leveraging the ballet's exceptional video and imagery to their fullest potential.
Streamlined User Experience for Customers and Backend Users
IA & Navigation Design
We began by restructuring and designing the primary navigation to clarify key user pathways while also ensuring flexibility for future updates. In the new design, all navigation items are visible on desktop screens, reducing the number of clicks required to navigate the site. Additionally, the navigation system was engineered to empower CMS users to easily add or remove items within each dropdown, facilitating the highlighting of pertinent performances, initiatives, and other content.
Flexible CMS Experience
We designed a robust system of content blocks that can be used interchangeably on any page to easily and quickly create engaging layouts that make storytelling simple. Through the use of 10 different blocks the National Ballet can easily display reviews, video galleries, artist bios, and upcoming performances, along with many other types of digital content. Functionally, content blocks were designed to accommodate different image and video aspect ratios, supporting page designs that feel as fluid and engaging as the ballet itself.
Updated Digital Branding
Simple, Elegant UI
We worked to create a design that would make it easy for CMS content editors to create dynamic and engaging page layouts. Each of the 10 interchangeable content blocks can be themed with either full color fill or highlighted UI elements, pulled from the new color schemes the National Ballet uses to represent different departments and performances. A new type scale was also introduced focusing on adding a strong sense of hierarchy and legibility to each page layout. Careful attention was taken to make sure the full brand was reflected in the design, without sacrificing accessibility as well.
Legacy Refreshed
With the revitalized digital presence, the National Ballet not only unveil their new brand but also embark on a new era of digital transformation, leveraging technology to amplify their artistic impact and reach audiences around the globe. The partnership between the National Ballet and Adage exemplified how strategic vision, creative expertise, and technical proficiency can converge to create a transformative digital experience that resonates with audiences and advances organizational goals.
See More of Our Work
Check out our other work in the arts & cultural space.