The National Ballet of Canada is quietly shaking up its repertoire and reassessing its focus during a trip to New York. Artistic director James Kudelka wants the company to focus on new works that can bring an audience to a deeper understanding of contemporary dance and solidify the company for the future, despite the mostly conservative bent of its home audiences. But the initial steps don’t seem to be going so well – today’s New York Times includes a scathing review of the National’s appearance at the cutting-edge Brooklyn Academy of Music.