VISAGES DE LA DANSE

Visages de la danse allows us to hear the words of different contemporary dance personalities who recount their artistic paths and process in a meeting with the public. These interviews are conducted by writer and dance journalist Aline Apostolska, the first Tuesday of each month, alternating between three spaces: Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique, the Agora de la danse, and the studio of the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal.


STUDIO JEANNE-RENAUD OF CIRCUIT-EST CENTRE CHORÉGRAPHIQUE

OCTOBER 6, 2009, 7 P.M.: JEANNE RENAUD, CHOREOGRAPHER AND PIONEER OF MODERN DANCE IN QUEBEC

As a pioneer of modern dance in Quebec, Jeanne Renaud has had a rich and varied career. After studying in Montreal and New York, she taught and performed briefly in Paris before co-founding, in 1961, L’École de danse moderne de Montréal with its associated performing group. She later founded Le Groupe de la Place Royale, which she directed until 1971. Well known for introducing new and challenging styles of dance to the Montreal scene, Jeanne Renaud also believed strongly in the need for cross-fertilization of the arts. Her early contacts with the Montreal group of artists and writers called the Automatists fostered many collaborations for her as a choreographer. And when she later operated her own art gallery, Renaud consistently provided a space for the public to experience new music, theatre and dance.

Her multi-disciplinary interests eventually led to work in arts administration with the Canada Council for the Arts, the Quebec Ministry of Cultural Affairs and l’Université du Québec à Montréal. She continues to assist dance artists and companies with their creations and has currently completed a filmed version of one of her choreographies.

Jeanne Renaud has received the Governor General’s Award, the Order of Canada and the Prix du Québec.


FEBRUARY 2, 2010, 7 P.M.: EMMANUEL JOUTHE, CHOREOGRAPHER, DANCER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF DANSE CARPE DIEM/EMMANUEL JOUTHE

Emmanuel Jouthe was drawn to choreography early in his career. In the course of his training, he was lucky to have met creators that have inspired and stimulated his work, such as Paul-André Fortier, Daniel Léveillé and William Douglas. As a member of Danse Carpe Diem, he has created and performed a number of works, including Le Sabot de Maogani, FH... les petites morts de la paume, 3 Centauromachia 4, M, Dimanche XXIe, Staccato Rivière, and Écoute pour voir. His work has been presented principally in Montreal, but also in Toronto and Ottawa, in Germany and Italy.

Emmanuel Jouthe continues to develop his artistic vision, combining his choreographic experience with new takes on the performance space and on movement vocabulary, to help bring the performer and the spectator closer together.

Parallel to his career in creation, Emmanuel Jouthe has performed in works by some of today’s most well-known choreographers: Paul-André Fortier, José Navas, Louise Bédard, Daniel Soulières, Pierre-Paul Savoie, Felix Ruckert, and Julyan Hamilton. For the theatre, he has worked with Pascal Contamine, Robert Gravel, Jean-Pierre Ronfard and Paula de Vasconcelos.


STUDIO OF THE GRANDS BALLETS CANADIENS DE MONTRÉAL
November 3, 2009, 7 p.m.: Gradimir Pankov
March 2, 2010, 7 p.m.: Hervé Courtain


AGORA DE LA DANSE
December 1, 2009, 7 p.m.: Margie Gillis
April 6, 2010, 7 p.m.: Hélène Blackburn