Laurentian leap

Apart from freebie shows at Parc LaFontaine's Théâtre de Verdure, pickings are slim this time of year for high-calibre, contemporary dance performances in the city. Not the case in St-Sauveur. The waterslide town is also known for its annual arts fest, which livens up the Laurentians every August with classical music and dance for nine days straight.

Head north to opening night for a Canadian debut by China's Guangzhou Ballet (July 29). Skilled dancers move beyond pirouettes with their melange of tricks inspired by the Peking Opera and martial arts.

Next week, choreographer Victor Quijada also morphs ballet into something of his own, this time borrowing from breakdance. His company, Rubberbandance Group, shake things up on Aug. 3.

Also keep your eyes peeled for Chicago's Hubbard Street Dance Company and former La La La Human stepper Louise Lecavalier, who make an appearance at the fest. For tickets or details, call (450) 227-9935 or visit www.artssaintsauveur.com. » Marites Carino

Coco: queer and caffeinated

The brainchild of DJ B'Ugo and co-producer DJ Kani, tomorrow's third annual Coco Café Pride cabaret is hosted by the hot and happening Tatum "Buttaphly" Isles. "It's like any other Coco Café, just on high octane," Isles explains. "It gives queer and not-so-queer lyrical artists a bit more motivation. You're actually coming to see a show with 12 artists who've never met each other, coming together for a queer musical - it's the Coco Café burlesque!" Featuring Tania Best, Dwayne Hanley, Tranie Tronic and many more, Friday, July 29, at Salon Daomé (141 Mont-Royal E.), 8 p.m., $8. And don't miss Coco Café "Heat", July 31, at Jello Bar (151 Ontario E.) 8 p.m., $8. » Vincent Tinguely

DJ locked in booth

In a performance entitled The Small Room, DJ Robb Jamieson will lock his record collection, turntables, amp, fan, monitor speaker, headphones, mixer and himself in a three-foot-high crawlspace for a week in Blizzarts bar (3956A St-Laurent) where he'll DJ from 10 p.m.–3 a.m. Patrons will be able to watch him through a custom-installed peephole and listen through specially provided headphones. "It's kind of a riff on those large clubs that boast a big room and a small room - well, this is a really small room," explains Jamieson, "Also, it transfers the typical DJ experience from a public spectacle into a private one-on-one kind of thing." It starts today, July 28, and runs till Aug. 4 » Raf Katigbak

Standing on guard

Louise Bourgeois' sculpture "Maman" stands guard outside in the Plaza. This giant spider, made of bronze and stainless steel, carrying a sac of 26 marble eggs, is over 30 feet tall and worth a trip all by itself. Inside the gallery, the exhibitions Leonardo, Michelangelo and the Renaissance in Florence and British Drawings, both provide a chance to take a closer look at old drawings. The Florence exhibition has many classic pen & ink sketches, alongside other works, all dating from 1500–1550. An interesting exhibition if you have had little opportunity to view works from this period in person, but not so exciting if you've already experienced this era in European museums. If you go, don't miss walking by Ron Mueck's super-sized baby head, and on your way to check out Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller's The Paradise Institute. More info at www.national.gallery.ca. » Christine Redfern

Is it Art?

RED, WHITE AND BLACK: Most beauty queens, to win such distinction, must first convincingly demonstrate compassion for abused dolphins and prevail in the bikini contest. But not Miss Canadiana. All it took for Camille Turner was a mall full of gawkers in not-so-multicultural North Bay, Ontario, and the Jamaican-born, Toronto-raised performance artist decided to crown herself. Since then, Miss Canadiana has made appearances all over the world, cheekily challenging people's assumptions by showing up at crowded events, setting up her Canadiana Kitsch Museum and handing out Canadian paraphernalia while someone records people's reactions - "often bewilderment," she specifies with a laugh. The next stop on her tour is our own city's Divers/Cité, where she plans to set up on Sunday. She's not sure where yet, but even in a sea of queens, this one will be hard to miss. Check out www.misscanadiana.ca for more.

ArtsHole

HEMISPHERES AND HORIZONS: East-West Oriental-Occidental Landscapes puts the Canadian landscape tradition established by the Group of 7 up against landscape art from an Eastern perspective. See Chinese artist Baowen Fan's calligraphy-infused traditional Chinese 'scapes, Heather Midori Yamada's Japanese paper and canvas creations and works by others as well at the Stewart Hall Gallery (176 Lakeshore, Pointe-Claire) until Aug. 28. • RUMBA FEVER: Cuban dancer Adriían Limonta joins countryman and master percussionist Ramón Marquez in a guaranteed lively night of dance, The Rumba, heating up Balattou on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 9 p.m., $10.

ARTISTAT: Number of highly diggable events happening throughout August, in over 50 sites across the province, in the company of over 25 certified archaeologists, as part of Quebec Archaeology month 2005 - www.archeoquebec.com to unearth more info: 70

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