Limbs, legacy and life

Don’t let the title confuse you—there will be six legs dancing in 100 Legs, a French play on words that translates into “without legacy.” The piece, conceived by the La terre est bleue duo, aka Caroline Laurin-Beaucage on choreogreaphy and musical phenom Nicolas Basque on composition, breaks down notions of heritage in a tension-and-release performance featuring dancers Karine Desrochers, Geneviève Gauvreau and Audrée Juteau. It’s a choreoghraphic quilt of memories that includes snippets from interviews Basque recorded with the dancers themselves.

“You could look at it as the story of one person embodied by three dancers,” explains Laurin-Beaucage. “We asked them a series of questions: ‘What’s your oldest memory? What kind of music did your grandparents listen to?’ A lot of inspiration came from the dancers.”

Ironically enough, Laurin-Beaucage might not make all the performances because she and Basque are building a legacy of their own by way of a baby due any time now. And if that ain’t enough to propel you over to Studio 303 with a tear in your eye (372 Ste-Catherine W., #303, Nov. 25–26, 8 p.m., and Nov. 27, 4 p.m., $10–$12), I don’t know what is. —Matthew Woodley

Zine zoo

With the clock ticking, harried zinesters, small press publishers and even a few of those damn indie rock labels across the city of Montreal are frantically cutting, pasting, Xeroxing, ripping and burning their latest babies together in anticipation of the fourth annual Expozine. This edition boasts 162 participants (at last count)—flogging everything from titles like Dancing in the Shower of my Own Blood and Le Lézard Amoureux to legendary lit queen Ann Diamond’s latest opus, My Cold War. “We’re almost overwhelmed,” admits co-organizer and Cumulus Press head Dave Widgington. With more francophone participants on board than ever, Widgington agrees that Expozine is raising the profile of DIY publishing in Montreal. “I think so, because there’s more and more new people with their first or second zine—they already know about Expozine and they want to be part of it.” You can be a part of it too, in the basement of Saint-Enfant-Jésus Church (5035 St-Dominique, corner Laurier) on Saturday, Nov. 26, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., www.expozine.ca. —Vincent Tinguely

Space suits

Sabrina Raaf’s exhibition is a bit out of this world. Her photographic series, Test People, captures individuals defying gravity, walking on walls and floating through space. The pictures look like crazy stunt shots taken out of a Quentin Tarantino flick. Her robotic sculptures also give the viewer the sensation of being both familiar and strange at the same time. If you breathe heavily on the piece called “Grower,” it will draw a line of grass on the wall. While “Lost” and “Icelandic Rift” contain the not-to-be missed natural wonder of magnetic ferrofluid. The largest piece in the gallery is the Jetsons-like installation “Searchstoretrash,” which includes a small remote control car fitted with a camera that you can drive along winding roads and through various storage spaces filled with miniature trashcans and boxes. It doesn’t take long, especially if you’re childish like me, to start amusing yourself by driving the car as fast as possible into the trashcans. This sculpture is a spoof on the Information Superhighway, mimicking, says curator Valerie Lamontagne, “the serpentine and recursive architecture of the Internet.” Exhibition runs until Dec. 10, info: 844-3250. —Christine Redfern

Vaudeville inferno

Certainly nobody will want to miss the Diary of A Lost Circus extravaganza going down at the Jupiter Room this Sunday. Why, you ask? “Because,” according to promoter Dom Castelli, “it’s a vaudeville circus side show cabaret—of sorts. There’ll be rock ’n’ roll, stuff that swings, a couple circus acts, a little cheesy-assed comedy, hot sexy ladies dancing, as well as a few other things of interest.” And just in case hearing the word “vaudeville” hasn’t already rendered you moist in anticipation of rollicking good times, on hand will be the inimitable Cicatrix and her legendary “fire retention trick.” And what might a fire retention trick be, you wonder? “Well, she’s really hot,” quips Castelli. “Oh, and she plays with flames too—lights herself on fire, rolling flames along her body and stuff. It’s a pretty interesting thing to see.”

The show also features Bloodshot Bill, Blonde Bombshell from Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque troupe, Tanya Cheex, Damiana Dolce, Chastity Chevy, Plastik Patrik and more. Nov. 27, 9 p.m., at the Jupiter Room, $6. —Chris Barry

Is it Art?

HOT SEAT? Whether it’s for a budding filmmaker or an armchair director, the Hollywood Chairs Deluxe Bamboo seat might be the perfect way to make someone feel like they’re actually more important than they are this holiday season. With optional underseat bag, swivel table, drink holder, wheel kit and custom name/logo embroidery, this company could be poised for big things, if not for the sheer determination of their e-mail campaign, than for rumours like the one where Jerry Seinfeld may or may not have said, “If I had a chair this nice, I wouldn’t have ended the show.” Visit www.hollywoodchairs.com to see their whole product line.

ArtsHole

KYOTO CALL: In support of the Kyoto protocol and the upcoming UN conference on climate change, the SAT is collecting artworks, videos and live comments from artists and activists on environmental issues. Interested participants can post their pieces online at www.mkyoto.org. An interactive mosaic of the works and statements will be broadcast to the 10,000 dignitaries in attendance. • BALLET WITH BITE: After a 1999 labour strike and six bloody long years of waiting, the celebrated ballet Dracula is finally coming to Montreal. The contemporarily gothic performance is brought to you by The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, opening today, Thursday, Nov. 24, and continuing through Nov. 26 at Place des Arts.

ARTISTAT: Number of artists who, in a variety of performance-arty acts, intervened in the everyday acts of others for exhibition in Pardon Me, opening Nov. 24 6:30–8:30 p.m., at the Saidye (5170 Côte Ste-Catherine) and running until Jan. 22: 7

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