Body moving

>> Spilled ink, dialogues with Tarantino and a modern Cinderella steal the stage

by MARITES CARINO

With temperatures cooling, the bustling outdoor dance shows migrate indoors. This weekend (Sept. 14–15), head to le Centre Gesù where Ghislaine Doté, a talented choreographer and engaging performer from the Ivory Coast, steps out for an evening of Afro-contemporary dance. Her new work Variations sur l’âmentation continues where her first group piece left off, taking hold of intense rhythms through voice and movement while looking at human suffering.

September, always a busy month in dance, marks Montreal’s annual contemporary dance event Transatlantique, Sept. 14–20, which features works by Quebec, Canadian and French choreographers. This is the fifth year for the fest and includes pieces by Jane Mappin, Sasha Ivanochko and Julie Dossavi. The complete schedule is at www.transatlantiquemontreal.com.

As for next weekend, Sept. 21–23, anyone who saw the breathtaking Moon Water by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan back in 2004, will surely want to check out Wild Cursive by artistic director Lin Hwai-min. With a background in Chinese opera movement and modern dance, Hwai-Min was inspired by Chinese calligraphy. The group choreography, whose set is composed of multiple layers of rice paper and flowing ink, was created in 2005 and is the last chapter in a trilogy. They perform at Place des Arts, Sept. 20–22.

Group efforts

Agora de la Danse sees choreographers dancing in their own group works this fall. Crystal Pite heads and performs in her newest piece, Lost Action, choreographed for four women and three men (Oct. 30–Nov. 3). Then seven days later, José Navas dances in his minimalist quartet Anatomies (Nov. 7–10). Also at 840 Cherrier, from Nov. 8–11, physical and emotional powerhouse Nora Chipaumire makes a stop in the city to perform a collection of short choreographies based on despair and survival. If you’ve never seen this Zimbabwean choreographer-dancer perform, expect goosebumps. Her show is part of Tangente’s Circulation series, which highlights tradition and innovation.

Danse-Cité’s season starts at the end of November with a work by local movement-maker Emmanuel Jouthe. In Staccato Rivière, Jouthe takes a look at difference and individualism and performs with David Flewelling and Masaharu Imazu, at Théâtre la Chapelle, Nov. 29–Dec. 8.

For those into movement and film, look out for an homage to animation great Norman McLaren this December. Through a collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada, Michel Lemieux, Victor Pilon and Peter Trosztmer bring together the world of cinema and dance in Norman, at Cinquième Salle from Dec. 5–15. The use of projections enables Trosztmer to become part of McLaren’s universe in this enveloping work.

It’s hard to believe that a decade has passed since I saw Paula de Vasconcelos’ choreography Lettre d’Amour à Tarantino. In a continuation of her examination of works by the American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and the theme of violence, her new piece Kiss Bill celebrates the 20th birthday of Pigeons International, her dance-theatre company, and plays at Usine C, Nov. 30–Dec. 15.

Firsts from afar

As for some new dance energy this season, from Spain, Jordi Cortès and Damian Muñoz touch down for the first time in Montreal with their duet Ölelés, based on a novel by Hungarian writer Sándor Márai. The piece, which looks at the themes of love and hate, was awarded best dance show of 2004 by the city of Barcelona. It’s on at Agora de la Danse, Oct. 3–6.

From Israel, resident choreographer for the Batsheva Dance Company, Sharon Eyal, who has been with the company for over 10 years, comes to Montreal with the energetic Bertolina. Eyal dances surrounded by a staggering cast of 19 who are dressed in elaborate costumes, from Nov. 22–24, at Place des Arts.

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens opens their fall season with Cinderella, Oct. 19–Nov. 3 at Place des Arts. Created in 2003 by Belgian choreographer Stijn Celis, the old-school fairytale is morphed into a witty creation that’s all his own.

Lastly, after completing a European tour, Marie Chouinard’s bODY_rEMIX/les_vARIATIONS_gOLDBERG, reappears in the city at the beginning of October. In case you didn’t catch it the first time, Chouinard’s ensemble piece explores different means of locomotion with body extensions such as crutches and harnesses, and runs from Oct. 4–6 at Place des Arts. Not my favourite Chouinard, but one that’s well worth the price of a ticket.