Jitterbugs

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BETWEEN BIRTH AND MASTURBATION:
St-Pierre in Over My Dead Body

by MARITES CARINO

After the inevitable December slowdown, January brings a ton of dance back into the winter picture. Here’s the lowdown on the next couple of months.

Rumour has it Tangente’s (840 Cherrier) tickets are already going like hotcakes for Dave St-Pierre’s new short work Over My Dead Body, which he describes in this way: “Between being born and dying, I masturbate, I come, I clean it up and, when I have time, try to de-dramatize my existence.” It’s part of a choreographic evening that speaks about identity, and relationships to society. St-Pierre invited emerging choreographer Virginie Brunelle, whose work shares a similar raw vibe to St-Pierre’s, to open the evening with her new group piece, Gastro Affective. (Jan. 20–25)

The same weekend, on Jan. 24, Studio 303 (372 Ste-Catherine W., #303) kicks off its 142nd edition of its ever-popular Vernissage-danse series with the theme of “the ground.” The short pieces by a handful of choreographers like Roger Sinha, Johanna Bienaise, Anne-Sophie Rouleau and K8 Alsterlund address a variety of issues such as gravity, personal growth and evolution.

Spotlight on High Lights

February always means lots of dance in the city at the Montreal High Lights Festival. Opening up the fest, Marie Chouinard’s Orphée et Euridice. Chouinard’s troupe of 14 dancers returns to its home base after touring Japan with this piece that revisits the myth of the Greek lovers.

If you’re a fan of the circus arts, there are two shows that may be of interest. First up, the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain de Paris showcases high-calibre circus acts from around the world at the Tohu (2345 Jarry E.), Feb. 17–28. A little closer to home, local troupe Les 7 Doigts de la main presents La Vie gourmande, an adaptation of their popular latest production, La Vie, wherein spectators wine and dine to a meal concocted by Agnus Dei Traiteur at the Jacques Cartier Pavilion, Feb. 24–26.

As part of the festival’s Nuit Blanche events, keep an eye out for te situes-tu dans l’in situ?, a two-part concoction by dance production group La 2e Porte à Gauche that looks at the relationship between performers and audience. The first part, Danse en Appart, features the work of 13 local choreographers who took a five-week residence at a Montreal apartment and created works in the space. There are two intimate nightly performances at the pad, whose address is hush hush at the moment but will be revealed at a later date (Feb. 18–27). Part two is a closing choreographed dance party at a so-far unnamed club on Feb. 28. Keep in the loop with the details at montrealenlumiere.com.

Last spring, choreographer Victor Quijada and Anne Plamondon captured my attention with their duet AV Input/Output that poked fun at reality television and encouraged audience participation. Quijada, whose choreographic language melds breakdance, ballet and contemporary dance, is back with Punto Ciego a new work that continues in the same vein but works with six of his Rubberbandance Group members at the Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts, March 25–April 4.

From out west, Vanncouver-based Wen Wei Wang returns with his company and dances in Three Sixty Five, a work for six dancers and two on-stage musicians that was inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Wang, a mesmerizing performer, has developed a style that mixes Chinese classical dance, ballet and tai chi. Don’t miss this one at Centre Pierre-Péladeau (300 de Maisonneuve E.) April 9–10.

MEASURED MOMENTS: Punto Ciego

Welcome seconds

After a successful run in the fall, choreographer George Stamos brings back his reservoir-pneumatic, a piece set in an eclectic universe with live music and unexpected moments of humour at Agora de la danse (840 Cherrier) from Feb. 19–21. The following weekend, again at Agora, sees an intimate piece by Martin Bélanger that first came out in 2002. Spoken word/body is a mélange of dance and theatre that pays homage to the art of spoken word (Feb. 26–28). Check out the restaging of La Chambre Blanche by Ginette Laurin and her company O Vertigo, which she founded 25 years ago. The work was originally created for Montreal’s now defunct Festival International de Nouvelle Danse in 1992 and toured internationally. Using the original sets and costumes and a new musical score, 11 dancers deal with the frenzy of confinement at Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts, Feb. 12–28. Lastly, it’s been two years since Montrealers got their first peek at Amjad, the latest by Édouard Lock. Lock returns after touring with his La La La Human Steps with this ensemble piece that takes Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty and ditches the tutus and weaves it into something his own at Place des Arts (175 Ste-Catherine W.), April 30–May 2.