The right footing

>> Choreographer Emmanuel Jouthe excels in raw energy

by MARITES CARINO

"Choreography prevents me from going crazy and dancing keeps me from being empty," says Montreal choreographer-dancer Emmanuel Jouthe from a crackling public phone in Italy. He's there to relax for the holidays, but to create as well.

Montreal's sole black new-dance choreographer has had a busy year. In '98 he created and performed his own works on local, national and international stages, and has collaborated with names like Pierre-Paul Savoie and Paul-André Fortier.

Within those 365 days, Jouthe also managed to create a stir at Dance Immersion, an annual Canadian Black Artists' Showcase held in Toronto. His work FH... Les petites morts de la paume was noticed by critics for its exploration of masculinity, femininity and the sensation of touch. During the festival, Jouthe also grabbed the attention of Benno Mazzone, artistic director of Theatro Libero in Sicily. Mazzone was so impressed by Jouthe's work, he invited him to perform there in the fall.

Closer to home, Espace Tangente's artistic director Dena Davida says Jouthe's work is a prototype of his generation. "There's the desire to break apart from staged, monumental works. You feel his raw energy."

Although Jouthe only started training in dance five years ago, he uses it to his advantage. "I'm not classically trained, so my lines are sometimes off--but I work with these lines anyway." And this is what makes his work different.

"I like to flirt with 'daily life' in my works," says Jouthe. His new creation Et si je gouvernais ma légerté is scheduled to hit the stage in April. It features Jouthe with three men and one woman. "Since my daily life is surrounded by women, I wanted something different. I wanted to examine the differences between the sexes," he explains.

Davida recognizes Jouthe's talent as a dancer, but pictures him excelling in other areas: "I can see him as a dance programmer. I see the instinct."

This "instinct" was cultivated during his studies at UQAM where he set up Danse Carpe Diem in 1995. The organization gave student choreographers and dancers opportunities to perform their works. Three years later, the six-member group has presented over 30 creations by young creators and has metamorphosed into a dance company.

Jouthe is already booked solid into the millennium, with new roles and choreographies. But still this talent has doubts as to what awaits him in '99. "A big fear," he says, "is will I be able to create? Will I succeed?"

So far, he certainly appears to be on the right footing.