Cold sweats

>> Dancing through the winter blahs

by MARITES CARINO

Last year's dance season is certainly going to be one to beat, but that doesn't mean that this one's going to be dead.

There's a lot stirring over at L'Agora de la Danse. This month, Paul-Andre Fortier goes solo and gathers three of his previous solos under the title Paf! Trois solos. Then in February, there's Lucie Gregoire Danse with Fragile Lumiere. And at month's end, we'll see the one dancer to five choreographer ratio, where local choreographers--Helene Blackburn, Lynda Gaudreau, Benoit Lachambre, Jose Navas and Dominique Porte--manipulate Lisa Kovacs' strings in five short solos presented by Danse-Cite.

March brings choreographer Allen Kaeja to Agora, where he presents Resistance. A couple of weeks later, there's Daniele Desnoyers' Concerto grosso pour corps et surface metallique. Here, dancers are surrounded by metal plates which become part of the soundtrack. Warning: if you have a low tolerance for sound, stay away from the speakers. And in March, there's former O Vertigo dancer Natalie Morin in Projet Morin, while rounding out Agora's season in May is Peggy Baker in a solo performance by Quebec's Paul-Andre Fortier.

In the same building, but on a different stage, Tangente will be bustling during the next couple of months. Starting it off is Dance Roads, an international organization which promotes contemporary choreography. On the bill this weekend is Montreal's multi-talented Maryse Poulin, showing her newest creation, along with works from Vienna, Barcelona, France, and Germany. Don't miss the Danca! Danza! series at the tail end of February, where Latin dancers take the spotlight. In March there's the SaGeste show, which is a tribute to International Women's Day. And in May, choreographers Estelle Clareton, Dominique Porte, Jean-Pierre Mondor, Harold Rheaume and David Pressault perform.

Four on the floor
While 840 Cherrier will be busy in the months to come, Usine C further east is also churning out its share of dance. Of the four presentations, two (which will be shown in February) are repeats. One is Incarnation by Helene Blackburn's company Cas Public. This sextet premiered at the FIND festival last year, and featured the strong, fluid movements of Kirsten Pollard and Marq Frerichs.

Carbone 14 dancer Lin Snelling will feel at home at the Usine when she presents her serene Femme comme paysage. To the soothing rhythms of Tibetan bowls, and a backdrop of calming water and skies, Snelling's body is like a transforming landscape. In April, Japanese dancer Yumiko Yoshioka graces Usine's stage, as well as local dance-theatre company Pigeons International with Cruising Paradise.

So what's on the menu for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens? You've seen the movie, the play and read the book, well, now you can see the biting ballet version of Dracula in March, by guest company the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. In the same month, Les Grands Ballets will also be putting together a program of classic choreographies. However, if contemporary dance is more your thing, don't miss the program by choreographic masters Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato and William Forsythe. Trust me, Duato's Without Words alone is worth the ticket price.

And what's up with O Vertigo? Well, they're touring Quebec, so you won't get to see any works from start to finish in Montreal. But they'll be back here for a show at La Maison Theatre in February where excerpts from Ginette Laurin's previous works will be shown.

Also next month, Les Ballets Jazz's most recent offering ...a fleur de peau/with soul takes the stage at Theatre Espace Go. The evening has four premieres, one of which is a solo for the company's artistic director Louis Robitaille. Should be good.

Finally, if you're short of cash, don't forget the Maison de la Culture shows. This season, you'll get to see PPS Danse, Lina Cruz, Lydia Wagerer and Sarah Bild for nada. :