Dancing drama

>> Where theatre, dance and romance meet

by MARITES CARINO

Tangente shifts gears and mellows out this week after last weekend's successful urban dance extravaganza Out of Shadows, which featured DJs and breakdancers and drew in a very mixed crowd.

This week, in the Majors series (a showcase of established local choreographers)Guylaine Savoie and Denys Lefebvre share the evening on a double bill with a theatrical flavour.

First, there's Le Portrait, choreographed and performed by ex-Brouhaha member Savoie. This captivating solo, which is actually a duet of sorts, starts off when Savoie's character encounters a painting, a portrait of a woman with whom she bears a striking resemblance. Soon after, the two intermingle in a poetic exchange, which incorporates video work by Georges Léonard.

Then there's L'Insaisissable Mandarin, produced by dance-theatre company Tenon Mortaise, choreographed by Denys Lefebvre and inspired by a work by Hungarian composer Béla Bartok. The piece explores themes of violence and xenophobia.

If you didn't find a prince charming by Valentine's Day, tonight, Feb. 15, there'll be a ready-made prince over at the Centre Pierre Péladeau in a production of Cinderella by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. And for a romantic trip back through the 17th and 18th centuries, Parisian dance company L'Évantail brings Baroque music and dance show Voyage en Europe to Montreal. Both shows are part of the Montreal High Lights Festival.

Also this weekend, don't miss the breathtaking show Project Roy with Ken Roy, comprised of three solos by three local choreographers to the music of Chopin, at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur. The show is gratis, but call ahead to reserve tickets.

Le Portrait and Insaississable Mandarin at Tangente, Feb. 15-17, 8:30pm, Feb. 18, 7:30pm, at Tangente (840 Cherrier), $13-15, 525-1500