Womanly wizardry

>> Artsy happenings put girls galore in the spotlight for International Women's Day... Week... Year

by MARITES CARINO, GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT and VINCENT TINGUELY

Sisters gone solo

"Dancing on broken glass in shoes," is the way Sarah Williams describes her solo, which hits the stage this week as part of the Tangente annual series SaGeste (Solos de femmes). The series honours women in dance by having them execute short solos, usually self-choreographed.

However, this year the women-only tradition is broken: Williams is performing a work by multi-disciplinary artist and choreographer Alain Francoeur, the first male choreographer to partake in the series.

Murano, Francoeur's piece for Williams, was born over a beer after a rehearsal of Bange, a dark choreography by PPS Danse that the two worked on, which dealt with the theme of imprisonment. Francoeur's short piece deals with beauty, identity, strength and weakness.

"You're definitely vulnerable," says Williams about the solitary on-stage experience. "But it's also fulfilling because it's about what I put into it. There aren't other dancers to fill it out."

Williams, a Montrealer who left to study dance in Vancouver, says she did more solo work out West. Since her return to Montreal, she's worked more in group settings with companies such as La La La Human Steps, Brouhaha Danse, Jean-Pierre Perreault, and Carbone 14.

Another ex-Montrealer participating in SaGeste is Marie-Josée Chartier, who's now based in Toronto. Her work Sous nos yeux, takes a look at the society that surrounds us and things over which we have no control. Local choreographer Maya Ostrofsky presents Vif-Argent, which explores the theme of identity and the effects that time has on it.

Marianne Thorborg, a Scandinavian Montreal transplant, found inspiration in the skies (including the famed "black box" in planes that record everything in the event of a crash) for her work Amelia hors de son élément. The piece is loosely based on pilot Amelia Earhart's fatal last flight, which took place over 70 years ago.

At Tangente March 8-10, 8:30 p.m., March 11, 7:30 p.m., $13-15. Info: 525-1500. (MC)

They're every woman

Acting as a veritable smorgasbord of female talent, Ovaries in Overdrive is a musical showcase bursting at the seams with gregarious gals. A benefit for ovarian cancer research, the show will encompass a ridiculous amount of musical genres: classic Québécois pop (Joe Bocan) rock (Marie-Chantal Toupin), pop-rock (Sylvie Paquette) and teeny-bopper pop (Gabrielle Destroismaisons); local Destiny's Child-like R&B outfit Jai, home-grown jazz diva Stephanie Biddle, folkies Pigeon-Hole, alt rocker Carrie Katz, trip hop and drum & bass courtesy of Annabelle Chvostek, "female Jimi Hendrix" Cecile Doo-Kingue, scratch DJ Kani and funksters Soul Fish.

Also that night, the lush, underwater portraits that make up Brigitte Henry's photo book, Waterproof, will grace the walls and stay up for the following week. Henry's aquatic images garnered her the prestigious Lux Canada 2000 grand prize. At Le Swimming (3643 St-Laurent), tonight, March 8, 8 p.m., $10. (GP)

Cyber-delic!

Studio XX, the place in town where web-savvy and web-curious women unite, is holding a Solidarity Celebration which will include discussions on their Social Mobilizing Campaign. A video will be screened and a Virtual Party Room will be set up to communicate with women around the world. At Studio XX (338 Terrasse St-Denis), March 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m., $3. Info: 845-7934 or www.studioxx.org. (GP)

Art matters

Images des Femmes is the eighth annual group exhibit of Mile-End artists' work. This year's show features the works of a whopping 36 women ranging in age from 16-75 years old. It runs March 11 (vernissage, 1-4 p.m.) to March 25 at the Mile-End Library (5434 Parc). Other activities happening in conjunction with the exhibit include a book-binding workshop, an afternoon of jazz and more. Call 495-0682 for info.

Three Women in March is exactly that: a three-woman exhibit on now at Arts NDG (5800 Sherbrooke). Jane Fraser explores nature in her paintings, Catherine Huet-Measroch dreams in hers and Aline Martineau tells tales and traces personal histories with her sculpture. Vernissage tonight, 7 p.m. The show runs until April 1.

Mexican artist Pilar Pacheco explores women's identity in a patriarchal world with La terre, l'eau, le feu, l'air et la Femme, her exhibit of paintings and drawings. At Galerie Pos-Art (1326 Ontario E.) as of March 9 (vernissage 6 p.m.). (GP)

School ties

The lines of communication will be a-buzz with talk of women's issues these next few days, if not weeks. Though officially, Women's Week started Monday, March 5, there is still a plethora of female affairs left to take part in.

First up, The McGill Women's Union is holding various events to mark the occasion. They're co-sponsoring Viva la Vulva, a benefit for the Bloodsisters Collective, featuring music, spoken word, dance and more. The evening's themes will include menstruation, sexuality and violence against women. At the Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent), tonight, 8:30 p.m., $5. Tomorrow, March 9, "Are Women's Bodies at Risk?" a panel discussion on reproductive health happens at the McGill Arts Building (853 Sherbrooke W., #145), 3:30 p.m. Info: 398-6823.

Concordia's Simone de Beauvoir Institute will of course be chiming in on how far the "second sex" has come, mostly in the form of lectures, book readings and documentary film screenings throughout the month of March. Call 848-2373 for details.

Vanier College's Women's Week wraps up March 9 with conferences given by various experts. Info: 744-7053.

And the NFB chose Women's Week to launch a Web site for the documentary film Salt which was made by four young women from MIND High School. The site is www.nfb.ca/salt and the film screen s at the NFB Cinema (1564 St-Denis) March 8-11, 7 and 8:30 p.m., $5. (GP)

Women on the edge

Some women are willing to go to extremes for their multidisciplinary art, and once a year they gather together for Edgy Women, a six-year-old event. To double their pleasure (and ours), this year's two-day event will offer two different lineups. Opening night, expect performance art courtesy of A.D., dance from Karen Bernard, a monologue by Marie Brassard about being on the edge of orgasm, a gender fuck performance odyssey by Tonya Livingstone, Women with kitchen appliances and Kinga Araya's two-metre prosthetic tongue.

The second show includes Bernard, Brassard and performances by Sonya Biernath, Deborah Dunn and karate expert Maura Nguyen-Donahue's experimental video I'm no heroine. March 23-24 at Studio 303 (372 Ste-Catherine W., #303), 8:30 p.m., $8-10. The Edgy Art Show vernissage happens March 16, 5-7 p.m. Info: 393-3771. (MC & GP)

Give her a hand

Heather McLeod just got back from the Folk Alliance conference in Vancouver with a fistful of songs she debuted to appreciative audiences on the Wet Coast. She'll introduce them to a Montreal audience at the next Hands on Hip Happening. This installment of the eclectic cabaret series is a benefit for the Montreal Assault Prevention Centre, and fittingly boasts a largely estrogen-driven lineup. Word artist Catherine Kidd explores the metaphorical landscape, Cultivarts, a new dance collective, trips the light fantastic, and songs ring forth from Out of the Mouths of Babes, a women's choir featuring Laura Teasedale. Mellow male vibes come courtesy of Toronto-based singer-songwriter Jory Nash. Friday, March 16 at Casa del Popolo, 1473

St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $6. (VT)

Girl talk

Nothing attracts a crowd like a battle of words, so the Inobe Productions crew have decided to throw oil on the fire of feminist discourse at the second edition of their all-women show, Nigga?! Please! Once the ladies have their say, the gents get a chance to respond with a special Honey?! Please! segment of their own. Refereed by Mahalia "Miss Thang" Verna, with DJ Kani on the decks. Lady E, Robyn Akimbo, Tanya Evanson, Ophelia Callendar, General Zodd, Blu, Natural and Stephen Thomas are just some of the poets and performers who'll be flexing their verbal muscles at Jello Bar, 151 Ontario E., Sunday, March 25, $7. (VT)

She said, she said

>> Local ladies talk about Women's Day: what it means to them and what they'll be up to

Interviews by SIOBHAN O'CONNOR

A.D., founder of Bloodsisters

"I guess Women's Day has meant something for me in that it marks the anniversary of Bloodsisters' beginnings. On the day six years ago we did a direct action where we gave out hundreds of free handmade menstrual pads, so it's a kind of hallmark day for the projects I'm involved in. I think of it more as a month than a day, where we can all expand the celebrations to take up a little more space. On a political note I think the day can be used to raise awareness--especially with the FTAA rumblings all over--about the effects of globalization on women's work around the world. On a more playful note, though, I just think of what a sweet thing it is to give a lady a gift on Women's Day. That's not me being a capitalist pig--that's me being sentimental."

Karyn Kanu, activist for immigrant/black women's rights

"I don't want anything to do with that fucking day anymore. It's been ruined by prissy ooh-I-broke-a-fingernail women who just use the day as an excuse to get flowers from their husbands. That we continue to even have a day blows my mind. What's it for anyway? To celebrate womaness? It just proves that we haven't made as much progress as anyone thought. I'm staying in with my vibrator and a box of chocolates."

Sandra Wells, stripper

"I didn't even know there was a special day for women, which is a little sad I guess, but I think it's just a nice surprise. I try to think a little bit every day about the implications of being a lady in the world, mostly because in my work I am constantly reminded that I'm female. I guess the only thing I'd like to add is that I think self-congratulatory feminists can go fuck themselves, or each other if they want. It bothers me that the women who say that the girls in strip clubs and pornos are being exploited are the same ones who go on and on about solidarity and choice. It's time they started including girls like me in their little cause. But other than that I think it's all great. I'll be working on Women's Day. I don't know how I feel about that yet but that's my business."

Rebecca Ford, clothing designer for Luscious

"Women's Day is not something that I've given much thought to because I've never really had to--I've never felt disadvantaged because I'm female. But the day is important to celebrate all the groundwork laid by our fore-sisters, who were very successful in achieving equality for women to the point where it's not even an issue for me today. But I'm very conscious, being the designer of a women's-only clothing label, of our own contradictions being in an industry where most of the labour is still female. In the past, the clothing industry has been one of the biggest exploiters of women. It has come a long way, but not all the way. On Women's Day, we're having a lunch for all the Luscious sisters, prepared for us by the boys. It's actually not such an uncommon thing around here, the guys are always cooking for us!"

Assunta Sauro, Director of the Italian Women's Centre of Montreal

"For me Women's Day is a day of remembrance of all the struggles and achievements of women in the past and around the world. For us to continue to celebrate is to say that yes, we have acquired some rights, but it's also to say that we have a long way to go in terms of equal pay, access to employment, opportunities to be in decision-making positions. It's important to remember what's been done but also to remember what must still be done."

Victoria, Riot Grrrl Montreal

"I think the day is kind of like Mother's Day: one day then it's over, it's done. To me that's not enough--it's not something I need or really want to celebrate. It's too much of a token. I try to think about these things all the time."

Patricia Kearns, Director of Studio XX

"People say it's crazy that there's only one day or one week of celebration for Women's Day, but I have a different take on it. For me it's a time to reflect on the progress we've made, mostly because the day is rooted historically in the early 1900s, in the fight for suffrage and for better working conditions. I mean, the first manifestation of Women's Day in Quebec was in the 1970s! There's always more to be done to ensure women's equal participation in civic life. I'll be celebrating the day using Internet technology, something that is a tool to break isolation with the sharing of information. At Studio XX [an IT resource centre for women] we'll be using technology to celebrate solidarity in our online virtual party room."

Vera Danyluk, Councillor General for the City of Montreal

"Being a woman who's always tried to promote women's issues on a political level, for me this day underscores the contributions of women's involvement in the public, private and business sectors. Because women make up more than 50 per cent of the world's population our importance, by our numbers alone, cannot be denied. We have influence in this society. The week after Women's Day, on March 15, I'll be participating in a conference at UQÀM to encourage female Montrealers to exercise their right to vote."

Samantha Diamond, hair stylist at Furisme

"I honestly don't really ever think about Women's Day and what it means. Because I bond so well with men it's hard sometimes to think of myself as being on one side or the other, being part of 'women.' At the same time, the strong women in my life--my mother and my sisters--are my cornerstones. Although I'm happy it exists and I think it's important, especially for women who feel like they are on the political end of things, I can't say I really feel touched by it personally. It's not for me really--I'm not a political person."

Dawn Tyler Watson, blues singer

"A day is a pitiful amount of time to celebrate such a strong group of people. We should at least get a month, no? Still, I think it's a great opportunity to celebrate femininity and I don't mean that in the traditional sense, but rather in the sense of what it means to be a woman. It's also a chance to think about what it means to be a woman born in Canada as opposed to Sri Lanka or India. I think we've got it made here!"

Mighty Kat, DJ

"Honestly, the day isn't really something I've thought much about. I still think it's important to remember what women have been through, especially in the past 100 years, but it's hard not to think of it like Valentine's Day or something. I think respect between men and women should be something that we think about every day."

Vrinda, tattoo artist

"To me Women's Day is political. I believe that everything is political so it's hard for me to separate the two. I also think that most of the problems women are faced with are political by nature so I see it as a day of recognition of the struggles that women have been through, do go through and will continue to go through. I don't know yet what I'm doing on the day, but I'll probably get together with my girlfriends."