All the right moves

>> Festivals, anniversaries and other special occasions keep the dance calendar full

by MARITES CARINO

Weeding through programs, press releases and faxes, I’ve noticed birthdays and anniversaries mark the 2002 winter dance season, with Danse-Cité celebrating the first one of the year with Project Célébration. In this project, nine dancers representing the new generation in dance interpret works created over the past two decades in the history of Danse-Cité, which provides dancers and choreographers with an outlet for their creativity. The show runs at L’Agora de la Danse Jan. 23–Feb. 2.
As an antidote to the winter blahs, the Montreal High Lights Festival is this city’s alternative to Quebec’s winter carnival and Caribou. With over 100 shows going on during the frozen months, it takes something good to leave the cozy heating of your home. Some suggestions: if you haven’t yet seen local troupe Cirque Éloize, catch their latest show Cirque Orchestra Feb. 1 at Place des Arts. Thirteen multidisciplinary circus arts performers and the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières hook up to explore the theme of flight. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens returns with La Dame de Pique Feb. 20 by Danish choreographer Kim Brandstrup. And last, but not least, in the festival headliner list, if you missed La Compagnie Marie Chouinard’s Les 24 préludes de Chopin and Le Cri du monde (which, incidentally, made my 2001 year-end review list), you’ve got another chance: Feb. 22–Feb. 23 at Place des Arts. Save your pennies for this one.

Still part of the festival, but on a smaller stage, at Tangente Feb. 14–17, there will be a soirée dedicated to European artists. Welsh choreographer Eddie Ladd plays with movement and video in Scarface, which uses the script from the Brian de Palma film. Alberto Huetos and Eliane Hutmacher make up the Luxembourg duo presenting Dans notre jardin, and Finnish choreographer Heine Nukari and Polish artist Anna Jankowska round off the evening with No Time for Wasa, a surreal tale.

Butoh to ballet

It’s been a while since we’ve seen anything by local choreographer Roger Sinha, but now he’s back on the scene with Loha + Kall(ki) at the Centre Pierre-Péladeau Feb. 7–16. Sinha performs two works that intertwine the elements of classical Indian dance, the martial arts and modern dance with live, on-stage music.
Choreographer and dancer Jocelyne Montpetit explores a curious female insect character taken from a short story by Japanese writer Abé Kôbô. La femme des sables, a solo work created and performed by Montpetit in the spirit of butoh, runs March 13–23 at L’Agora de la Danse.

2002 marks Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal’s “big three-oh” and the party is at L’Espace Go April 2–13. Their show Short Works: 1 2 3 takes a look at past, present and future choreographies. There’s another noteworthy celebration on the third floor of the Belgo building in April. Downtown dance space Studio 303 celebrates its 100th edition of the Vernissage-danse series, which has featured dance with an edge over the years. April 12–13.
Then PPS Danse, of Pôles and Bange fame, comes back with another multimedia work called Strata, April 9–13 at the Centre Pierre-Péladeau. This time choreographer Pierre-Paul Savoie explores the concept of age. And no matter what your age, if you’re a fan of hip hop and rap, mark April 25–27 on your calendar—American company Rennie Harris Puremovement is coming to the Centre Pierre-Péladeau. This 10-year-old troupe is bringing their high-energy show Répertoire for a Montreal premiere.

One more thing: if cash is preventing you from going out to see dance shows, don’t forget about the Maisons de la Culture that offer freebies, most often at the Plateau-Mont-Royal branch. :