White water dancing

>> Hinda Essadiqi’s Naufrage en 3 temps navigates stormy weather

by MARITES CARINO

Being on the Canadian women’s rafting team has obviously affected Hinda Essadiqi, choreographically speaking. “Water and rapids really inspire me,” she says, leading her to the creation of Naufrage en 3 temps. “This piece is about a mix of physical and emotional shipwrecks wherein three dancers go through the storm together.” Naufrage en 3 temps is part of the Jeune Émergence series at Tangente, which features up-and-coming choreographers of the new generation.

Dancers Marie-Claire Forté, Emmanuel Proulx and Sandy Williams embark on the turbulent voyage in this half-hour piece that took Essadiqui five months to create, with a one-month kayaking trip in Ecuador in between. The piece incorporates some of the images and experiences of Essadiqi’s river adventures, as dancers interact with large floating wooden poles that represent paddles.

Essadiqi, who was born in Morocco and came to Quebec when she was three, graduated from Concordia’s dance program last year. Naufrage en 3 temps marks Essadiqi’s first professional production, and she’s not nervous at all. “Dancing has always been a passion for me,” she says. “And it’s what I want to do in life. To see my movements evolve on my dancers’ bodies is just great.”

Essadiqi moves her body in another choreography of the evening called Jusqu’au bout du départ, with dancers Stephanie Felkai, Erin Flynn and Marie-Claire Forté. Choreographed by Eva Asselin, also a Concordia dance program graduate, this theatrical piece features four intriguing characters overcoming both physical and mental obstacles along their journey.
Happy anniversary!

The Studio 303 Vernissage-danse series started way back in 1989, and now it’s finally happening: the dance space is holding its 100th Vernissage-danse event. The evening promises an unusually eclectic smorgasbord of choreographic quickies where 22 artists have a maximum of three minutes and three seconds to strut their stuff. Join in the hoopla Saturday night for a post-show celebration.

And there’s another party going on onstage at Agora de la danse this weekend. With a cast of over 20 dancers, choreographer Harold Rhéaume conducts students in the UQÀM dance program in 20TEN, a work that juxtaposes solo, duet and group work. :

Naufrage en 3 temps and Jusqu’au bout du départ at Tangente April 18–20, 8:30pm; April 21, 7:30pm, $10-12, 521-1500
Vernissage-danse #100 at Studio 303, April 12–13, 8:30pm, 393-3771
20TEN at Agora de la danse April 11–13, 8pm, $6, 521-1500