Battle dance

>> Bataille melds movement, multilayered
music and spectators

by MARITES CARINO

If you’re planning to see Bataille by Danièle Desnoyers, be prepared: you might end up on stage.

In her show, opening on Wednesday, Sept. 25, the lively local choreographer invites a handful of audience members to become a part of the set, amidst microphone stands and chairs draped with coats. “I got the idea from baroque theatre, where it was possible for the audience to sit on stage, but they had to pay more for their tickets. Here they don’t!” she explains.

Desnoyers wants what’s on stage to reflect the business of everyday life. “I want to see that space inhabited not only by dancers, but by other people. Also, for me it’s interesting to watch people watching—like when you’re sitting in a park and notice how people look at things.” For Desnoyers, this “regard du spectateur” makes the piece complete.

The idea for Bataille came from two projects that Desnoyers participated in over the past two years. One was a piece for 20 UQÀM dance department students and the other a collaboration with architect Pierre Thibault, where the dance space was always in motion. After these experiences, Desnoyers, who normally choreographs for small numbers, was inspired to create a piece for a larger group in an environment in constant metamorphosis.

During the creation process, Desnoyers often choreographs without music. “But as soon as I feel a certain musicality in the movement, I try to relate the dance to music,” she says. After hearing a variation of a sonata for solo violin by composer Giuseppe Tartini for the first time, she knew it would complement this work since it had a peaceful quality to it.

Desnoyers herself studied classical piano for 12 years before deciding to veer off into dance. Her appreciation for musical complexity is evident in Bataille’s soundtrack, which is separated into three layers. The first layer is Tartini’s sonata. For the second, Desnoyers did a used vinyl run for recordings from the baroque period, then asked local sound designer Nancy Tobin to create something with these elements. “At first she started improvising like a DJ,” Desnoyers recounts. “But usually DJs work with contemporary material, and that’s why I found this music interesting.” And to round it off, American contemporary violinist Malcolm Goldstein improvises on stage along with the two music tracks.

As for the title, Desnoyers says, “For me, the body is in a sort of battle with itself.” She plays with the idea of opposing forces not only within the dancers’ movements, but also within the cast of musicians, audience members and dancers Maud Simoneau, George Stamos, Jordi Ventura Fabra, Daniel Villeneuve, Siôned Watkins and Sarah Williams.

The biggest question with this performance lies in whether all of the elements—the choreography, multilayered music and on-stage audience—will mesh together. “Bataille for me is not a synonym for war, but a synonym for a quest where you are trying to attain harmony,” Desnoyer says, clearly ready to meet the challenge. :

Bataille at Usine C, Sept. 25–28, 8pm, $15–24, 521-4493

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