New Waves 2016

Choreographer and performer Ariane Dessaulles
Repetitors Jeimy Oviedo, Kim L Rouchdy
Conception of the mask Claudia Chan Tak
Costume Kim L Rouchdy

After studying at UQAM’s Theatre Department, Ariane Dessaulles continues her studies in contemporary dance, completing her specialization in choreography in 2014 (BA UQAM). In 2015 she presents her piece CONVENTUM at Zone Homa festival and then begins working on two solos: OUTSKIN (2015) and Struwwelpeter (2016). In may 2016, she is invited to start a new group piece at the offta and continues the creation of TOPO as a summer residency at studio Fleur d’asphalte. In parallel with her choreographic activities, she continues a regular training as a dancer through workshops and daily classes. Those become the occasion to experiment with Catherine Gaudet, Manuel Roque, Guy Cools, Peter James and Axis Syllabus and Fighting Monkey techniques. As a dancer, she collaborates with Laurence Dufour, Chloé Bourdages-Roy and Kim L. Rouchdy. Since 2014, she works with the Fondation Jean-Pierre Perreault.

Self-taught costume designer, Claudia Chan Tak begins working with Denis Lavoie as a seamstress for Geronimo Stilton in Serge Postigo’s Royaume de la fantaisie. She also works as costume design assistant for two productions by Martin Faucher, Yukonstyle (Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui) and Villa Dolorosa (Espace Go) and for Paradoxe Mélodie choreographed by Danièle Desnoyers. In 2015, she co-created over 100 costumes for the distribution of West Side Story directed by Angela Konrad and choreographed by Manon Oligny with Marie-Audrey Jacques. She also makes the costumes for her own creations, while working on other productions with Nans Bortuzzo or Ariane Dessaulles.

Jeimy Oviedo began her academic training at the Superior School of Ballet du Québec, and she continued her studies in contemporary dance at LADMMI. Her interest in contemporary dance then pushes her to complete a BA in Dance at UQAM in 2014. During her training, she worked alongside several renowned choreographers such as Frédéric Gravel, Danièle Desnoyers, Virginie Brunelle, Sylvain Émard, Estelle Clareton, Monique Vincent, Edgar Zendejas, Zab Maboungou and Frédéric Tavernini. She then works as a dancer for Nyata Nyata and pursues her work as a dancer while working as a massage therapist.

Kim L. Rouchdy completed her studies in Contemporary Dance at Concordia University. As a multidisciplinary artist, Kim studied Set and Costume design for theatre at NTS (2009-2011) and at the Cegep of St-Hyacinthe (2006-2009). She currently performs in the emerging art scene in Montreal as a choreographer and a performer. Kim is active in all stages and aspects of event production. From 2013 to 2014, she took on the role of organizer for Studio 7, Concordia’s multidisciplinary platform for works in progress. She continues to explore and unite diverse art forms, seeking to create immersive experiences for the audience.

Choreography and performance Geneviève Jean-Bindley
Sound design Carl-Éric Hudon
Repetitor Jacinthe Léger-Leduc
Photo-graphism Gabriel Germain

Geneviève Jean-Bindley first explored the visual arts and theatre before choosing to pursue her education in dance – interpretation and creation – at UQAM. Geneviève sees the choreography as a canvas and the body as a medium. She situates her work somewhere between choreographic design, scientific choreography and dramatic choreography. They are like images or scenes that follow one another to create a whole. The movement itself is secondary, what is central is how it relates to the space in which it’s performed. It is this union of these two elements that gives meaning to the whole. Geneviève has participated in many artistic projects and has presented some of her original works HÉRÉSIE, HotDog and PARADE in different festivals and venues. She has collaborated with songwriters and bands Les Goules, Câltar-Bateaux, Géraldine for music videos and other productions. She has also founded the Bananas Human Steps project and is presently working on starting up Quatrième Sexe/GEAN BINDLEY Art, her dance company.

Carl-Éric Hudon lives and works in Montreal. In the last ten years, he has released three indie-folk records under his name and two more with his pop-grunge band Panache. He also often plays bass and synths in numerous local bands (Navet Confit, Géraldine, Moussette). He occasionally works in the dance and theatre world as a sound designer/musician/composer (Quatrième Sexe/GEAN BINDLEY Art, Festival du Jamais Lu, Maribé – Sors de ce corps).

Jacinthe Léger-Leduc has graduated in Contemporary Dance of the University of Quebec in Montreal . At first, she has been attracted by theater . After having obtained her diploma in drama at Cégep de Saint-Laurent, she returned to her first love of dance by entering in the interpretive program of UQÀM Dance Department . Her academic career led her to touch among others, the work of Nicolas Cantin, Dominique Porte, Estelle Clareton , and working with choreographers such as Frederick Gravel, Danièle Desnoyers and Virginie Brunelle.

Gabriel Germain is a Graphic and Motion Designer, graduated in 2011 at UQAM in Graphic Design. After graduation he was part of the team of the agency Creatures Image Strategy and was also interested in motion graphics and photography. His experimental work, as presented Motion Designer is seen in some annual events such as Chromatic (2012), Fantasia (2012), Dérapage 2012 and Dérapage 2013. His photographic projects are implemented for some choreographers Philippe Dandonneau, Julie Barrette-Laperrière Sébastien Provencher and Geneviève Jean-Bindley. He works today as a freelance under the name Studio Punch, which he founded. His work is known for its productivity, creativity, and artistic and strategic advice. Its mandates have led him to develop several brands, especially for catering, events, theaters and startups.

Choreographer and performer Eryn Tempest
Sound design Thomas Christie

Eryn Tempest is an Edmonton expat. She began dancing at the age of fourteen and trained primarily with Gerry Morita of Mile Zero Dance, and Kathy Ochoa of K.O. Dance Productions. Eryn moved to Montreal in 2012 to attend Concordia University’s Contemporary Dance Program, which she completed in 2016.

Thomas V. Christie is an electroacoustic graduate, composer, sound installation artist, and multi-instrumentalist. His work focuses on the division and union between electronic, acoustic, and organic sound.

Choreographer and performer Manuel Shink
Repetitor Hélène Messier

A recent graduate from Concordia University in choreography, Manuel Shink had also completed a dance training at EDCMTL and had worked with several choreographers in Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, St. John, and Berlin. With a cinema and photography background, he works his dance material by giving specific attention to the rhythm, the space, the narrative and the ambiance. His signature is done with sensitivity, naivete, sensuality and an impredictable comical touch. He can make use of drag-queen, performance, butoh, and clown work. Manuel also has a Certificate in psychology. He has received two travel bursaries from the Canada Arts Council. He identifies as male but thinks and behaves sometimes as female.

Helene Messier have received her butoh training with Mario Veillette, Denyse Fujiwara, Jocelyne Montpetit, Yoshito, Ohno, Diego Pinon, Yumiko Yoshioka. She has danced for Mario Veillette, Katia-Marie Germain, Ample.man Danse and Valerie Sabbah. Bachelor graduate from Concordia in choreography, she based her creation work on imaginary, states of being and somatic studies, creating surreal and sensitive universes. Her creation had been shown at Common Space, la Nuit Blanche, Short and Sweet (FTA), Danses Buissonnières, Piss in the Pool and Quartiers Danses. She is currently studying her Master at UQAM, her interest is the role of awareness as a mean of spiritual emergence in dance.

Choreographer Virginie Desroches, Compagnie Le Black Hole
Performers Claire Jeannot, Myriam Foisy

Being formed in urban dances in its youth, Virginie Desroches receives the Bourse d’Excellence of the Cégep de Saint-Laurent for her DEC in dance in 2011. During her course at UQAM she perfected her work as an interpret with choreographers Frédérick Gravel, Virginie Brunelle and Danièle Desnoyers, and obtains her BAC in contemporary dance in 2015. In 2016, she had the opportunity to be mentored by David Albert-Toth to rework an extract of a piece during l’Espace Commun / Common Space presented by the Bouge d’ici festival, entitled Sorry I can’ t talk right now, which was also presented at the third edition of the Hors-Lits Montréal, last April. Today, Virginie is keeping busy establishing her new contemporary dance company, Le Black Hole, which presented the piece No means yes at the Fringe Festival in June 2016. In this piece which was nominated for the FRANKIE Awards in the category «most outstanding choreography» she raises reflections on the sensitive and complex question of consent. Today, Virginie is looking forward to develop her work with a duet called Who cares which explores the dichotomy between desire and disgust.

After a mixed training between theory and practice and between France and Quebec, Claire Jeannot invested herself as an interpret in contemporary dance, in Montreal. She touched the work of choreographers established during her training at UQAM: in particular Frédérick Gravel and Danièle Desnoyers. The presence on stage that she developed with these renowned artists is one of her strength, but it’s also through weighty work, as much on the floor as with impulses, that she marks her signature. Currently, it’s with emergent artists that she gets involved, in particular with the creations of the company Le Black Hole.

Sharing, communicating, helping: these are the key words that motivate Myriam Foisy and keep her focused on occupational therapy and contemporary dance. Stimulated by many humanitarian experiences overseas and her strong convictions, Myriam keeps questioning art, its reach and influences. Member of the collective S’Enfarger with Anne Cormerais and Jean-Benoît Labrecque and dancer for : le Black Hole, Chloé Bourdages-Roy and Castel Blast, Myriam graduated from l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2014 with the Sofia Borella scholarship. She performed in 2016 at the OFFTA, at l’Espace Libre, at Quartiers Danses, at the Fringe festival and in 2017 at Tangente.

Choreographer Lorraine Albert
Choreographer and performer Julie Robert
Performers Stefania Skoryna, Myriam Foisy, Catherine Dagenais-Savard, Audray Julien, Camille Gachot

Lorraine Albert is an interdisciplinary artist with specific interests in photography, sculpture, site-specific installation and movement. A graduate from Dawson College in Graphic Design, Lorraine worked in Australia and pursed her life education by backpacking around the world. She graduated from Concordia University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She has presented different explorations of Movement in Serra in several festivals, including Art Matters (2014), at the VAV Gallery (2015) and most recently, Bouge d’ici (2016). She has also participated in the FIMA Street Art Festival, the NDG Artwalk as well as Nuit Blanche. In 2015 she co-created the ephfem collective with Julie Robert.

After completing her studies at l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, Julie Robert joined the neo-classical company Le Jeune Ballet du Québec, continuing on to dance for Ballet Ouest de Montréal & Le Ballet Métropolitain de Montréal as a corps de ballet member. She continued to perfect her ballet training in the Cecchetti method under the mentorship of Alexis Simonot and Paula Urrutia, and in 2011 obtained her Cecchetti Associate Teacher’s certification (A.C.S.C – C.I.C.B.), awarded with honours. Seeking to expand her artistic practice, Julie completed the Professional Dance Program at L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2015, where she had the opportunity to dance works of many choreographers including Mélanie Demers, Frédérick Gravel, Darryl Tracy, Ginette Laurin, Estelle Clareton and the French collective (LA) Horde. Julie is especially interested in the precision of movement and is compelled by physical works. She co-created the ephfem collective in 2015 with Lorraine Albert.

Raised in a Polish family, Stefania Skoryna grew up in a Montreal English-speaking neighbourhood before learning French. Three cultures, three languages , and yet it is through dance she chose to express herself. For her, contemporary dance becomes a fourth language in its own, with its own symbols, syntax and nuances. She had the pleasure of working with Lina Cruz , Estelle Clareton and Manuel Rocque at EDCM. In 2016, Stefania dances La Meute by Mélanie Demers at the OFF.TA , coordinates and remounts the piece Avant les gens mouraient created by (LA) HORDE presented at the FTA headquarters, and creates two productions for ZOOFEST. Recently, she had the chance to perform for two young collectives: Castel Blast (Ma(G)ma, Espace Libre) and ephfem (Movement in Serra, National Monument). Several new projects and commitments will emerge with her desire to be involved in the dance community and share contemporary dance.

Born in Brownsburg-Chatham, Quebec, Canada, Catherine Dagenais-Savard discovers the magic of movement and music at the School of Dance and Arts Christiane Raymond inc. located in Lachute, Canada. Her pleasure of dancing has naturally led her to Montreal to undertake a professional training in contemporary dance, at the School of Contemporary Dance of Montreal, from 2011 to 2015. Her studies have allowed her to work with renowned choreographers such as Melanie Demers, Estelle Clareton and (LA) Horde. In parallel, she has developed, since 2003, a sustained interest in musical theatre and achieved a dream when she was cast for Mary Poppins, the musical, at the St-Denis Theatre in 2016. The art of movement still stays at the center of her artistic projects.

Sharing, communicating, helping: these are the key words that motivate Myriam Foisy and keep her focused on occupational therapy and contemporary dance. Stimulated by many humanitarian experiences overseas and her strong convictions, Myriam keeps questioning art, its reach and influences. Member of the collective S’Enfarger with Anne Cormerais and Jean-Benoît Labrecque and dancer for : le Black Hole, Chloé Bourdages-Roy and Castel Blast, Myriam graduated from l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2014 with the Sofia Borella scholarship. She performed in 2016 at the OFFTA, at l’Espace Libre, at Quartiers Danses, at the Fringe festival and in 2017 at Tangente.

Audray Julien completes the pre-university dance program in Cégep de Drummondville in 2012. L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (Québec, Canada) will complete her training in 2015. It is within this institution that she will have the chance to approach the work of many choreographers known in the professional environment of contemporary dance in Montreal such as Mélanie Demers, O Vertigo, Lina Cruz, French collective (LA) Horde, Frédérick Gravel, Estelle Clareton and Caroline Laurin-Beaucage. Since her graduation, she has participated in many projects such as Ma(g)ma by the collective Castel Blast, It will take women by Hélène Remoué/Productions Scala and Movement In Serra – 2nd et 3rd Movements by the ephfem collective. Described as a sensitive but impetuous dancer, the paths of sensibility, of authenticity and of ardor are the ones she prefers to take, but she won’t confine to them. She wishes for projects that will unite the power of words and of the body, projects that would be catching, powerful, inspiring, that would request a constructive thinking and perpetual blooming.

Native of Tours, France, Camille Gachot completes her five-year training at the Conservatoire de Tours and graduates from the École Supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower in 2012. She moves to Montréal, Canada to complete a contemporary dance training at l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, where she has the opportunity to work with several choreographers. She graduates in 2015 and has since worked alongside many artists. A free spirit, Camille always has creative projects in the works.