posted June 07, 2001 14:49            

This is the 10th anniversary of Montreal's Festival International de Nouvelle Danse and it looks like it's going to be a real blockbuster. "Le grand labo" will extend over a period of three weeks from September 19th to October 6th. 500 international artists will include 53 choreographers from 8 countries, in 32 productions and 90 performances (9 world premieres and 13 North-American premieres). Some of the scheduled artists include:

Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Rosas), Daniel Larrieu, Mathilde Monnier and the White Oak Dance Project (Raquel Aedo, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Emily Coates, Rosalynde LeBlanc, Michael Lomeka, Emmanuèle Phuon, Keith Sabado).

For more exciting information about the FIND festival visit the website: www.festivalnouvelledanse.ca

criticaldance 'danser en français' link: Festival International de Nouvelle Danse 2001

posted June 10, 2001 09:06            

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An artistic laboratory
New-dance fest still daring

My phone has been ringing ever since the Festival International de Nouvelle Danse announced that Mikhail Baryshnikov is in its coming lineup. Besides wanting tickets to see the dance legend, callers seem confused about sorting out what the new-dance festival is all about.

Lured by Baryshnikov and his White Oak Dance Project, people who might never think of attending a new-dance festival are poised to buy tickets. If they expect to see ballet, they will be disappointed. At 53, Baryshnikov's ballet days are behind him. He is committed to modern dance and the program he's showing at the 10th edition of FIND is a tribute to the New York revolutionaries of the 1960s and '70s who defined what became known as post-modern dance.

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posted August 13, 2001 11:14            

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Festival lands a legend
Baryshnikov heads 10th new-dance fete

Ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and his White Oak Dance Project will headline this fall's 10th Festival International de Nouvelle Danse.

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posted August 16, 2001 19:17            

BTW, don't forget this nice little page:

posted September 01, 2001 18:55            

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The French invasion
Event gives Quebecers chance to see new face of culture in France

The season of the French has arrived in Quebec.

Over the next three months, Quebec will be inundated with cultural events intended to update the image of France in North America.

Dance is another key component of the French season, with more than a dozen shows, most of which are included in the Festival International de Nouvelle Danse.

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posted September 02, 2001 06:43            

If you are between 16 and 25 years old, with a strong desire to move and wish to take part in a collective experience follow this link: http://www.legrandlabo.com/en/compagnies/03_9x9inscription.html

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During a 7 day workshop-rehearsal period, Flemish choreographer Christine De Smedt assisted by a group of 6 professional dancers will create the basic material for a large scale dance-performance with 81 young performers/workshop participants. Invited by the Festival international de nouvelle danse, Christine De Smedt is fascinated by mass and crowd phenomenons and their relationship to physical as well as cultural movement. 9 x 9 views its participants as equals and creates a choreography where each and everyone can participate on their own terms.

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posted September 13, 2001 16:33            

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Festival seasons don’t die in Montréal, they just move indoors. So, on the heels of the Montréal World Film Festival, which wrapped up over Labor Day weekend, the biennial Festival International de Nouvelle Danse promises to “turn the Montréal scene inside out” from September 19 to October 6. And upside down and sideways, by the looks of the FIND festival program.

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More

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Jeffrey E. Salzberg, Lighting Designer
"Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm und drang in the air!"
Online portfolio: http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg

posted September 13, 2001 17:27            

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Dance and deliver
>> This season brings one fantastic festival and much multidisciplinary movement

It's that time of the year again, where dance options are overwhelming and my calendar is screaming with shows to see. Since 2001 marks the biennial Festival International de Nouvelle Danse (FIND), there's a choice of over 100 shows over the next four weeks.

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posted September 19, 2001 07:38            

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Prime moving, shaking

The 10th edition of the Festival International de Nouvelle Danse starts tonight but nobody - not even the organizers - knows who will come out on top when the Prix du Public honours the most popular show at the closing ceremony on Oct. 6.

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posted September 20, 2001 08:18            

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Sombre mood bad for box office

Ticket sales for 10th-anniversary shows at the Festival International de Nouvelle Danse are down by half and organizers said they are worried the public response won't pick up.

(FIND president Chantal) Pontbriand said the public's grim mood following last week's terrorist attacks in the United States is behind the apparent lack of interest.

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posted September 20, 2001 08:26            

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Some FIND of wonderful
>> Highlights of the dance festival's week one

By the time you read this, this city's 10th Festival International de Nouvelle Danse will be in full swing. The following are some things to watch out for in week one.

On the local scene, the Fondation Jean-Pierre Perreault is presenting a world-premiere of Les Ombres. This intimate choreographic installation allows audience members to sit in solitude with their own private view of the show. If you haven't yet visited the company's newly revamped headquarters, the Espace Choréographique, it's worth the trip. And if you want to check out more of this spot's nooks and crannies, there's an open house Sept. 28 and 29, noon-5 p.m.

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posted September 20, 2001 11:41            

"La dance est une fête"
--Chantal Pontbriand, Présidente-directrice, FIND

In spite of slow ticket sales which have been attributed to the terrorist attacks in the United States, those in attendance at the opening night of le grand labo seemed to be in a festive mood. It started with the eruption of a spontaneous wave just prior to the O Rumo do Fumo show at l'Agora de la danse, which travelled through the five sets of bleachers set in the round. At the Jérôme Bel show the audience could scarcely contain themselves (and one gentleman in particular, did not contain himself at all, hooting and catcalling through the opening speeches and applauding whenever he felt the urge-until the dark stares of those around him produced the retort, "I can applaud if I want to." "Yes. You can applaud," someone answered back, which resulted in a lot of laughter.)

This festival truly is a laboratory, a mix of actions and reactions, challenging preconceived notions and ideas of what "novelle danse" is and where it's going in the millennium. Pontbriand and the programming team of the FIND are to be congratulated for taking on this difficult challenge and attempting to stir up the mix with shows that may or may not be every dance lover's cup of tea. "Is this dance? Do I care?" were questions I asked myself during the course of the evening. By the end, it didn't seem to matter much. In the end, I came away entertained and looking forward to the rest of what le grand labo has to offer.

posted September 22, 2001 08:56            

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Dance without borders
Experiments in movement expand audience's understanding of the art

Exuberant spectators leaping out of their seats in hockey-game waves. Tears streaming down cheeks after a moving performance. Isolated individuals in dark cubicles watching a changing human landscape. These memories are from the opening days of the Festival International de Nouvelle Danse 2001.

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posted September 24, 2001 07:52            

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Stretching boundaries of dance
Montreal festival an artistic laboratory for volatile genres

It's the "nouvelle" in Festival International de Nouvelle Danse that makes this dance festival distinct from all others. From its inception in 1985, it has steadily widened the parameters of what we consider dance.

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posted September 27, 2001 07:23            

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Beautiful search for muse and love

Tumbling towers of huge cardboard boxes. Piles of sack-like fabric pulled out to create a desolate landscape. A woman splayed out on the floor like a broken doll. Apocalyptic images, created well before Sept. 11, spark instant associations with the events of that day.

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posted October 07, 2001 13:00            

The closing night of le grand labo included Festival Director, Chantal Pontbriand's announcement of the "Prix du Public." First place was taken by Britain's Russel Maliphant and second place was awarded to Montréal's Compagnie Marie Chouinard, both deserving recipients. Afterwards, the DJ spun and the crowd danced into the night. The promised video link to New York didn't seem to be happening but nobody seemd to notice or care. Three weeks made for a long festival, it was a good opportunity to let loose.

After seeing three weeks of dance, and virtually every show in the festival, people have been asking me were the highlights for me. I don't know that any particular show stood out for me this time as the total package. I enjoyed Compagnie Marie Chouinard but I had seen both of the pieces a couple of years ago so they didn't have the same impact as they did upon first viewing them. Jérôme Bel, O Rumo do Fumo (Vera Mantero), Christine De Smedt and Thomas Lehman provided amusing dance-theatre explorations. O Vertigo (Ginette Laurin) and Rosas choreography swept me away. The narratives in both works, not so much.

The concept of providing "an experimental lab" for three weeks of viewing was challenging at times as an an audience member. And I am still bewildered that Daniel Larrieu's piece was even programmed in the festival. His was one of the many endurance tests that I survived over the past three weeks. I realize I should be grateful that it was one of the few pieces that did not require me to view anyone's gentialia, although in this case, that may have been preferrable to what was on stage.

posted October 08, 2001 05:57            

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Fierce few got this 10th anniversary moving

Now, after 18 days and 100 performances, it's time to look back on what the Festival International de Nouvelle Danse has revealed about the state of new dance today.

Unfortunately, it seems to be caught in a theoretical labyrinth. The 10th anniversary edition of FIND, which ended Saturday, questioned the nature and direction of new dance. This academic approach made it hard to get excited about the movement. Where was the joy of dance? Where was the sense of liberty?

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posted October 12, 2001 12:31            

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Montreal fest could be model for Hub

Theodore Bale, Boston Herald

If Boston wants to become a significant player in the international dance community, it will need to offer its own major dance festival. Montreal's recent ``Festival International de Nouvelle Danse'' could serve as the perfect example of how to do it right.

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