Le Continental XL
A Sylvain Émard Danse and Festival TransAmériques co-production, co-presented by Quartier des spectacles.
Mix popular tradition and contemporary art. Combine highly festive line dancing with the fluidity and expressiveness of contemporary dance. When Sylvain Émard accepted the challenge of this unlikely marriage, he had no idea of the enthusiastic audience response he would unleash or of how extremely popular it would become.
In 2009 Le Grand Continental™ featured some sixty dancers. One year later, Le Très Grand Continental boasted 120 amateur and professional performers of all ages and backgrounds. That was followed by a presentation in Mexico of El Gran Continental where disco, techno and country music became cumbia, salsa and danzón.
In 2011, the concept has led to an entirely new piece. Making its world première at the Festival TransAmériques, Le Continental XL has a cast of some 200 amateur dancers performing at Place des Festivals from May 26 to 29. The choreography has become richer and the intermingling of genres stronger, but the wild passion of the dance remains as dangerously contagious as ever. The marriage of art and the village fête has indeed been consummated.
CHOREOGRAPHY Sylvain Émard
PROFESSIONAL DANCERS Nathalie Blanchet, Maryse Carrier, Mark Eden-Towle, Geneviève Gauvreau, Jean-François Légaré, Alexandre Parenteau, Julie Siméon, Catherine Viau
MUSIC Martin Tétreault, DJ Mini, El Instituto Mexicano del Sonido
LIVE MUSIC DJ Mini
LIGHTING DESIGN Bruno Rafie
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Marie-Andrée Lemire
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Gaëlle Créau
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“…expansive, fun-loving, extrovert choreography… Staged in brisk evening weather this past spring on the esplanade opposite Place des Arts, Émard’s latest Grand Continental had smoothly coordinated lines of dancers moving happily to popular tunes. It was a grand sight. Both music and choreography were as infectious with community spirit as a holiday parade.” Victor Swoboda, The Gazette, Montreal, 21 October 2011
“…Le Grand Continental, a “swing your partner” line dancing extravaganza, a square dance full of contemporary zest that is performed by passionate amateurs who, since 2009, have been taking the public arena by storm. Infectious and festive, it has proved to be a big hit, and Sylvain Émard has been riding the rising swell of the irresistible Continental wave.” Catherine Lalonde, Le Devoir, Montreal, 16 October 2011
“Two hundred people dance their hearts out. What's not to like?” Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 30 May 2011
« Delicious! » Georges Nicholson, Je l’ai vu à la radio, Première Chaîne Radio, Radio-Canada, Montréal, 28 May 2011
“An artistic experience that has an undeniable social, human and collective impact. 210 dancers form a huge breaker, a wave that is sometimes caressing and sometimes wild and boisterous, but always captivating. A veritable feast with energy that is contagious.” Christian St-Pierre, Voir.ca, Montreal, 27 May 2011
“People can’t get enough of it!” Pierre Landry, Daybreak, CBC Radio, Montréal, 25 May 2011
“...it touched something deeper than the mere desire to put on a show – the sheer pleasure people get from dance.” Alexandre Vigneault, La Presse, Montreal, 21 May 2011
CALENDAR
May 2011 – Place des Festivals, Festival TransAmériques, Montréal, Canada
October 2011 - Flashmob/Mini Continental, Piknic Électronique, Montréal, Canada
