Preludes
In situ
Twenty performers surge through the urban space. Surrounded by the audience, the sometimes hypnotic, sometimes rapid pacing of this large ensemble piece captures the trance effect that emerges as the choreography unfolds. A ritual that takes the form of two site-specific dances and a film. A fluid, ethereal and intoxicating prologue to Rhapsodie.
Prelude #1 – The Circle
The dancers form an immense, undulating circle in the heart of the city. Nature's most widespread symbol, the circle, an organic form of gathering, instills a spirit of communion. Time and pleasure shared.
Prelude #2 – The Square
A figure of rigour and balance, the square expresses the desire to rediscover a form of stability in a world of uncertainty. In perfect unity, the performers bend to the rules of the parallelepiped they construct in space.
Each Prelude: 25 minutes
The Film
Immortalized on screen by the director Sandrick Mathurin, the two Preludes have been presented at several festivals in Canada and in Europe.
Credits
- CHOREOGRAPHY Sylvain Émard
- DANCERS Rodrigo Alvarenga, Sophie Breton, Charles Cardin-Bourbeau, Luis Cabanzo, Karina Champoux, Matéo Chauchat, Félix Cossette, Dylan Crossman, Marilyne Cyr, Marie-Michelle Darveau, Aurélie Figaro, Janelle Hacault, Mathieu Hérard, Kyra Jean Green, Christopher LaPlante, Nikita Perruzini, James Phillips, Matthew Quigley, Cara Roy, Marie-Philippe Santerre, Camille Trudel-Vigeant*
- REHEARSAL COACH Daniel Villeneuve
- ORIGINAL SCORE Poirier et Martin Tétreault
- COSTUMES Marilène Bastien
- TECHNICAL DIRECTOR François Marceau
- *Kimberley De Jong, Sara Hanley, Jee Lam, Alexandre Morin, Erin O'Loughlin, Nicolas Patry and François Richard were part of the original cast.
- With the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettre du Québec.
Review excerpts
"Both pieces are hypnotic to watch, and the dancers' technical mastery is tremendous, keeping subtle unity against a fluid, repeating soundtrack. Even as the choreography becomes more curved and intricate, they maintain the crispness of their formation. It creates the effect of a society, individually human, but moving as one."
—The List, Edinburgh, August 2021
"Émard’s choreography involves a lot of naturalistic-feeling movements. Watching, it feels as though the dancers are speaking a universal language of physical expression. It’s a nice reminder of dance’s ability to communicate cross-culturally, even when the dancers themselves can’t travel."
—Rosemary Waugh, The Stage, London, August 2021
Testimonials
Awards and acknowledgment
Videos
Calendar
2023
AUGUST
- Prelude #1 – The Circle, Centre sportif du Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup, RDL en spectacles, Canada
2022
SEPTEMBER
- Preludes, Esplanade de l'Amphithéâtre COGECO, Trois-Rivières, Canada
2021
OCTOBER
- Preludes, Place des Festivités, Théâtre Gilles-Vigneault, Saint-Jérôme, Canada
- Preludes, Esplanade of Place des Arts, Hors les murs, Danse Danse, Montréal, Canada
SEPTEMBER
- Preludes, plaza of the Théâtre Alphonse-Desjardins, Repentigny, Canada
FILM FESTIVALS
2021
DECEMBER
- Prelude #2 – The Square, Cinema Trianon, Athens Video Dance Project, Greece
- Prelude #2 – The Square, Galeria de Arquitectura, InShadow Festival Lisboa, Portugal
SEPTEMBER
- Prelude #1 – The Circle, Light Moves Festival, Irlande, online
AUGUST
- Prelude #1 – The Circle and Prelude #2 – The Square, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, online
MARCH
- Prelude #1 – The Circle, 39th International Festival of Films on Art (Le FIFA), Montréal, Canada, online
Credits
- CHOREOGRAPHY Sylvain Émard
- DANCERS Rodrigo Alvarenga, Sophie Breton, Charles Cardin-Bourbeau, Luis Cabanzo, Karina Champoux, Matéo Chauchat, Félix Cossette, Dylan Crossman, Marilyne Cyr, Marie-Michelle Darveau, Aurélie Figaro, Janelle Hacault, Mathieu Hérard, Kyra Jean Green, Christopher LaPlante, Nikita Perruzini, James Phillips, Matthew Quigley, Cara Roy, Marie-Philippe Santerre, Camille Trudel-Vigeant*
- REHEARSAL COACH Daniel Villeneuve
- ORIGINAL SCORE Poirier et Martin Tétreault
- COSTUMES Marilène Bastien
- TECHNICAL DIRECTOR François Marceau
- *Kimberley De Jong, Sara Hanley, Jee Lam, Alexandre Morin, Erin O'Loughlin, Nicolas Patry and François Richard were part of the original cast.
- With the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettre du Québec.
Calendar
2023
AUGUST
- Prelude #1 – The Circle, Centre sportif du Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup, RDL en spectacles, Canada
2022
SEPTEMBER
- Preludes, Esplanade de l'Amphithéâtre COGECO, Trois-Rivières, Canada
2021
OCTOBER
- Preludes, Place des Festivités, Théâtre Gilles-Vigneault, Saint-Jérôme, Canada
- Preludes, Esplanade of Place des Arts, Hors les murs, Danse Danse, Montréal, Canada
SEPTEMBER
- Preludes, plaza of the Théâtre Alphonse-Desjardins, Repentigny, Canada
FILM FESTIVALS
2021
DECEMBER
- Prelude #2 – The Square, Cinema Trianon, Athens Video Dance Project, Greece
- Prelude #2 – The Square, Galeria de Arquitectura, InShadow Festival Lisboa, Portugal
SEPTEMBER
- Prelude #1 – The Circle, Light Moves Festival, Irlande, online
AUGUST
- Prelude #1 – The Circle and Prelude #2 – The Square, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, online
MARCH
- Prelude #1 – The Circle, 39th International Festival of Films on Art (Le FIFA), Montréal, Canada, online
