Pluie (Rain)
One of this festivals favourite choreographers, Sylvain mard, makes a welcome return with a strikingly powerful new piece.
This latest creation, a pas-de-deux, is the first part of a creative cycle entitled Climatology of the Body - climate acting here as a metaphor for whatever elements affect our lives. The choreography recognises, and conveys, the degrees of influence that others exert on us, as well as the impact that circumstances - often beyond our control - can have on our actions and reactions. mard looks deep inside an existing relationship between a man and a woman, as if tracking highs and lows, storms and depressions... charting how they respond when the rains (or tears?) come.
Marc Boivin and Sandra Lapierre are both seasoned dancers, possessed of exceptional technique: their sensitivity to the layers of meaning in mards choreography makes for an outstanding and insightful performance .
Collaborators on Pluie include visual artist Edward Pien (set design), electro acoustic composer Tim Hecker (original score), Etienne Boucher (lighting), and the designer Yso (costumes).
Sylvain mard founded his company in 1987. He has produced over twenty different works and his pleasingly individual choreographic style is considered one of the delights of the Montreal arts scene. His is a vividly developed movement-vocabulary based primarily on the senses, a rich, generous language that encompasses what we feel, think, do and dream. He is recipient of the renowned Jean A. Chalmers Award for choreography (1996) and the Canada Councils Jacqueline Lemieux Award (1991).
Support has been provided by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Qubec;
The Canadian Council for the Arts; Conseil des arts de Montral;
Fonds de stabilisation et de consolidation des arts et de la culture du Qubec.
Sylvain mard will teach a masterclass at Scottish Ballet studios on Fri 18 March, 1000 - 1130. Open to independent dancers, to book email cindy.sughrue@scottishballet.co.uk before 1st March.