Taking root in Montreal and unfolding on three continents, Danse Mutante is a choreographic project led by Mélanie Demers that reinvents the concepts of collaboration and co-creation. For this international project, Mélanie’s original choreography on the duo of Francis Ducharme and Riley Sims is reinterpreted, or “mutated”, in turn by choreographers Ann Liv Young (US), Kettly Noël (Mali) and Ann Van den Broek (Antwerp/Rotterdam).
Working within a defined set of parameters, each choreographer is invited to take the previous version and create her own mutation of the piece by remixing, reinventing and corrupting it as she pleases. The project culminates in a marathon event that brings together the work of all four choreographers.
Since its creation in 2007, MAYDAY has become a place of exchange and reflection - an artistic think tank - for the artists working with choreographer and Artistic Director Mélanie Demers. They come from various spheres: some from Montreal, where the company is based, while others come from around the world. The physicality, the rhythm and the images used in the choreographies are characteristic elements of MAYDAY, where the maturation of the work is a collective process
The National Creation Fund’s investment of $90,000 provided the artists with additional time to prepare for each residency, and increased each of the three invited choreographers’ creation time. The investment also facilitated an augmented creation period for the lighting design of the final work.
Co-producer: Agora de la danse
Developed with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund and Theaterfestival Boulevard.
This is one of the 200 exceptional projects funded through the Canada Council for the Arts’ New Chapter program. With this $35M investment, the Council supports the creation and sharing of the arts in communities across Canada.
September 17 to 21, 2019: World premiere of final marathon work at Edifice Wilder (Montreal), presented by Agora de la danse
November 28, 2019: Circuit-Est - Studio Jeanne-Renaud (Montreal)
March 12 to 14, 2020: Museo Universitario del Chopo (Mexico City)
August 11 to 13, 2020: Theatrefestival Boulevard (‘s-Hertogenbosch) - postponed
September 23, 2020: Theater Rotterdam - postponed
October 21 and 22, 2020: Seoul International Dance Festival - postponed
October 31 and November 1, 2020: Tanzfestival Rhein-Main (Darmstadt) - postponed
January 26 to 30, 2021: Théâtre National de Chaillot (Paris)