≈ 1 hour and 10 minutes · No intermission
Last updated: January 18, 2024
A Note from the Executive Producer, NAC Dance
Good evening,
You don’t turn 20 every day!
Welcome to tonight’s performance, where we will not only enter the fascinating world of Victor Quijada, RUBBERBAND’s artistic director and choreographer, but also celebrate an important milestone: the company’s 20th anniversary. Tonight we are not just observers, but privileged participants in a two-decade journey of artistic evolution, innovation and pure passion.
This evening is a tribute to the unwavering commitment and creativity that have shaped the company’s remarkable journey. Reckless Underdog reflects three distinct periods in the years of artistic exploration and fearless expression that have propelled RUBBERBAND to the forefront of the dance world.
Tonight, RUBBERBAND is in the spotlight, literally and figuratively! Together, let’s salute the talent of Victor Quijada and the artists and creators who have fuelled RUBBERBAND’s success over the past two decades, and welcome them to the National Arts Centre.
May the next 20 years be filled with just as much innovation and inspiration!
Reckless Underdog
RUBBERBAND’s new creation, Reckless Underdog, takes the company’s work of the past twenty years further than ever. Bigger than ever, the show features 11 dancers who come together in a three-act choreography. Each part offers a unique proposition; three distinct universes, in terms of stage space, aesthetic choices and music.
The first, inspired by classical ballet, takes place in a circumscribed and luminous environment where the rules of pas de deux are redefined. The second, more experimental, distorts certain theatrical codes within a coloured space and confronts the bodies with an abstract and minimal approach to movement. The last one deconstructs the practice of break cypher, in a dark, oppressive, but festive atmosphere.
For Victor Quijada, artistic director and choreographer, a new era is opening for the company. Reckless Underdog promises to take us on a lyrical and figurative dissection of movement, boldly exploring the limits of time and space.
About RUBBERBAND
Founded in Montreal in 2002, RUBBERBAND immediately wowed audiences and critics with three creations presented at Espace Tangente over two seasons, while also performing several smaller-scale works in mixed programs and self-produced evenings throughout the city. Tender Loving Care and Hasta La Próxima were both included in Le Devoir’s “Top 5 in Dance for 2002”, while Elastic Perspective began a 100-performance run in 2003 after winning the RIDEAU Prize at the Vue sur la relève Festival. During the 2003-2004 season, RUBBERBAND was granted a residency at Usine C to create Slicing Static, which was hailed as Best Dance Production of 2004 by the Hour, Montreal’s cultural weekly newspaper (now Cult MTL).
In 2005, Anne Plamondon joined RUBBERBAND as Artistic Co Director, assisting Victor Quijada with the company’s strategic planning. Another residency at Usine C in 2006 was followed by a four-year stint as artists-in-residence at Place des Arts. During this period, with the support of several partners, four new works were created: Punto Ciego and AV Input/Output in 2008, Loan Sharking in 2009, and Gravity of Center in 2011. In 2013, Quijada created Empirical Quotient for six dancers trained in the RUBBERBAND Method.
The company then created Vic’s Mix in 2016, a kind of “Greatest Hits” of Quijada’s work. In 2017, as part of the Celebrations of Montreal’s 375th Anniversary, the members of the company were joined by thirty students from the École supérieure de ballet du Québec and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal to dance in the multidisciplinary performance City Thread on the Esplanade of the Place des Arts. In 2018, Victor Quijada directed ten dancers on the immense stage of the Maisonneuve Theater in Ever So Slightly. 2020 marked the return of Victor Quijada to the stage as a dancer in Trenzado, a piece that raises the question of what it is to be from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
The company’s newest creation, Reckless Underdog, propels the company’s achievements of the last twenty years to new heights. In a larger-than-life work, thirteen dancers come together in a choreography of three acts. Each part, a piece in itself, draws spectators into a unique, complex world through its distinctive scenography, music, and movement aesthetic.
RUBBERBAND also co-produced six films choreographed by Quijada, four of which are co-directed by him: Ever So Slightly, Gravity of Center, Secret Service and Small Explosions That Are Yours to Keep. Gravity of Center won in 2012 “Les Enfants Terribles” and “Air Canada” awards at the Rendez-Vous du Cinéma Québécois festival, as well as awards for Best Experimental Short Film and Best Cinematography in a Canadian Short Film at the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, among others. Hasta La Próxima, made in 2003, was a finalist in the short film category at the American Choreography Awards. Quijada is also involved in the creation of three music videos for the songs Man I Used to Be by k-os, La Garde by Alexandre Désilets and Blue Wonderful by Elton John.
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, RUBBERBAND has represented Canadian artistic innovation across the United States, and in Europe, Mexico, and Japan. At the forefront of Montreal’s dance community, the company is recognized internationally for its original vision of contemporary dance.
Artists
Since 2002, Victor Quijada and RUBBERBAND have not only redefined break dance codes within an institutional context and enlivened the Quebec dance scene, but have opened the way for new creators fascinated by this dance form. Armed with a technique he conceived for dancers, the RUBBERBAND Method – an electrifying vocabulary combining the energy of Hip Hop, the refinement of classical ballet, and the angular quality of contemporary dance – and some 40 creations and collaborations in Canada and abroad behind him, Victor Quijada has always continued to evolve and innovate throughout his prolific career.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, the child of Mexican parents, Victor first danced in the b-boying circles and hip-hop clubs of his native city. He performed with Rudy Perez from 1994 to 1996, then moved to New York City to join THARP! After spending three years with that company and following a stint with Ballets Tech, in 2000 he came to Montreal to join Les Grands Ballets canadiens. In 2002, he founded RUBBERBAND, throwing himself into deconstructing the choreographic principles he had learned by blending them with the raw ideology of his street dance origins. His creations – numerous short works and 14 full-length productions – are distinguished by a powerful theatricality, the energy of improvisation, and certain codes of film language, the whole sculpted with an incomparable precision of movement.
For several years now, Victor has taught the RUBBERBAND Method throughout the world in workshops and internships for many dance companies, dance schools, and universities, as well as on a yearly basis in RBDG’s workshop for professional dancers; at the Académie du Domaine Forget in Charlevoix every summer; and in his classes at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California (USC). As guest choreographer, he has created new works for dance and circus companies; notably in return commissions for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Scottish Dance Theatre.
Besides his stage productions, Victor has been involved in almost a dozen dance films, as director, choreographer, or dramaturge. His short film, Hasta La Próxima, was a finalist at the American Choreography Awards in 2004. He also choreographed the music videos Man I Used to Be by k-os, La garde by Alexandre Désilets, and Elton John’s Blue Wonderful. His Gravity of Center – The Movie won Best Experimental Short at the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival of 2012, among other awards, and was shown at several exhibitions and national and international festivals.
In the area of peer recognition, Victor Quijada was artist-in-residence at Usine C (2004 and 2006) and at Place des Arts (2007-2011), and has won many awards, including Britain’s National Dance Award for Outstanding Modern Repertory (2003), the Bonnie Bird North American Award (2003, U.K.), the Peter Darrell Choreography Award (2003, U.K.), the International Touring Award of the Canadian Dance Alliance (2012), and two awards from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (Choreography Fellowship, 2010; Work in Progress Residency, 2016).
In December 2017, Victor Quijada received the award for cultural diversity at the Prix de la danse de Montréal and was, in 2019, one of the finalists for the 34th Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de Montréal as well as among the four finalists for the 2019 Charles-Biddle Prize, instigated by Culture pour tous and the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation and Inclusion (MIFI).
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Paco Ziel, born in Mexico City, began his dance training at l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec. An early interest in body awareness led him to discover diverse movement approaches such as Gaga, the RUBBERBAND Method, and Feldenkrais, as well as yoga and meditation. In 2014, he founded the multidisciplinary lab, Quantum Collective, whose work was presented twice by Tangente in Montreal. Paco has performed with Montreal-based artists and companies that include Edgar Zendejas, PPS Danse, Anne Plamondon, and Martin Messier. Since 2019, he has co-directed VIAS, a dance company that alternates between Montreal and Mexico City. He is a self-taught filmmaker and photographer with a main focus on the human body, movement, and natural landscapes. Paco has danced with RUBBERBAND since 2015, and is also the company’s artistic coordinator.
Brontë Poiré-Prest hails from Montreal. She fell in love with the art of movement at L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, where she had the good fortune to collaborate with renowned choreographers Angélique Willkie, Hélène Blackburn, and Alan Lake, among others. After graduating, she was invited to work at several well-established companies in Montreal, including Van Grimde Corps Secrets and Le Carré des Lombes, and as a freelancer for Compagnie Marie Chouinard. Brontë joined RUBBERBAND in 2018.
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Rion Taylor established his roots in dance through the hip-hop culture of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Nurtured by Bad Taste Cru, he joined Battalions Crew in 2013 and competed throughout the UK and Europe. Training under Akram Khan with the National Youth Dance Company inspired him to continue his exploration at London Contemporary Dance School, where he worked with Hofesh Shechter, Dane Hurst, and Punch Drunk, among other artists. At the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he performed with the James Cousins Company in Rosalind, which won an award for Best Moments of the Festival. Moving to Montreal in 2018 to work with RUBBERBAND, he has continued to represent the company performing throughout Canada, USA and internationally, as well as recently taking on the role of Artistic Coordinator. Rion has been working closely with Jessica Muszynski since 2020, establishing himself alongside the emerging choreographer as a dancer, performing in festivals within Québec.
Daniela Jezerinac was born in Mississauga, Ontario, where she began her dance training at a local studio. While continuing to pursue her artistic career at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, she performed several works by José Limón, Colin Connor, and Robert Glumbek. In the fall of 2019, she completed her BFA in Dance at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, where she had the honour of performing pieces choreographed by Kevin Wynn, Alexandra Beller, and Hannah Garner. Daniela joined RUBBERBAND in 2018.
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Jessica Joy Muszynski is a Canadian dancer and choreographer originally from Burnaby, B.C., where she trained in ballet at the Richmond Academy of Dance before moving to Calgary in 2012. In May 2019, she earned a BFA in dance from the University of Southern California, performing in excerpts of works by William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Victor Quijada. After graduation, Jessica starred in a music video by the band half•alive, which received over two million views. She danced with Aszure Barton & Artists during the creation process of the company’s work, Where There’s Form. Jessica moved to Montreal to dance with RUBBERBAND in 2019.
Mackenzie Corrales resides from the small town of Templeton, California. She started her dance training at a local studio before moving to San Jose, California at the age of 15 to train with Nor Cal Dance Arts under the direction of Tawnya Kuzia. After graduating high school in 2020 Mackenzie moved to Vancouver, British Columbia to dance with Arts Umbrella’s prestigious Graduate Program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. During her studies she had the opportunity to work with dance artists such as Eric Beauchesne, Francsico Martinez, Victor Quijada, Acacia Schachte, Cindy Selgado, Anna Herrmann, among others. She has performed pieces by world renowned artists such as Crystal Pite, Sidi Larbi, Anne Plamondon, Fernando Hernando Magadan, and Nacho Duato. Mackenzie joined RUBBERBAND in 2022.
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Emma-Lynn Mackay-Ronacher resides from small town Kemptville, Ontario, where she started dancing at a local studio before moving to Montreal at the age of 14, to continue her training at L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec. She graduated at the age of 19, after five years in the professional program where she trained in classical and contemporary dance. Upon graduation, Emma began freelancing for renowned choreographers and companies, such as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Anne Plamondon Productions, Gioconda Barbuto and Veronique Giasson, among others. Emma-Lynn joined RUBBERBAND in 2021.
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Cindy Mateus, from Montreal, trained in rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, and contemporary dance, deciding on a dance career after her meeting with choreographer Amy Gardner. She specialized in classical ballet and contemporary dance at L’Académie du Ballet Métropolitain from 2012 to 2018. She stood out in several competitions, winning a first prize in the Youth America Grand Prix (2019), and for two years, was invited to attend the Junior Training Program of the Broadway Dance Center in New York, concentrating on jazz and classical ballet. She then danced for several choreographers at different venues. Among her television appearances, she was one of the top 14 in the second season of the Quebec TV dance program, “Révolution”. Cindy teaches dance and has choreographed works for numerous studios and events. She discovered RUBBERBAND during the intensive workshop at Domaine Forget and joined the company in 2021.
Wyeth Walker grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he began his training under Denise Wall. This led him to attend the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, where he was able to study with and perform work by Peter Chu, Barak Marshall, Jermaine Spivey, and William Forsythe, among others. After graduating in 2022, Wyeth attended Springboard Danse Montreal. He joined RUBBERBAND in 2022.
Born in Montreal, Zao Dinel grew up in a family of six that valued sports as well as art. He was home schooled, allowing him to practice men's artistic gymnastics, swimming and sailing at a competitive level, while studying violin at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal until he was introduced to dance. In 2012, he began his professional training at the École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec and fell in love with dance. Zao is curious, observant and very social. He is full of energy, great enthusiasm and always ready for a challenge, whether it is a new dance style or repertoire he has never experienced. He is driven by three important passions - music, dance and film - and has a strong sense of collaboration. Thus, he finds pleasure in surrounding himself with artists from various disciplines for improvisations or creations. It was during the 2022 edition of Springboard Danse Montréal that Zao was exposed to the repertoire of RUBBERBAND, which he joined in 2022.
A native of Norfolk ,Virginia, Dareon Blowe is a Dancer/Choreographer who is interested in investigative movement research, disrupting hierarchies in the body, and tuning into Impulses. He obtained his BFA from The George Mason School of Dance on a full scholarship, under the artistic direction of Susan Shields & Karen Reedy. During his time there, Dareon was awarded the Excellence in Performance award due to his adaptability in multiple Residencies. Throughout his career he has worked with the likes of Kyle Abraham, Rena Butler, Sidra Bell, Doug Varone, Wayne Mcgregor, Robert Battle, Rafael Bonachela, Micaela Taylor, Camille Brown and more. He has attended professional development programs like SpringBoard Danse Montreal, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, and Bodytraffic SI. Currently, he is going into his first year as an Apprentice with Rubberband Dance Company under the artistic direction of Victor Quijada.
Credits
Music
Musical Direction, Co-Composer
Jasper Gahunia
Composer (original creations)
Chilly Gonzales
Composer (original creations)
Kid Koala
Composers (original creations and repertoire tracks)
Vlooper & KenLo Craqnuques
Alaclair Ensemble
Musician
William Lamoureux
Chilly Gonzales
Music from the album Solo Piano III performed by Chilly Gonzales
Written by Jason "Chilly Gonzales" Beck (SACEM)
Published by Gentle Threat Ltd (SACEM)
Courtesy of Gentle Threat Ltd
Production Credits
Artistic Coordination
Rion Taylor
Lighting Design
Jon Cleveland
Costume Design
Cloé Alain-Gendreau
Dramaturgy
Mathieu Leroux
Technical Direction
Marcin Bunar
Head Machinist
Philippe Lafrance
Scenography Consulting
Pierre-Étienne Locas
Production and Tour Manager
Diana Catalina Cárdenas
Executive Director
Fannie Bellefeuille
Director of Communications
Salomé Boniface
Promotional materials (photo and video)
Arnaud Vaillancourt
Sasha Onyshchenko
Marie-Noële Pilon
Damian Siqueiros
Reckless Underdog is a coproduction of RUBBERBAND, Danse Danse, Diffusion Hector-Charland and Le Carré 150, as well as a residency project supported by La danse sur les routes du Québec, Salle Pauline-Julien and ASU Gammage.
With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
Thank you to Annie-Claude Coutu-Geoffroy for her support and Caisse de la Culture for their support for the project Training of the next generation | RUBBERBAND Method.
NAC Dance Team
Executive Producer
Caroline Ohrt
Senior Producer
Tina Legari
Special Projects Coordinator and Assistant to the Executive Producer
Mireille Nicholas
Company Manager
Sophie Anka
Education Associate and Teaching Artist
Siôned Watkins
Technical Director
Brian Britton
Communications Strategist
Alexandra Campeau
Marketing Strategist
Marie-Chantale Labbé-Jacques
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees