Solo 70, Paul-André Fortier's final piece, will be performed at the National Arts Centre on November 25 and 26, 2018. “To mark 40 years of choreography and to celebrate my 70^th birthday, I have decided to create and perform a final solo under my company’s banner,” says Paul-André Fortier.

Solo 70, Fortier's latest piece, will be the last one produced by the choreographer with Fortier Danse-Création. The company will close its doors on December 31, 2018. The choreographer, in consultation with Gilles Savary, the company’s executive director for the past 27 years, came to this decision after long and hard consideration.

Wanting to go out with a bang, Paul-André Fortier has gathered an outstanding team. He will be joined on stage by Jackie Gallant on the electric guitar and actor Etienne Pilon. The text is written by author Étienne Lepage, and stage design by Ottawa-born artist Marc Séguin.

“In creating this final solo, I pulled out all the stops and took great pleasure in surrounding myself with artists and collaborators whose work I deeply admire. It took us two years to build this show –two luminous years of research, work, dialogue, and exchange,” adds the choreographer.

Furthermore, as Paul-André Fortier is coming to the end of his dance career, he has graciously donated the set and archival materials of La tentation de la transparence (1991) to the National Arts Centre. As one of the co-producers of the piece in 1991, the NAC is thrilled to accept this work into its collection of fine art and performing arts archive. More details on the exhibition dates to come.

ABOUT PAUL-ANDRÉ FORTIER

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Paul-André Fortier has made an immense contribution to contemporary dance in Canada as a pioneering creator, performer and teacher. He has created some 50 choreographies, including solos, group pieces

and site-specific works. A performer with a striking presence, this self-described “man who dances” challenges himself by imposing spatial, time and technique constraints that push his own limits and those of his art. Inspired by the crossover of various artistic disciplines, he has collaborated with other leading artists, including Françoise Sullivan, Betty Goodwin, Robert Racine, Alain Thibault, Robert Morin and Malcolm Goldstein.

Paul-André Fortier began his performance career in the 1970s as a member of Le Groupe Nouvelle Aire, dancing in some of the first works of his peers (Edouard Lock, Daniel Léveillé). In 2010, he was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. In 2012, he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2018, he received the Ordre national du Québec. At the age of 70, Paul-André Fortier is still performing, offering audiences a unique take on dance polished by maturity.

SOLO 70

Directed by: Paul-André Fortier & Étienne Lepage
Dancer & Choreographer: Paul-André Fortier
Text: Étienne Lepage
Actor: Étienne Pilon
Music (composer and performer): Jackie Gallant
Lighting design: Jock Munro
Set design: Marc Séguin
Costumes: Denis Lavoie