The Prix de la Danse-winning piece (Grand Prix and Envol prizes, 2020) continues its international tour of the Americas and Europe. http://prixdeladanse.com/en/laureat/rhodnie-desir-2/

March 9, 2023 – OTTAWA (Canada) – Witness a conversation between the present and the past delivered through choreographer Rhodnie Désir. Her BOW’T TRAIL Rétrospek, the ambassador piece in the BOW’T series, and an NAC co-production, comes to the Azrieli Studio on March 17-18.

In 2013, Rhodnie Désir created the work BOW'T. The 10th anniversary of the project was celebrated on March 5. From this, nine pieces in nine locations and various powerful documentary elements (web documentary, web series, medium-length film) were created, as well as an exhibition. The totality of this journey bears the name BOW'T TRAIL. Today, the sole work that is touring is BOW'T TRAIL Retrospek.

Driven by a desire to transcend her origins, the choreographer carried research in Martinique, Brazil, Haïti, Canada, Mexico and the United States, collecting more than 130 personal stories and immersing herself in the African cultures and rhythms of the people who were deported there. On stage, Rhodnie Désir is accompanied by two master musicians as she is transported by these rhythms.

Since it premiered at Espace Libre in Montreal in 2020, this landmark work and the artist’s pioneering choreographic–documentary approach have been showered with acclaim and honours.

Download video and photos here: https://c.nac.ca/3JrDDjW

ABOUT RHODNIE DÉSIR

Choreographer-documentalist and artistic director of RD Créations, Rhodnie Désir has created about fifteen pieces, like BOW'T TRAIL Retrospek and her pioneering memoir journey BOW'T TRAIL have earned her two awards from the Prix de la danse de Montréal (2020): The Prix Envol and the Grand Prix. In 2021, she was chosen as one of the "25 to watch" by Dance Magazine in New York and nominated for the prestigious career award “The APAP Award of Merit”. In 2022, she received the “Danseuse de l’année” award at the Gala Dynastie and she became the first Associate Artist of the famous Place des Arts institution in Montreal.

Her documentary and Afro-contemporary choreographic signature is rooted in rhythmic languages. A performer and orator of remarkable power, her words and her international civic actions unite beyond dance, and then shine as at UNESCO.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION

In-person in the Azrieli Studio March 17-18, 8 pm

To purchase tickets, visit https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/31883 or call 1-844-985-2787

(ARTS). To find out what you need to know before accessing the building and facilities, click: https://nac-cna.ca/en/visit

Visit the NAC website to learn more about the 2022–2023 NAC Dance season. https://nac-cna.ca/en/dance

THANK YOU TO OUR NAC DANCE SPONSORS

NAC Dance and the NAC Foundation would like to thank the donors and partners who have made the season possible. Thank you to our Hotel Partner, the Lord Elgin Hotel. The role of Executive Producer, NAC Dance is generously supported by an anonymous donor.

ABOUT THE NAC

The National Arts Centre is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-prod uces performing arts programming in various streams — the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre in collaboration with Black Theatre Workshop, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety — and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe.