January 14, 15, 16, 7:30 PM, January 17, 4 PM
1976 - Dana Michel (BAND OF BLESS)
1976 is the choreographic anthem of the adventurous International Musical Chairs project. The project, which was conceived as an ode to the musicians Michel loves and to the dancers she has yet to meet, will tour nationally and internationally after its premiere at Tangente. Following its debut, 1976 strives to morph as it travels. While Michel will continue to perform in the piece, it will welcome the new interpretation of a locally-based musician and dancer each time it touches down in a different city. 1976 will be remixed in sound and in movement along the way, culminating in a second and mutated round of presentations in Montreal post-travel. Before and after: See how it grows.
Supremely personal and with a punk meets athletics meets fashion sensibility, the work will be interpreted in Montreal by Dana Michel and Ashlea Watkin. The 30-minute choreography features an original soundtrack composed by indie electronic music composer Montag, costuming by the androgynous and architectural stylings of complexgeometries and inspired set design by French interdisciplinary artist Mathieu Leger.
DANA MICHEL
Michel is a mover. Her training scales tip towards athletics. Before tossing herself into dance at twenty-five, she was competitively involved in track and touch football – pivotal in her constructions. Her work has been presented extensively since 2005 including on Mange ta Ville - a program on ARTV (RadioCanada), at DanceOff! PS122 - New York, at The Proving Ground – Salt Lake City and at The Festival of Choreographic Miniatures - Belgrade, Serbia. Her award-winning solo, "the greater the weight" was adapted to film by Mouvement Perpetuel and has been touring internationally since 2007.
A relative newcomer to contemporary dance, Dana has already been recognized for her achievements, winning the Studio 303 Best Dance Production prize at the Montreal Fringe Festival and the Montreal Hour's "Best in Dance" in 2005. In 2006, she was named "Best Emerging Choreographer" by the Globe and Mail. By popular vote, she’s been twice listed in the Mirror's Best of Montreal (2008 and 2009) top ten choreographers. Most recently, the film version of "the greater the weight" won the jury prize for the best performance at the International Festival of Video Dance and Performance in Lisbon.
"Michel… is a killer soloist who tackles the warped, frenetic and fierce rhythms of her piece with precision and fiery authority…"
(InfiniteBody, 2007)
“… her dances are gripping to watch and choreographically extraordinary.” (The Dance Current, 2006)
Co-Artistic Direction, choreography and interpretation: Dana Michel / Dancer: Ashlea Watkin / Co-Artistic Direction, graphic, set and prop design: Mathieu Leger / Sound design: Montag / Costume design: complexgeometries / Lighting design: Timothy Rodrigues / Rehearsal direction: Gillian Rae Fournier / Additional prop design: Paul Chambers and Antoine Abram
