Tangente

Mission

Tangente – Laboratory for contemporary movements

Tangente is a space for contemporary dance presentation and public development, as well as a documentation and archive center.


In the tradition of innovation, Tangente offers the public aesthetically varied and inventive works of intelligence, examples of rich and profound exploration, all at very reasonable rates! Tangente is thoroughly committed to the idea that its public, its creators and its own team experience a unique encounter in a unique space. A space of sharing and exchanges on art, dance and creativity, enabling the blossoming of new ideas, an interdisciplinary and intergenerational dialogue at the heart of the dance community.

Tangente has successfully developed a number of collaborations with different players in the Montreal cultural scene as well as partnerships with presenter networks, making it possible to welcome foreign choreographers and to export our own local choreographers. Emphasis on the artists, the choreographers, and support in creation are the driving forces of our endeavours.

A documentation and archive center as well, Tangente is an institution for artistic education invested in the following:

• Supporting the creation and presentation of contemporary dance works from local and foreign artists on a regular basis, in a permanent, well-equipped and multi-functional space (used not only for show presentations, but also for research, exploration and technical residencies, conferences, artistic development workshops, etc…).
• Involvement in social and artistic projects with the community and enabling the creation of ties between collaborators and cultural organizations.
• Encouraging interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity by presenting works from different cultural backgrounds, the aesthetics of which contribute to the hybridization of genres, provoking uniquely creative encounters.
• Developing and offering activities that aim to enrich and enhance the publics’ experience, as well as developing loyal followers.
• Offering access to documentation and to a national and international archive center.

History

In 1980, in response to the need for an organization dedicated to the development of a rapidly growing discipline, a collective of four artists – Howard Abrams, Dena Davida, Louis Guillemette, Silvy Panet-Raymond – founded Tangente, the first presenting venue in Québec that was dedicated exclusively to contemporary dance. The first public performances were presented at the beginning of 1981.

In the course of the last thirty-three years, Tangente’s artistic programming has included the work of a wide variety of creators and aesthetic tendencies from the local, national and international contemporary dance community, in various spaces throughout the city.

• Between 1981 and 1983: Tangente opened its doors and took up residence at 1596-1602 St-Lawrence Boulevard (the former locale of the Petits oiseaux food cooperative);
• Between 1983 and 1984: Tangente was evicted from the St. Lawrence locale (by the city fire inspectors) and moved to 307 St. Catherine Street W. (the former venue of the Vehicule Art Gallery);
• Between 1984 and 1986: Their lease was not renewed and so Tangente once again moved, this time to an old industrial sewing factory at 3655 St. Lawrence Boulevard on the third floor;
• Between 1986 and 1987: Once again evicted by city inspectors, Tangente was temporarily housed at the Centre Multi-ethnique (the former locale of MAI – Montréal arts interculturels) but was forced to cut their season short at the end of 1986;
• Between 1987 and 1990: Tangente rented offices at 3950 Hôtel-de-Ville, while the presenting season moved between several venues: the Centaur Theatre, Espace Go, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Bar-Théâtre Les Loges (the former Eskabel);
• Between 1990 and 1991 : Tangente began its 10th season in the basement level of the Bibliothèque Nationale at 1700 St. Denis;
• Between 1991 and 2011: Tangente participated in founding of Agora de la danse at 840 Cherrier Street, which also housed the Dance Department of the Université de Québec à Montréal, beginning a period of more stability for their venue and offices. A continuous 32-week presenting season was re-established, and Tangente now had at its disposition a 91-seat theatre, a documentation centre and archive, at the heart of an important dance centre. With a programme that included over thirty artistic projects, fourty choreographers, and numerous community partners, in 2011 Tangente celebrated its thirtieth year of dance development and presentation;
• Between 2011 to the present: Their 20-year lease having come to an end, Tangente is once again nomadic, moving its offices to 543 Sherbrooke E., and then to 460 St. Catherine Street W., while its presenting season was principally established at the Monument-National with additional presentation at Usine C, Agora de la danse, the MAI, Théâtre Prospéro and the Sala Rossa. A project to build a new permanent space in the Quartiers des spectacles is already underway. Informations.

Tangente has become established over the years as a vital incubator for Montréal, Canadian and international contemporary dance, having presented since 1981 the work of more than 1,500 choreographers. On its stages, many young dance creators have established their first professional contact with audiences, and spectators have been offered a veritable window on a new generation’s creativity. As for more mature artists, they have also benefited from Tangente’s invitation to test out newly researched ideas in an intimate setting, and so to renew their creative outlook.

In 2007, the Conseil des arts de Montréal awarded to Tangente the 23rd Grand Prix in recognition of the constant professional renewal of its artistic director, Dena Davida, and for Tangente’s 30 year contribution to dance presenting in Montréal.