First came Rhapsodie, a performance event inspired by the ritual of dance and imagined by Sylvain Émard as a piece for 20 dancers. The Covid crisis has established new contours for these bodies in movement. The world première was initially to have taken place in November, but has been postponed and will be part of the 21-22 Danse Danse season.
The pandemic struck a chord, and in response Sylvain Émard created Preludes to Rhapsodie, “bodies in mutual harmony” that announce the dance piece to come. This prologue in two movements attuned to current constraints explores the very essence of Rhapsodie, now deeply shaken by the current events. Even though Rhapsodie celebrates the visceral, instinctive aspects of bodies who abandon themselves to dance, the 20 performers in the Preludes do not touch each other. In sudden and unexpected fashion, the Preludes take the choreography into new territory.
Responding to the challenge, the company offers two new works anchored in this new reality of the pandemic.
Prelude #1 — The Circle
The circle represents the cycles of nature. It evokes ritual, a spirit of communion, unity. Prelude #1 reconsiders the notion of ritual in a context where the very idea of people gathering together is being called into question. – 23 minutes
Prelude #2 — The Square
A symbol of a fixed, balanced world, the square is a human invention, an attempt at stabilization echoing the urban world around us, where the right angle reigns unopposed. – 22 minutes
ON TOUR
These Preludes can be adapted to the host city. The number of dancers can vary and feature the Montreal original cast or local dancers. Prelude #1 and #2 can be presented jointly or individually.