Montréal, August 23, 2011 – Fortier Danse-Création, the company directed by choreographer Paul-André Fortier, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.  To mark this special anniversary, Solo 30x30, Bras de Plomb and Cabane, three pieces from the company’s repertoire, will be presented this fall in Montreal, the city where Paul-André Fortier built his choreography career. In addition, Solo 30x30 will be the subject of an event organized in conjunction with the Festival international de la littérature and a publication by Galerie de l’UQAM.  

 

SOLO 30X30 RETURNS TO MONTREAL

From September 22 to October 21, 2011, at 5:15 pm daily, Paul-André Fortier will dance his now-famous Solo 30x30, which has been viewed by more than 30,000 people around the world.   This 30-minute piece is danced for 30 days at the same time in an atypical location.  After taking passersby by surprise in thirteen cities (London, Rome, Yamaguchi, Lyon, New York, etc.), the dancer-choreographer will be reinventing a Montreal public space with this piece, co-presented by Place des Arts and Danse Danse. He will be performing the solo indoors for the first time at l’Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme at Place des Arts.

 

30 WRITERS AT THE FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LA LITTÉRATURE

A live writing event entitled Un danseur, 30 écrivains, will take place at the Festival international de la littérature on Thursday, September 22. Paul-André Fortier, a great reader and literature aficionado, has chosen to invite 30 writers (novelists, poets, essayists and playwrights), in conjunction with FIL, to attend the first performance of Solo 30x30 and to write a text inspired by the performance. Each of these texts will then be published, one per day, on the Fortier Danse-Création blog. www.fortierdanse.blogspot.com .

 

PUBLICATION BY GALERIE DE L’UQAM

Visual artist Yann Pocreau was asked by Galerie de l’UQAM to create a series of 30 photographs based on Solo 30x30. This work will be published in a volume scheduled to launch in late fall 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of Fortier Danse-Création.  The book will also feature articles by Louise Déry, Marie Lavigne and Guylaine Massoutre. 

 

BRAS DE PLOMB (1993) TO BE RESTAGED AT AGORA DE LA DANSE

From October 26 to 29, Paul-André Fortier will be presenting Bras de Plomb at Agora de la danse. This solo was created in 1993 in collaboration with Betty Goodwin, one of Canada’s most outstanding visual artists. Paul-André Fortier will be passing on this landmark piece from his repertoire to dancer Simon Courchel, who will interpret the work with the technical maturity, stamina and charisma it demands. In taking this momentous step, Fortier is underscoring the importance of valuing and nurturing the choreographic history of dance in Quebec.  

 

CABANE TOURING WITH THE CONSEIL DES ARTS DE MONTRÉAL 

Cabane will be performed as part of the Conseil des Arts de Montréal touring program on November 10, 11 and 16, 2011, at the Maison de la culture Frontenac, Maison de la culture Ahuntsic-Cartieville and Salle Pauline-Julien. This piece takes place in and around a shack, featuring dancer-choreographer Paul-André Fortier and visual artist, writer and musician Rober Racine, as the second performer.

 

ABOUT FORTIER DANSE-CRÉATION

Fortier Danse-Création was founded in 1981 by choreographer and performer Paul-André Fortier. He has significantly contributed to contemporary Quebec dance, as a creator, performer and teacher for the past 30 years. Over the course of his career, he has created 49 choreographies, solos, group pieces, and site-specific works.  He has also been commissioned to create work for other performers, choreographers, contemporary dance companies and ballet companies.  Since 1987, his work has been presented more than 750 times in nine different countries.  Winner of both the Jean A. Chalmers award and the Dora Mavor Moore Award, Paul-André Fortier was recently appointed Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Republic of France.

 

Today, at 63, Paul-André Fortier is still appearing on stage to audiences who marvel at his polished, mature performances.  To celebrate his company’s 30th anniversary, he is dancing more than ever!