Fortier Danse-Création

With their backs to a grey sheet-metal wall, two men are seated side by side. With apparent neutrality, their arms stretch out, their heads turn, but their eyes do not meet. From the beginning, their improbable encounter is there, contained in the impassable proximity which one feels between their two bodies. A perilous exercise that rarely forgives dangerous associations, the duo formed by Paul-André Fortier and Éric Beauchesne is surprisingly right. In fact, it is not actually a duo, but rather two parallel solos, like an echo. One performer, in his thirties, is at the height of his potential, both technically and in terms of his performance. The second displays a calm maturity.

In Tensions, the dance performance is enhanced by new image and sound technologies. For this piece, the choreographer worked with a team of innovative artists including composer Alain Thibault, whose music supports the density of the dancers' bodies with techno rhythms and sinuous sounds that are in turn disturbing and energetic, Patrick Masbourian, whose video takes a very organic and abstract look at image, lighting designer John Munro and costume designer Denis Lavoie.

“Harsh light plays on a dark forest of men. The encounter is unlikely: one, wearing the marks of age, and the other, resplendent, youthful, naïve. (…) They are men, nothing more. Men who dance.” – Aline Gélinas

“Fortier has created an extremely effective spare, stripped-down set design. It is a definitely contemporary, urban work, extremely demanding technically, and of a rare intensity. Tensions reveals, once again, the true talent of Fortier, one of our great Montreal choreographers.” – Program of the 17th Grand Prix du Conseil des Arts de Montréal, 2001

“One of the big international hits of 2002, Tensions is an unusually fresh look at human loneliness combining dance with new visual and sound technologies to stunning effect.” – Scotland on Sunday, Febuary 23th, 2003

Tensions

Choreographer Paul-André Fortier. Dancers Paul-André Fortier and Robert Meilleur (followed by Éric Beauchesne since 2004). Original Music Alain Thibault. Lighting John Munro. Video Artist Patrick Masbourian. Costumes Denis Lavoie. Rehearsal Mistress and Choreographer’s assistant Ginelle Chagnon

This work is dedicated to Gilles Savary. Premiered on September 2001 at l’Usine C at the Festival international de nouvelle danse (FIND), Montreal, QC, Canada.