The jury sought to highlight the masterful performance given by this generous artist whose unswerving commitment to the discipline dates back more than four decades. Angélique Willkie possesses a magnetic, focused and astonishing power that leaves you breathless, and she shares it with humility and unshakable confidence. From her words, gestures and songs emanate a fluidity, sensitivity, maturity and unmatched vulnerability. With a unique stage presence and aplomb, she transcends the palpable, the undeniable, the complex. Her rich multidisciplinary career, and her commitment as both dramaturg and pedagogue are reflected in her performance. Ms. Willkie’s influence on the careers of European artists has been emulated here in Quebec.
Dramaturg, performer and professor
Performing artist, singer, dramaturg and teacher, Angélique Willkie recently moved to Montreal after living in Europe for more than 20 years. She was trained at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, and went on to live in Belgium, where she took part in dance productions with Alain Platel and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui of Les Ballets C de la B, Compagnie Karin Vyncke, and Jan Lauwers’ Needcompany. As a singer, she has collaborated with Zap Mama, dEUS, DAAU and Zita Swoon Group. She also lent her voice to musicians Walter Hus and Spectra Ensemble, Kaat De Windt, David Linx, Fabrizio Cassol and the Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles. In addition to her career as a performer, Angélique Willkie taught for eight years at the École supérieure des arts du cirque (ESAC) in Brussels, and she created a work for students at the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM). She is currently a professor in the Department of Contemporary Dance at Concordia University. Her artistic research reflects her interest in the dramaturgy of the performing body. She continues to work as a dance dramaturg in dance, both in Montreal and in Europe, and she actively supports the Montreal dance community through her participation on several boards of directors. More recently, she marked a return to the stage in works by Montreal-based choreographers, including Helen Simard, Daina Ashbee, Sovann Rochon-Prom Tep and Mélanie Demers.