02.12.2021
WINNERS OF THE 2021 PRIX DE LA DANSE DE MONTRÉAL
MÉLANIE DEMERS
The 2021 GRAND PRIX de la danse de Montréal,
Presented by Québecor and the City of Montreal
BARBARA KANEROTONNI DIABO
The 2021 Prix INTERPRÈTE de la danse de Montréal,
Presented by the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) and Caisse Desjardins de la Culture
100LUX
The 2021 Envol Award for Cultural Diversity and Inclusive Practices in Dance,
Presented by the Conseil des arts de Montréal
BÉATRIZ MEDIAVILLA
The 2021 Prix DÉCOUVERTE de la danse de Montréal,
Presented by Agora de la danse and Tangente
LOUISE LAPIERRE
The 2021 Prix Ethel Bruneau,
Presented by the MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) and Danse Danse
FRANCINE GAGNÉ
The 2021 Prix GESTIONNAIRE CULTUREL(LE) de la danse de Montréal,
Presented by Diagramme – gestion culturelle
ANNIE-CLAUDE COUTU GEOFFROY
The 2021 Prix CONTRIBUTION EXCEPTIONNELLE de la danse de Montréal
Montreal, December 2nd, 2021 – Today, LES PRIX DE LA DANSE DE MONTRÉAL (PDM) unveiled the winners of the 2021 season in a ceremony hosted by Anik Bissonnette and under the Honorary Presidency of Rhodnie Désir – winner of the 2020 Envol Award for Cultural Diversity and Inclusive Practices in Dance.
The 2021 GRAND PRIX de la danse de Montréal, presented by Quebecor and the City of Montreal – $ 25 000
Mélanie Demers is the winner of the coveted GRAND PRIX de la danse de Montréal, presented by Quebecor and the City of Montreal, with $ 25 000 in prize money, and awarded by Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Québecor, and by Marie Plourde, Acting Mayor in the City of Montréal. The jury chose to highlight this bicultural artist’s unique impact on her era. The choreographer, performer, director and author distinguished herself with her creation of La Goddam Voie Lactée, coproduced with Agora de la danse and Festival TransAmérique. She built her prolific career on the creation of performances doubling as political and feminist manifestos. As a fierce and socially committed artivist, Demers has the unique ability to portray humanity in all its dimensions. To this day, Mélanie Demers has choreographed over thirty works that have been presented in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.
The 2021 Prix INTERPRÈTE de la danse de Montréal, presented by the Regroupement québécois de la danse and Caisse Desjardins de la Culture – $ 10 000
The 2021 Prix INTERPRÈTE, presented by the Regroupement Québécois de la danse and Caisse Desjardins de la Culture, with 10 000$ in prize money, was awarded to Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo by Nadine Medawar, Executive Director of the RQD, and Marie-Christine Cojocaru, Executive Director of the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture. Working in the field of dance for more than 25 years as a performer, choreographer and teacher, Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo attracted a lot of attention with her choreographic work in the movie Smudge. Coming from the Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk) Nation from Kahnawake, she merges powwow, Haudenosaunee dance, and mainstream contemporary styles. Diabo works with several organizations, including La Danse sur la route du Québec or the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance to help educate communities, to create safe spaces and to support Indigenous artists around the world.
2021 Envol Award for Cultural Diversity and Inclusive Practices in Dance – $ 10 000
The Envol Award for Cultural Diversity and Inclusive Practices in Dance, awarded by an independent jury with a 10 000$ award, was presented to 100Lux by Nathalie Maillé, Executive Director of the Conseil des arts de Montréal. A non-profit organization, 100Lux supports the professionalization of dancers and the transmission of the foundations of street dance by encouraging creativity and innovation. 100Lux inspires the dance ecosystem by promoting street dance across the city as a distinct and independent artistic discipline. The organization, which until recently produced its own work, is refocusing its vision to offer more services and contribute to the emergence and development of a community of artists who share and respect the culture of street dance. Thanks to 100Lux, the visibility and accessibility of the discipline are flourishing.
The 2021 Prix Ethel Bruneau, presented by the MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) and Danse Danse – $ 5 000
The 2021 Prix Ethel Bruneau, presented with $ 5 000 in prize money, was awarded to Louise Lapierre by Caroline Ohrt, Artistic Co-Director and Director of Development of Danse Danse, and Michael Toppings, Artistic and General Director of the MAI. Louise Lapierre is the second artist to win this award. She has carved out a prominent place for herself in the field thanks to her multiple talents. A dancer, choreographer, producer and, most importantly, the founder of the École de danse Louise Lapierre, she also teaches in CEGEPS and universities. Her career as an educator has left its mark on several generations of dancers. This woman, whose work has won many awards for excellence, expresses all her gratitude to the teams, dance lovers and enthusiasts, who have fueled the school’s history.
The 2021 Prix DÉCOUVERTE de la danse de Montréal, presented by Agora de la danse and Tangente – $ 5 000
The 2021 Prix DÉCOUVERTE de la danse de Montréal, presented by Agora de la danse and Tangente, with $ 5 000 in prize money and a week-long creative residency, was awarded to the multidisciplinary artist Beatriz Mediavilla by Francine Bernier, Executive and Artistic Director of Agora de la danse, and Stéphane Labbé, Executive Director and International Projects Curator of Tangente. Médiavilla first revealed herself to dance as a producer. Her film Habiter le movement – Un récit en dix chapitres was presented at the Montreal Festival international du film sur l’art and won many awards. The film’s poetic quality shines through, highlighting the necessity of the dancing body in community life and harmonious living. At a time when dance is becoming increasingly visible on screens, Mediavilla’s artistic sensitivity stands out for her humanity and her innovative vision. Originally from Rouyn-Noranda where she still lives and works, she continues to offer new ways to approach both documentary and dance.
The 2021 Prix GESTIONNAIRE CULTUREL(LE) de la danse de Montréal, presented by Diagramme – gestion culturelle – $ 5 000
Francine Gagné, Executive and Artistic Director of Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique, was awarded the 2021 Prix GESTIONNAIRE CULTUREL(LE) de la danse de Montréal, with $ 5 000 in prize money by Linda Maurice, Planning Consultant at Trium et Tammy Lee, Cofounder and Executive Director ofCulture Creates. The Diagramme Board of Directors was impressed by the commitment of this creative and visionary woman, who stands out for her ability to unite an entire community behind necessary initiatives. A founding member of Circuit-Est, Gagné has worked tirelessly to make this organization a place for professional training and development, as well as a springboard to the international scene. This trained artist has become a self-taught manager who contributes each day to the development of dance in the community.
The 2021 Prix CONTRIBUTION EXCEPTIONNELLE de la danse de Montréal
Lucie Vigneault, Contemporary Dance Artist and member of the Prix de la danse de Montréal’s Board of Director, awarded the 2021 Prix CONTRIBUTION EXCEPTIONNELLE de la danse de Montréal to Annie-Claude Coutu Geoffroy, Dance Program Coordinator at Diffusion Hector-Charland (DHC) in Lanaudière, for her remarkable contribution to the development of dance in the region. A graduate from École Supérieure de Danse du Québec and Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto, this award-winning artist is now actively working with artists and audiences. Through the wide diversity of projects, the extent of her many achievements, and complementary action from partners, her vision unfolds, bringing together her community in a broad and unifying gesture.
THE PDM
Created in 2011 by choreographer Marie Chouinard, President of the PRIX DE LA DANSE DE MONTRÉAL, the event is an opportunity to honour the excellence of dance artists who have performed on Montreal stages between July 1st, 202, and August 30th, 2021. The PRIX DE LA DANSE highlight the work of managers and personalities who contribute to the influence of the discipline. Finally, they aim to reaffirm Montreal’s dynamism as dance capital as well as its international influence. To carry out this task, MC has surrounded herself with a Board of Directors with the following personalities and managers of the Montreal dance community: Christel Durand, Director of Communications for the Centre de Création O Vertigo, Founder and Executive and Artistic Director of Festival FIKA(S), Secretary; Bernard Lagacé, Executive Director of Diagramme – gestion culturelle, Treasurer; and five Administrators of the Board: Marie-Christine Cojocaru, Executive Director of Caisse Desjardins de la Culture; Pierre Des Marais, Executive Director and Artistic Co-director of Danse Danse; Pierre Des Marais, Executive Director and Co-Artistic Director of Danse Danse; Frédérick Gravel, Artistic Director and Choreographer of DLD – Daniel Léveillé Danse; Karine Ledoyen, Artistic Director and Choreographer of Danse K par K; and Lucie Vigneault, Contemporary Dance Artist.
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The PRIX DE LA DANSE DE MONTREAL 2021 wish to recognize their partners’ great generosity: Québecor, the City of Montréal, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture, the Regroupement québécois de la danse, Agora de la danse, Tangente, Diagramme – gestion culturelle, Danse Danse, and Montréal, arts interculturels (MAI); and the following presenters: Agora de la danse, Festival TransAmériques, Montréal, arts interculturels (MAI), Tangente, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, La Chapelle Scène Contemporaines, Danse Danse, Studio 303, OFFTA, Festival Quartiers Danses, Place des Arts, and Danse-Cité.
Source
Prix de la danse de Montréal
Mickaël Spinnhirny
514 833-9005 | mika@spinnhirny.com
Medias
Sheila Skaiem
514 572-8687 | sheila@avecsheila.com