All the magic of Crystal Pite – who was resident choreographer at the BJM for 3 years – is embodied in Short Works : 23, which is now, with the addition of a new movement, Short works : 24. As its title indicates, these are twenty-three short pieces, each one-minute long and all interspersed with black. With this exercise in style, the challenge is great: invite the audience to enter twenty-three original universes, which are at the same time deep and ephemeral. 

In a choreographic career spanning three decades, Crystal Pite has  created more than 50 works for companies such as The Paris Opera Ballet,  The Royal Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. She is an  Associate Artist at three institutions: Nederlands Dans Theater,  Sadler’s Wells, London, and Canada’s National Arts Centre. She holds an  honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University and is a  Member of the Order of Canada.

In 2002, she formed her company Kidd Pivot in Vancouver. Kidd Pivot tours internationally with works such as Betroffenheit and Revisor, both co-created with playwright Jonathon Young, as well as The Tempest Replica, Dark Matters, Lost Action, and The You Show.

Pite’s many awards include the Benois de la Danse for her creation The Seasons’ Canon  (2016) at the Paris Opera Ballet, the Governor General of Canada’s  Performing Arts Award: Mentorship Program (2008), and the Grand Prix de  la danse de Montréal (2018). She is the recipient of three Sir Laurence  Olivier awards for creations with Kidd Pivot and The Royal Ballet.

More Information : kiddpivot.org

Author, filmmaker and video artist Charles Picq (1952-2012) entered working life in the 70s through theatre and photography. A- fter resuming his studies (Maîtrise de Linguistique - Lyon ii, Maîtrise des sciences et Techniques de la Communication - grenoble iii), he then focused on video, first in the field of fine arts at the espace Lyonnais d'art Contemporain (ELAC) and with the group « Frigo », and then in dance.
   On creation of the Maison de la Danse in Lyon in 1980, he was asked to undertake a video documentation project that he has continued ever since. During the ‘80s, a decade marked in France by the explosion of contemporary dance and the development of video, he met numerous artists such as andy Degroat, Dominique Bagouet, Carolyn Carlson, régine Chopinot, susanne Linke, Joëlle Bouvier and regis Obadia, Michel Kelemenis. He worked in the creative field with installations and on-stage video, as well as in television with recorded shows, entertainment and documentaries.

His work with Dominique Bagouet (80-90) was a unique encounter. He documents his creativity, assisting with Le Crawl de Lucien and co-directing with his films Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux and 10 anges. in the 90s he became director of video development for the Maison de la Danse and worked, with the support of guy Darmet and his team, in the growing space of theatre video through several initiatives:
       - He founded a video library of dance films with free public access. This was a first for France. Continuing the video documentation of theatre performances, he organised their management and storage.
       - He promoted the creation of a video-bar and projection room, both dedicated to welcoming school pupils.
       - He started «présentations de saisons» in pictures.
       - He oversaw the DVD publication of Le tour du monde en 80 danses, a pocket video library produced by the Maison de la Danse for the educational sector.

       - He launched the series “scènes d'écran” for television and online. He undertook the video library's digital conversion and created Numeridanse.

His main documentaries are: enchaînement, Planète Bagouet, Montpellier le saut de l'ange, Carolyn Carlson, a woman of many faces, grand ecart, Mama africa, C'est pas facile, Lyon, le pas de deux d'une ville, Le Défilé, Un rêve de cirque.

He has also produced theatre films: Song, Vu d'ici (Carolyn Carlson), Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux, 10 anges, Necesito and So schnell, (Dominique Bagouet), Im bade wannen, Flut and Wandelung (Susanne Linke), Le Cabaret Latin (Karine Saporta), La danse du temps (Régine Chopinot), Nuit Blanche (Abou Lagraa), Le Témoin (Claude Brumachon), Corps est graphique (Käfig), Seule et WMD (Françoise et Dominique Dupuy), La Veillée des abysses (James Thiérrée), Agwa (Mourad Merzouki), Fuenteovejuna (Antonio Gades), Blue Lady revistied (Carolyn Carlson).

Source: Maison de la Danse de Lyon

Emerging from a collaboration between Geneviève Salbaing,  Eva Von Genscy and Eddy Toussaint in 1972, BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de  Montréal – is a repertory company that creates, produces and presents  contemporary dance performances based on the technique, rigour and  aesthetics of classical ballet. Its work consistently appears on local,  national and international stages.

The company offers its artists high-level professional  ballet training and gives internationally renowned choreographers the  freedom to develop their artistic process in keeping with BJM’s  identity. In doing so, the company is able to create an exclusive  repertoire that is accessible to all. As a leading ambassador of Quebec  dance across the globe, BJM is synonymous with flawless execution. Its  distinctive style is at once artistic, sexy, explosive, original and  accessible.

Since being named artistic director in 1998, Louis  Robitaille has reoriented the company toward audiences open to new  choreographic forms. He has linked BJM with rising names in the world of  contemporary dance, such as Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton and others. The  company also regularly collaborates with internationally renowned  choreographers, including Mauro Bigonzetti, Andonis Foniadakis, Itzik  Galili, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Barak Marshall, Benjamin Millepied,  Rodrigo Pederneiras, Ihsan Rustem and Cayetano Soto. In recent years,  the company’s artistic direction has favoured multidisciplinary  creations that blend ballet with other artistic disciplines such as  theatre, video and music.

Every piece created for BJM remains faithful to an  aesthetic exerting a positive influence. With accessibility and quality  as its key values, the company has managed to incorporate enjoyment into  creations that are strong, expressive and demanding. The distinctive  personality and high calibre of its performers ensure the company’s  sustained success and reputation. Through its many productions,  performances and educational activities, BJM is able to encourage  discovery, stimulate imagination and democratize dance, all while  sharing with local and international audiences its deep passion for this  discipline. Having presented more than 2,000 performances for over 2  million fans in 67 countries, BJM is a true ambassador of Canadian dance  and artistic vitality across the globe.

In 2016, BJM and its artistic director were awarded the  Rideau Hommage prize in recognition of the company’s reputation and  continued presence on the Québec stage.

In 2017, BJM proudly celebrated 45 years of history, ballet, touring and meeting audiences.

Source: Ballet Jazz Montréal

More information: http://www.bjmdanse.ca