August 2010
BJM's artist back at the studio
June 2010
BJM Danse Montréal’s annual Benefit Gala; a festive and financial success!
Gogo Dancing, the Benefit Gala of BJM DANSE MONTRÉAL took place on May 15. Under the honorary chairmanship of Andrew T. Molson, this flamboyant event was held at the Hall d’honneur of the Université de Montréal. It was an exciting, colorful and joyous evening inspired by the exuberance of the Sixties.
Close to 400 people attended this special event which helped raise $175 000, bringing us close to our goal for 2010. This contribution will go towards financing, among other things, new creations, training for the artists as well as improving their working conditions, thus insuring the continued success and development of the company’s activities.
With the help of the members of the Honorary Council as well as the Board of Directors, BJM can count on the steadfast backing, year after year, of community leaders from the world of politics, commerce and the arts. The President of the Board of Directors, Pierre Salbaing, would like to acknowledge the continued
generous assistance provided by our partners, and particularly the precious support of the Hélène and Paul Desmarais Jr. family which accounted for the presence this year of a new generation of attendees.
Since its creation in 1972, the company has been able to create through its annual Benefit Gala a unique and much anticipated event. This springtime rendezvous remains the most important source of private funding for BJM. Guests are greeted to a cocktail, a gourmet dinner with an orchestra followed by a ball during which the company presents excerpts from its repertoire. This year, Artistic Director Louis Robitaille has decided to showcase, in its premiere, the duo Locked up Laura and excerpts from Zip Zap Zoom by choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.
To view images of the event:
http://www.bjmdanse.ca/evenements.php?id=6
April 2010
January 2010
November 2009
After a busy autumn marked by two new creations: Zip Zap Zoom and the duet Locked up Laura (both created by choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa), the company is heading to the Maritimes to give a series of performances. BJM will stop in Halifax on November 18 followed by Fredericton on November 20. On the program, an Aszure Barton evening including the celebrated Jack in a Box and Les Chambres des Jacques. The same program was given on November 15 in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and was enthusiastically received by the public. The Montreal daily newspaper The Gazette called it the “dance show of the year”!
“If I had to choose a dance show of the year, it would be Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal’s dancing two works by Aszure Barton.Consistently inventive, these 30 - minutes works showed off both the individuality of the company’s dancers and their cohesiveness.“
The Gazette, Montréal, Canada, Victor Swoboda, December 27th, 2008
August 2009
The company will be back officialy at the studio on August 31st and will start to work on a new creation from Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Zip Zap Zoom is the title of this new ballet and the world premiere will be on October 15th 2009 at Mandeville Auditorium USCD, San Diego, California.
In her choreography Zip Zap Zoom the choreographer inserts her dancers in the realms of the virtual world of internet games. Nowadays many people acquire this hobby as a form of escapism, a world where you can create your own virtual identity, where choices are infinite and where winning is the main goal. The choreographer is searching for the 'real' emotions and impulses between the 'avatars' (alter ego's used on Internet forums and other communities) inside the world of electronic music and virtual reality.
July 2009
Next Show
May 2009
37th anuual gala DANZA E FESTA - A festive and financial success!
Montréal, May 11, 2009 – On May 1st, BJM DANSE, Les Ballets Jazz de
Montréal ended its 37th season with its annual benefit gala, which was entitled this year : Danza e Festa. This festive and colorful event was co-presided by Mr. Louis L. Roquet and Mr. Mariano De Carolis and was held at the Parquet de la Caisse de depot et placement du Québec.
Honored by the presence of the Minister of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women, Ms. Christine St-Pierre, this flamboyant evening brought together over 325 community leaders from the world of politics, commerce and the arts.
Thanks to the help of our honorary co-presidents, of the members of the honorary council, of the board of directors and thanks to the artistic accomplishments of the company, BJM Danse is able to count, year after year, on the support of representatives from the business, political and artistic community. The benefit gala raised close to 200 000 $. This contribution goes towards financing new creations, securing the future of the organization, improving the working conditions of the artists and upholding their constant strive towards excellence.
Artistic director Louis Robitaille, the board of directors and the whole team at BJM DANSE would like to acknowledge the precious support of its partners and donors and particularly the unfailing support of Hydro-Quebec, essential in insuring the continued operation of the Company.
BJM DANSE is already anticipating the festivities of the next benefit gala which will light up the evening of Friday April 30th, 2010! A date not to be missed!
March 2009
An exciting European tour for BJM DANSE
Montreal, March 6, 2009 – Proudly returning from a very successful Canadian tour and a critically acclaimed world premiere in Philadelphia, the company will embark on a major six weeks European tour. From South America to the United States and from Canada to Germany, 35 performances have already been presented by BJM DANSE since last autumn!
Canadian Tour
The public, as well as the theater directors, from Fort McMurray, Calgary and Edmonton, unanimously praised the talent and general excellence of the dancers during the Alberta tour last January. BJM DANSE captivated the audience with their presentation of Jack in a Box and Les Chambres des Jacques by Edmonton born choreographer Aszure Barton.
"Delivered by the sensational Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, the wonderful evening (…) was purely delightful from start to finish."
The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton, Canada, Salena Kitteringham, February 1st, 2009
World premiere of Rossini Cards
Rossini Cards, created by the remarkable Italian choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti, was enthusiastically acclaimed by the American public after premiering on February 19 in Philadelphia. The gifted and charismatic dancers Christina Bodie, Katherine Cowie, Nicholas Daum, Youri de Wilde, Sophie-Estel Fernandez, Eira Glover, James Gregg, Robert Knowles, Andrew Murdock, Shamel Pitts and Audrey Van Herck marvelously conveyed the genius of choreographer Bigonzetti. This first rate cast was seconded by the presence of two invited artists, Céline Cassone and Brett Taylor, as well as apprentice Véronique Giasson.
Sold out European tour!
The company left for Europe at the beginning of March for a dazzling tour which will bring them to seventeen cities and three different countries to present a total of 19 performances. The program, entitled Chorégra’filles, is made up of «feminine» choreographies, and brings together Crystal Pite’s Old Song and Short Works :24 with Aszure Barton’s Les Chambres des Jacques. Italy will be the first country to enjoy BJM DANSE in this impressive tour, followed by Switzerland and France. In fact, this will be a record presence for BJM DANSE in France. This is a much awaited tour and most performances are almost completely sold out!
January 2009
BJM Danse: 4 months, 5 countries and over 30 performances in 2009!
Montreal, January 27, 2009 – The year 2009 is off to a big start for BJM Danse. After having completed a very successful tour across Quebec, the company is now heading to Western Canada. From January 23 to January 30, Fort McMurray, Calgary and Edmonton receive the company for a series of five performances of the Aszure Barton evening. Then, in February, Philadelphia will have the honor of presenting, in its world premiere, Rossini Cards, the sumptuous and highly anticipated creation of Italian choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti. Finally, the company will fly to Europe for a series of performances in France, Italy and Switzerland, before returning and ending the journey in the United States.
Aszure Barton evening
During its presentation in Quebec, the two creations that make up the program for the Aszure Barton evening: Jack in a box and Les Chambres des Jacques have been enthusiastically praised by audiences and critics alike. The Gazette described it as the 2008 performance of the year!
"If I had to choose a dance show of the year, it would be Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, dancing two works by Aszure Barton. Consistently inventive, these 30 - minutes works showed off both the individuality of the company’s dancers and their cohesiveness.
The Gazette, Montreal, Canada, Victor Swoboda, December 27, 2008
Born in Alberta and living in New York, Aszure Barton is completing in Montreal a three year residency. “The starting point of Jacques was an exploration of the inner life and drama of the individual dancers. Jack, on the contrary; studies the body's outer edges. Through structure and form, Jack examines the growth, etiquette and power of the group as a collective whole." - Aszure Barton
Jack in a Box is a co-production of The Banff Center, The National Arts Center and the Canada Dance Festival. It is dedicated to Marjorie and Gerald Bronfman.
A World Premiere
BJM danse is currently adding the finishing touches on its adaptation of Rossini Cards. The premiere will take place on February 19, 2009 in Philadelphia. The famous director and choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti runs Italy’s main ballet company, the internationally renowned Aterballetto. Affirming his personal style, in which the purest classical tradition merges with an absolutely modern technique, Mauro Bigonzetti conceives shows worthy of Italy’s tradition of beauty. The sumptuous choreography feeds the spectator’s imagination with harmony, music and drama. The creation invites you to a feast prepared by two Italian masters: Mauro Bigonzetti, choreographer and Rossini, composer and master chef.
European Tour
Spring promises to be very fruitful and brings the company to Europe for a second time since the start of its season. On the program: three works by Canadian choreographers. In the first place, Short Works: 24 and Old Song, by choreographer Crystal Pite and Les Chambres des Jacques by Aszure Barton. The company will begin its tour in Italy where two performances will be presented. Switzerland and France will follow with two and thirteen performances respectively.
December 2008
November 2008
An evening with Aszure Barton: LES CHAMBRES DES JACQUES and JACK IN A BOX
On the occasion of Danse Danse’s 11th season, BJM DANSE will present two creations by the Albertan born choreographer Aszure Barton: LES CHAMBRES DES JACQUES and JACK IN A BOX. Presented in the Centre Pierre-Péladeau on November 27, 28 and 29, 2008, this evening dedicated to this new choreographic star will open with LES CHAMBRES DES JACQUES, a performance unanimously praised by the public and the critics during its international tour. The second part, JACK IN A BOX, shown here in its Montréal premiere, will offer a choreography which Aszure Barton describes as being inspired by the sensibility and brute matter of her dancers.
