Since September, the dance spectator has been able to see Traced + Thin from 7Starrr and Taminator, Aemulus by Jean-François Boisvenue, the Shitshow by Dominique Sophie. So many examples of language at play in the titles of choreographies in Quebec. For 2023-2024, we read titles in Greek, Spanish and Anishinaabe. And only 45% of the titles are in French, as counted The duty. For this second and final text, a look at the past and present of the titles of our dance shows.
The dance and performance titles are very creative. They don’t just play French, English and other languages. Franglais, neologisms, portmanteau words, acronyms, invented words, puns or games on upper and lower case letters are regularly seen there. Let’s name bODY_rEMIX by Marie Chouinard, #RCFAD16 And CORR by Harold Rhéaume, Finally you zests by Louise Bédard or, this year, the LABdiff at Tangente or Creatrix in Montreal, intercultural arts. Perhaps having had notable companies called La La La and O Vertigo opened a door to the imagination.
Historically, dance in Quebec was titled in French. Michèle Febvre, ex-dancer and theoretician, recalls that the link between the Chiriaeff Ballets, ancestor of the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, and Radio-Canada, which then broadcast the dance, ensured the use of French.
With rare exceptions, the pioneers of contemporary dance, such as Jeanne Renaud, Françoise Riopelle and Françoise Sullivan, chose titles in French. They were French-speaking.
According to Mme Febvre, the creation of the Ballets jazz de Montréal (BJM) in 1972 marks a turning point: co-founder Eva Von Genscy, Hungarian by origin, who arrived at the Chiriaeff Ballets and in Quebec in 1953, titles her shows in English, with rare exceptions, until 1979.
BJM remains on its path: of the 125 pieces that form its repertoire today, 65 titles are in English, 37 in French, 21 in other languages and 4 bilingual. It’s 30% French titles.
1983, an english year
Paul Lefebvre, dramaturgical advisor at the Center for Playwrights, wonders if the great success of La La La Human Steps could have influenced the promotion of English in titling. From Bussinessman in the Process of Becoming an Angelin 1983, Édouard Lock signed a decade of important choreographies, all with English titles.
Michèle Febvre weighs this data: “It’s consistent, for Édouard. All his schooling has been in English, and he is most comfortable in that language. »
The dance researcher at UQAM Josiane Fortin also saw a turning point in 1983. “If we think of Ginette Laurin, the titles of her works were in French until 1983. Then, things changed, for example with Time to go (1983), Crash Landing (1984), Up the Wall (1985), Timber (1986), Full house (1987), etc. »
At the same time, the generation of independent choreographers — Daniel Léveillé, Paul-André Fortier, Jean-Pierre Perreault — who were French-speaking essentially chose titles in French.
It is also at this time that the Montreal International Festival of New Dance (FIND) is being prepared. It will be active for more than 20 years, until 2003. This meeting, with the Festival TransAmériques which will replace it, establishes the practice of respect for sources and the use of titles in the original version — whether they are in English, Spanish or Inuit, for example — for all shows, dance, theater or otherwise.
“I believe that FIND contributed to the phenomenon of the anglicization of titles because of the global dimension of the festival,” says M.me Fort. I also think that artists were starting to consider international tours at the same time, and therefore naming their works in English. »
Several of the speakers interviewed by The duty on the under-use of French in the titles of dance shows spoke spontaneously about the choice of English to facilitate touring or international recognition. “We even see [ces titres anglais] on creations made in Germany, France and Asia,” explained Pierre Des Marais, director of Danse Danse.
English is not Esperanto
Choreographers Frédérick Gravel and Mélanie Demers each deny the idea, laughing softly. “It’s so difficult, filming… The title doesn’t make a big difference, otherwise we would know…” they replied, giving the same counter-example of Catherine Gaudet, whose plays, with titles in strong French, as The fading of the marvelousbenefit from tours of a rare magnitude for Quebec dance.
“Titles also translate,” adds Mr. Gravel. In his journey, Everything is going crazy, darling turned out well. Same reflection on the side of the works of Mme Demers: There Goddam Milky Way will have had “a much more confidential tour than Public confession “.
The majority of French-speaking Fred Gravel’s titles are in English: Fear and Greed Or Some Hope for the Bastards. “In my pieces,” he analyzes, “we make references to big pop, all in English. We play on this culture. Spectators have more references to this pop than to contemporary dance, which is quite niche. »
“My dance is a little political,” he adds, “but not on this identity aspect of politics. As a creator, I don’t address that much. »
The time it takes to speak French
Mélanie Demers has a mixed titration practice, through Black cabaret, Mama Or Junkyard/Paradise. “It often depends on the place of creation or the performers who nourish the work,” she says. Naming a room is a work of goldsmithing. In dance, especially, there are so few clues to direct the spectator’s gaze. »
As for M. Gravel, the dancers of Mme Demers have different native languages. The improvisations, the texts, the songs used serve as material — and include English.
“Because my dance flirts with theater, linguistic identity is really powerful for me,” says the choreographer. But, unlike previous generations who campaigned for French, I campaign for heterolingualism. » Mélanie Demers herself speaks, in addition to French, English, Spanish and Creole.
“The mother tongue is the point of view from which I decipher the world. And my ability to speak several languages makes me see the world in different ways. »
She continues her thought: “Perhaps we are losing a link with the French language. » And, more pragmatically: “Maybe if you have a lot of time for your creation, you can afford to speak French to a cast who doesn’t understand it. But we already don’t have enough time if we go as quickly as possible…”