During the last two pandemic years, more than 77 students graduated from dance training. Among them, we find Justine Bellefeuille, Catherine Bellefleur and Lila Geneix, who are presenting their very first creation from April 9 to 12 as part of the Danses buissonnières spring 2022 event at the Wilder Building — Espace danse. Despite the lack of networking and visibility and the reduced spaces to train due to the health crisis, these young artists have redoubled their determination to come back stronger than ever on stage and finally reveal themselves to the public.
“I never doubted my choice or wanted to change disciplines. For me, I had to go all out, right to the end even with what was happening! says Justine Bellefeuille, a 2020 Condordia bachelor’s degree graduate in contemporary dance. She dreamed of obtaining a dance degree from an early age. The pandemic wasn’t going to stop him.
Same observation on the side of Lila Geneix, graduate of the baccalaureate in dance from UQAM, option creation. “If I don’t continue in this environment, it’s because I’ve put a barrier on myself, so I want to go for it. No matter the cost ! she expresses.
However, the two young artists say it has not been an easy time. “You have to be strong to get through this. For us, emerging artists, it was particularly difficult. We couldn’t network, learn with peers, get inspired by seeing shows…” adds Ms.me Bellefeuille. Originally from France, Lila Geneix arrived in 2017 for her studies in Montreal and managed to integrate well into the dance community from the start thanks to networking. “Coming from abroad, I wanted to do everything! I met a lot of people from the industry, I volunteered in cultural places, took a lot of dance classes everywhere. It is thanks to that that I obtained my first contracts ”, explains the one who works today with Emmanuel Jouthe, Danièle Desnoyers or even Catherine Gaudet. According to her, it is thanks to her pre-pandemic contacts that she has been able to get through the past two years and continue her dance projects.
For Catherine Bellefleur, who obtained her dance diploma at the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2020, the pandemic simply delayed her plunge into the industry. She took the opportunity to continue her studies. “I had in mind to do my certificate in women’s studies. Once finished, given the unstable situation, I concentrated on doing the baccalaureate by accumulation. If not for the pandemic, I might have taken a bigger leap into the world of dance,” she thinks. She is still very motivated to work in this artistic environment. “I would like the subjects I study to inform my dance practice,” she adds.
And this motivation is palpable among the next generation, according to Claudia Chan Tak, member of the Danses buissonnières jury since 2016. “During the auditions last year, we really saw those who used this period to create more, to use their experiences to inspire new creations. It really brought out personalities,” she recalls.
Losing a first step… and bouncing back
Like several graduates, Lila Geneix had to give up her cohort’s end-of-year show, a cancellation that was damaging to her career, according to her. “My name was nowhere. I was not able to make this small entry into the professional world, ”she says. Catherine Bellefleur was also very disappointed. “It ended like that, with nothing, all of a sudden… she laments. We staged our graduation piece ourselves the following year, in another context, to have a “real” conclusion, but it didn’t have the same impact. »
All the same, the three creators are delighted to see an increase in calls for projects for the next generation. “I have the impression that there are more than in previous years, says Mme Geneix. It keeps you motivated! “They are also delighted to be able to present their very first creation during Danses buissonnières, a project for which they had auditioned a few weeks before the start of the pandemic. After several postponements, they will finally be able, two years later, to present their work on stage. “It’s been a really funny timeline with COVID, quitting, picking up, quitting again, going back… But it’s enriched my research,” says Ms.me Beautiful flower.
Work to be done
The pandemic has put several spokes in the wheels of dance artists, who still maintain strong morale. For Lila Geneix, training was the most difficult to keep. “My motivation was at an all-time low. Being in a roommate, I barely have two square meters to train. I can’t really do much. It was hard,” she explains. Justine Bellefeuille also experienced “moments when fighting became super tiring”. According to her, it took “a lot of commitment, work and organization” not to become demotivated.
Moving away from dance studios has also left its mark. “I was anxious to return there for a new creation. Am I going to be able to? I haven’t conducted performers for so long… Have I lost everything? wondered Lila Geneix when she was invited to participate in Compagnonnage 2022 with Danièle Desnoyers. “I had tried to go to the studio during the pandemic, but it was blocking. I hadn’t yet given birth to my first play, so I couldn’t do it,” she continues.
In their respective circles, Lila Geneix, Justine Bellefeuille and Catherine Bellefleur have seen some people abandon the environment, but not a large majority. Most, they say, have diversified. “Around me, people have found lots of little related things to use their knowledge without leaving the dance world. They wondered how to be useful, how to stay connected to the community, ”explains M.me Beautiful flower.
The jury behind Danses buissonnières also had to overcome several ordeals. After a pandemic year where auditions took place virtually and a limited edition of the event in 2021, a drop in interest in applications has been noted. “This year, we had 24. In very good years, it could go up to 50, says Mme Chan Tak. We did a lot less canvassing in schools also because of the pandemic. »
In addition, diversity is not very present. “Before the health crisis, we had looked for other communities, traditional, urban dances… We lost that link a little, but that’s normal. Because of the pandemic, for the past two years, we have been meeting less, we are less active, we mix less… ”she explains.
Claudia Chan Tak, however, does not lose hope and is very optimistic about this new generation of creators and creators. “Every generation has its challenges. This will experience traffic jams in the scenic spaces, but it will also bring out beautiful projects, she concludes. I also think that the pandemic has awakened the need to work more together, to connect more between dancers, and that’s positive! In the next few months, it will explode! »
Danses buissonnières Printemps 2022 will take place at Édifice Wilder – Espace danse, from April 9 to 12.