After two virtual editions, the Prix de la danse de Montréal were again presented in person on Tuesday, in the studios of the Compagnie Marie Chouinard. This year, choreographer Catherine Gaudet won the Grand Prix. An honor that highlights his 18-year career.
“I receive this award with much, much, much humility and gratitude. I bow to the other winners, but also to all those who deserved this honor. I dedicate this award to those who patiently walk alongside me,” said Catherine Gaudet, moved and surrounded by her peers, when receiving her award.
Sylvie Cordeau, vice-president of philanthropy and sponsorships at Quebecor, and Valérie Beaulieu, director of the Department of Culture at the City of Montreal, presented him with the award, which is accompanied by $25,000. “The jury highlights the creative effervescence of Catherine Gaudet, who shows great mastery of her art. The vertiginous and fascinating writing of this choreographer […] testifies to a research of more than 15 years”, underlined Mme Cord.
A graduate of the baccalaureate and master’s degrees from the Department of Dance at UQAM, Catherine Gaudet signed her first choreography in 2004. Fascinated by the depth and complexity of the human psyche, the dancer offers in 2009 a first complete work, The invasion of the void, in which she evokes the effects of lack. She will then work on the ambiguity of beings and their contradictions with I am another (2012) and Within the steepest virtues (2014), on the hypnotic insistence of the cycle with Everything that goes comes back (2018) and The fading of the marvelous (2018), or on the perception of time with his first solo, To dissolve (2021).
Currently, Catherine Gaudet is concentrating on his piece The pretty things, presented at the last Festival TransAmériques, which will return to the stage next March in Quebec before going on a European tour. She is also an artist associated with the Agora de la danse, where she will present several projects in the coming months.
Alongside her creative activities, Mme Gaudet is also a founding member of the Lorganisation company, co-creator of the O Vertigo creation centre, member of Circuit-Est center chorégraphique and associate creator at DLD — Daniel Léveillé Danse. She was also a guest professor and lecturer in the Department of Dance at UQAM.
The Interpreter prize was won by Angélique Willkie. Lucie Boissinot, who is stepping down as director of the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal this year, after having worked in contemporary dance for nearly 45 years, received the Outstanding Contribution award. Mélanie Demers leaves with the Prize for the best choreographic work in Quebec for the year 2022 thanks to her creation Public confession.