Recently, Quebec dance creators mobilized to make their concerns heard with one voice about the future of the discipline. In a letter signed by more than 60 choreographers and addressed to the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), the signatories report a worrying situation regarding the conditions of practice, throughout the creation-production- diffusion. This document highlights the chronic impoverishment of the dance community, a phenomenon that is largely the result of historically insufficient funding from all arts councils.
Despite long-standing precariousness within the community, dance artists, thanks to their talent, their creative sense and their great adaptability, have always been able to offer the public works of high quality recognized on stages around the world. entire. Despite this, today, the situation is brutal, and the pandemic has only exacerbated a situation of vulnerability already too present within the community.
For decades, despite some minor improvements, it seems to us that austerity has almost always been the rule. We deplore a leveling down of funding for artists and companies. We are concerned about what the community will be able to create, produce and promote given the limited means at its disposal. We are seeing a decrease in these resources, which is due to the increase in many costs and the improvement of working conditions that our artistic and support teams rightly demand.
New generations of artists are deploying artistic signatures whose sustainability and viability are fundamental to the development of the dance sector. These creators are the pillars of the Quebec dance of tomorrow. From a long-term perspective and vision, these artistic endeavors require immediate financial consolidation.
We recognize that during the pandemic, significant assistance from the CALQ nevertheless allowed several artists to explore new avenues in the difficult context of health restrictions. Innovative initiatives have appeared and have even favored the approach to new audiences in Quebec. The new modes of creation deployed during the pandemic, supported by this emergency aid, have made it possible to accept a slowdown in production activities, a diversification of activities and the appearance of approaches concerned with sustainable development.
As a repercussion, new practices have also emerged, for example: more time for research, an increase in in situ presentations and immersive projects, an increase in residencies in the regions with financial support. Unfortunately, the non-recurrence of this aid has slowed down this momentum.
These realities have led us to question our previous modes of production deeply rooted in poverty and the depletion of human resources.
In light of these findings, we believe that a major effort on the part of funders must be made to allow dance to be more present in Quebec, both in major centers and in the regions. . The aim here is to correct a deplorable state of affairs regarding the accessibility of dance works in Quebec, despite notable efforts.
We are asking for a significant increase in overall funding for the dance sector in Quebec in order to improve, as a priority, support for creation, dissemination and outreach.
Signatory choreographers:
1. David Albert-Toth
2. Louise Bedard
3. Marie Beland
4. Helene Blackburn
5. Ariane Boulet
6. Sarah Bronsard
7. Virginie Brunelle
8. Soraida Caron
9. Marie Chouinard
10. Sophie Corriveau
11. Lina Cruz
12. Sarah Dell’Ava
13. Melanie Demers
14. Charles-Alexis Desgagnes
15. Rhodnie Desire
16. Daniele Desnoyers
17. Genevieve Duong
18. Sylvain Emard
19. Annie Gagnon
20. Catherine Gaudet
21. Katia-Marie Germain
22. Margie Gillis
23. Frederick Gravel
24. Lucie Gregoire
25. Emily Gualtieri
26. Emmanuel Jouthe
27. Audree Juteau
28. Sasha Kleinplatz
29. Alan Lake
30. Alexandra Lande
31. Caroline Laurin-Beaucage
32. Emmanuelle Le Phan
33. Louise Lecavalier
34. Karine Ledoyen
35. Diana Leon
36. Elodie Lombardo
37. Severine Lombardo
38. Victoria Mackenzie
39. Philippe Meunier
40. Alexandre Morin
41. Jose Navas
42. Brice Noeser
43. Dorian Nuskind-Oder
44. Erin O’Loughlin
45. Aurelie Pedron
46. Andrea Pena
47. Emile Pineault
48. Jacques Poulin-Denis
49. Sebastien Provencher
50. Victor Quijada
51. Amelie Rajotte
52. Kunal Ranchod
53. Gerard X Reyes
54. Harold Rheaume
55. Manu Roque
56. Helen Simard
57. Caroline Simonis
58. Nadine Sylvester
59. Yvon Soglo (Crazy Smooth)
60. Bettina Szabo
61. Anne Theriault
62. Laura Toma
63.Andrew Turner
64. Nate Yaffe, The Raft
65. Ian Yaworski
66. Paco Ziel
This letter is also supported by:
Fannie Bellefeuille, RUBBERBANDance Group; Francine Bernier, The Agora of Dance; Martin Boisjoly, The Square of Lombes; Adrien Bussy, Flak Company; Maya Daoud, Sylvain Emard Dance; Pierre Des Marais, Dance Dance; Francine Gagné, Circuit-Est choreographic center; Marie-Andrée Gougeon, Daniel Léveillé Dance; Steve Huot, The Dance Everywhere Group; Stéphane Labbé, Tangente; Sylvie Lavoie, The organization; Nadine Medawar, Regroupement québécois de la danse; Claire Molinot, Parbleux