This text is part of the special notebook Dance in Quebec
Precariousness, violence, mental health, ecoanxiety… despite the lack of resources, the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) participates in various movements to defend the rights and interests of artists and cultural workers.
“There is so much to do when we talk about social change,” says Claudia Chan Tak, board member of the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD), multidisciplinary artist, independent curator and activist. In a context of social transformations, marked by movements for equity, environmental justice and mental health, the RQD must therefore redouble its efforts to meet these considerable challenges.
One of the major difficulties facing the RQD is, in fact, the financial precariousness which affects the entire cultural sector. Successive budget cuts, exacerbated by the current economic crisis, further complicate the RQD’s support mission. For Sophie Corriveau, general and artistic director of Danse-Cité and co-president of the RQD, this reality is alarming: “One of the priorities is to ensure that dancers and cultural workers have decent working conditions. . » But given the largely insufficient funding, dancers have to deal with precariousness, sometimes without a social safety net or employment insurance. This lack of support creates a situation where even the most established artists struggle to make ends meet.
Sophie Corriveau also emphasizes that solidarity is essential to establishing long-term solutions: “The RQD can act as a unifier, but everyone must also do their part. » This notion of coming together takes on its full meaning in a sector where competition for limited resources is increasingly fierce. In this context, the training class program, which aims to offer artists concrete opportunities to stay in shape, proves crucial. However, these initiatives remain circumscribed due to the limited budgetary envelope of the cultural sector. “It is so popular, because it is necessary, that the means are lacking to be able to extend it over an entire season,” laments Mme Corriveau.
Mental health at the heart of discussions
Another fundamental challenge for the RQD is the psychological well-being of its members. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only disrupted artistic practice, but also amplified psychological problems within the community. Long taboo, the mental health of artists is now the subject of open discussions. “I observed a shift at the time of Stop Asian Hate, during the pandemic, because there, we were led to come together and talk. It was a big wake-up call to take care of mental health and, for me, to talk about it with other people who look like me and who are going through the same things,” says Claudia Chan Tak. This question particularly affects artists from minorities, for whom identity pressures mix with professional expectations. “Artists of color are often expected to address their identity on stage, which can be a huge weight to carry,” she adds.
To respond to these challenges, innovative solutions have been put in place, such as psychological support for artists. “I work with a theater company which offered me sessions with a psychologist to discuss trauma linked to identity,” confides Claudia Chan Tak.
The transformation of dance studios into “safe spaces” also contributes to this dynamic. Dancers can now benefit from an environment where they feel free to express their emotions and discuss their mental health. “The dance studio is increasingly becoming a space where mental health is taken seriously, and this is a positive development for the community,” notes the artist.
On all fronts
In addition to financial and mental issues, eco-responsibility occupies a preponderant place in the artistic world. The RQD is therefore subject to the need to integrate eco-responsible practices while having to deal with limited resources. “We are asked to plan sustainable development plans, but with teams already overloaded with work, it brings additional stress not to have enough human resources to do so,” underlines Sophie Corriveau.
Eco-responsibility, although essential, requires investments, and for Claudia Chan Tak, this reality is particularly difficult to reconcile with the immediate needs of artists: “Being eco-responsible requires money, and if you don’t have any , it’s complicated to respect our values. » Lack of funding in the dance sector makes trade-offs inevitable, and priorities often shift to human well-being ahead of ecological concerns.
Nevertheless, despite these obstacles, art remains a powerful vector for raising awareness of environmental issues. “Art is the perfect tool for discussing ecological subjects, but we cannot talk about them if we do not respect them in our own practice,” argues Claudia Chan Tak. The question of how artists can combine their discipline with sustainable values while having to deal with increasingly strict budgetary constraints remains open.
Solidarity is therefore one of the pillars on which the RQD rests, and it manifests itself on several levels. Lorraine Hébert, who was general director of the RQD for 13 years, observes that despite the many social and economic challenges, the world of dance demonstrates remarkable resilience. “It’s an environment that is often in crisis, but which adapts quickly,” she explains. This ability to adapt is largely based on the solidarity between artists, who support each other in difficult times.
Indeed, the growing diversity of artists and their practices poses additional challenges, but it also strengthens bonds within the community. Claudia Chan Tak talks about International Dance Day, where she spoke as an Asian woman to address concrete political issues related to financial cuts. “These are the kinds of changes that I find really important, and it is for these reasons that I wanted to get involved with the RQD,” she says.
This solidarity is all the more decisive in a context where competition for resources is intensifying. “There are several of us fighting for a little piece of pie,” regrets Claudia Chan Tak. And to continue: “This competition means that it is often the marginalized people who will suffer. »
Despite these major challenges, the RQD continues to play an essential role in supporting artists in the face of major social movements. Although progress may sometimes seem slow, it is nevertheless very real. “There are fights that are won, glass and bamboo ceilings that are broken,” says Claudia Chan Tak enthusiastically, who believes that dance, with its universal body language, remains a privileged means of maintaining a relationship. to humans. As she rightly concludes: “If we are connected to humans, we will understand the importance of social issues and what we must change. »
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