Teen Theater Meeting Festival | Alexis, dance and legend

Mythical character of Quebec folklore, Alexis le Trotteur, the man who ran faster than horses, continues to inspire. As next year marks the 100^e anniversary of his death, the Ample Man Danse company brings his legend to life on stage in Alexisa contemporary dance show created for teenagers… and thanks to them.

Four horse-dancers gallop through the rehearsal studio. If they obviously do not have the same physique as the animal, they borrow from it its gait, its strength, its bearing, even its hoof kick and its whinnying. In the center of the room, dressed in the style of early 20th century peasants^e century, the choreographer Simon Ampleman proclaims the exploits of Alexis Lapointe, dit le Trotteur, before his comrades set off in a series of movements recalling sometimes the superhuman energy, sometimes the beauty of the athlete who exceeded even the trains .

Tailor-made for teenagers

To build this show, which will premiere at the Maison des arts de Laval next Monday as part of the Rencontre Théâtre Ados festival, the troupe was able to rely on the impressive research work carried out by playwright Mélanie Viau. “We based ourselves on hundreds of testimonials from people who saw it,” explains Simon Ampleman.

But beyond the historical material, it is mainly from exchanges with groups of teenagers that this “multidisciplinary choreographic creation” was built, intended for an audience of 12 years and over.

At the start of the project, which stretched over 20 months, the artistic director of Ample Man Danse visited secondary schools to meet students. “I told them the story of Alexis and I asked them: ‘What do you remember? What bothers you? What’s coming for you?” And there the themes emerged from them. »

Clothing is an example. “Alexis was very proud because he thought he was going to develop social bonds by being well dressed. […] He said to himself: “Thanks to my clothes, people will like me”, says Simon Ampleman.

The choreographer recalls that Alexis Lapointe was a curious character who had difficulty being accepted by society and, above all, by his family, one of the other themes explored.

Gestures, taken up in the show, were also born of these two weeks or so spent with young people from various backgrounds.

Artist-mediators at school

And even whenAlexis will come to life on stage, the teenagers who will attend, with their family or with their school, the performances will continue to influence the work. How ? By deciding, for example, on the superpowers to be granted to the dancer-horses or even by choosing the soundtrack for one of the paintings.

This interactive aspect helps to create a link between the public and the artists, believes Simon Ampleman.

For young people who will see the show as part of a school outing, this relationship has already begun to be established: as part of the Rencontre Théâtre adolescent festival, schools are not only invited to the theater, they also have the chance to welcome artist-mediators some time before the performance.

“It’s important for young people to have the keys to understanding the play, because going to the theater isn’t easy. It’s not like going to the movies. There is a decorum in the theater that I find very important to bring when we do mediation projects,” explains Sylvie Lessard, general and artistic director of the Rencontre Théâtre Ados, whose festival, which takes place until April 29, now in its 27^e editing.

And what does a cultural mediation workshop look like? “In class, we chat, we meet, we discover each other,” replies Simon Ampleman, whose troupe regularly hosts such sessions for a variety of audiences, ranging from toddlers to seniors. “Mediation is there to create a link with the artist. Seeing him on stage puts him on a pedestal. To meet him as a human, it develops a closeness, a confidence. When trust is established, this is where openness occurs and sincere sharing exists. »

Alexis is presented as part of the Rencontre Théâtre Ados festival on Monday, at 7:30 p.m., at the Maison des arts de Laval. The show will then tour in different cities of the province.