The Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) is pleased to announce the hiring of Featuring, a brand management, marketing, and communications agency, to work with in the launch of the Quebec professional dance campaign.
Inclusive, engaging and inspiring, this campaign is being developed hand in hand with an open-minded team filled with innovative ideas, bringing us together towards a common goal: to promote the art of choreography that animates us all.
The approach to this project is characterized by an inclusive positioning and a strategic approach where creativity is harnessed. It will be a campaign by the dance sector, for the dance sector.
The campaign will be done in partnership with several specialized organizations such as Curious Montreal, Eat It up Montreal and Jungle, while integrating in its development several figures, experts and artists from our sector. This will result in connections that will enrich the perspectives and employability of the project.
We are thrilled to be working with Featuring, a bold agency holding shared visions with the Quebec dance sector.
I lived in Kahnawake, Quebec in my early years, but then moved to Nova Scotia at a young age. I would always dance around the house and eventually started taking my first “official” classes in classical ballet, which I studied for many years. Growing up on a farm in a small village, I had very little access to dance and limited contact with my Mohawk community. Seeming highly unlikely that I could ever become a professional dancer with such limited resources, I stepped away for a while and decided to go into theatre. This brought me to study at Concordia University in Montreal, amazed and overwhelmed by the vibrant performing arts scene here.
Ever curious, I started discovering and taking classes in all different kinds of dance that I had never even heard of before – contemporary…what was that?!? But perhaps more importantly, I reconnected with my Mohawk community of Kahnawake, where I taught theatre at their high school. I also started to learn about my cultural dances and this changed my life completely.
Indigenous perspectives and practice of dance are so much more holistic, integrated into the community, inclusive, and have always been about so much more than just giving a show. These dances were for healing, honouring, spirituality, respecting the Earth, for community, ancestors, future generations, and for those who can’t dance. With time, I learned how to integrate these values into all my dance forms. Along with this, I accepted a responsibility to try to help my community with my dances and choreographies, as well as educate the general public about Indigenous people. I work with many organizations in Quebec and across Canada to educate about Indigenous people and to support them.
Eventually, with much help from good people, I was able to start my own dance company A’nó:wara Dance Theatre which is not only a place to create my productions but is growing to be a support for other Indigenous artists as well.
I believe that it is important for everyone to support Indigenous arts, and that building these cultural bridges will benefit all to have a more equal and diverse society. Let’s keep dancing!
The RQD completes the first phase of its partnership with the Canadian Association for the Performing Arts (CAPACOA). The RQD member directory data is now collected and visible in the Wikidata database. 600 Wikidata records have been created and each RQD member has a Wikidata ID. This first step represents a significant step for the dance community and contributes to the creation of an ecosystem of linked and structured data. By participating in this project, the RQD participates in the promotion and valorization of Quebec dance and increases its presence on the web.
A quick reminder: what is Wikidata?
Wikidata is a powerful tool to increase your visibility and that of dance on the Web. It allows your cultural content to stand out in search engines using metadata.
Wikidata workshops: a successful immersion
To learn how to use Wikidata and contribute to this database, 8 tutorial workshops were held from December 2021 to April 2022. Animated by Simon Villeneuve and Miguel Tremblay, experts of the Wikimedia universe, these workshops allowed participants from the performing arts to discover the universe of this database. During these monthly meetings, participants had the opportunity to create their profile on Wikidata and to take their first step as a user and contributor of the database. The participants from the dance world were able to discover the basics of Wikidata and understand the different functionalities. This immersion in the world of Wikidata is promising.
Two new Wikidata events in preparation
Starting in September 2022, the RQD will offer two new Wikidata events during which members will have the opportunity to improve their Wikidata records. We count on your participation! The recordings of the eight workshops (in French and English) are also available on the CAPACOA website. Start your immersion by discovering the basics of Wikidata.
The main benefits of integrating dance data into Wikidata:
Promote RQD member artists and organizations on search engines;
Increase the effectiveness, relevance and reach of dance content searched for on the web by the general public;
Provide a sustainable way to be visible and findable on the web;
respond to the trend of one-click search;
feed the artificial intelligence (web robots) that organize the results of search engines and voice assistants.
For any questions related to the project, please contact our digital cultural development officer, Aurélie Lauret.
In order to expand our partnerships and members’ networks, the RQD is initiating meetings with dance organizations around the world. As a first meeting, the RQD met with Dance Ireland, the professional dance organization in Ireland, which works with the same issues and opportunities as our community. Both organizations work tirelessly to put dance artists and organizations first, understanding their needs and promoting an environment that allows them to reach their full potential.
We have shared our methods in training, consultation and advocacy. Dance Ireland has a team like RQD’s and is constantly working, as we are, to advance the professional dance sector. With the help of Dance Ireland, Ireland has launched a pilot project for a Guaranteed Income for artists and the RQD is keeping a close eye on this project to advocate for the same in Quebec. The new project aims to support the arts and creative practice by paying artists and arts workers 325 euros per week. The main objective of this program is to address the financial instability faced by many arts workers.
In the future, Dance Ireland aims to prioritize advocacy for dance artists, develop connections by building and strengthening relationships with its members, guide dance artists as they progress through their careers, and ensure a sustainable arts and cultural sector for future generations of artists. With similar plans, the RQD applauds the hard work of Dance Ireland and wishes them all the best, hoping to cross paths one day soon to continue working to promote the wonderful art of dance, which knows no boundaries.
On May 18, at the Atrium of the Maison du Conseil des arts de Montréal, the RQD represented dance before a panel of representatives of the city of Montreal at a conference on the financing of cultural real estate projects of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM).
The purpose of the event was to benefit from the sharing of experiences of actors of different profiles who have set up such projects, the challenges they have faced and the levers inherent to these approaches, but also from the funders of cultural capital.
During the panel, the RQD advocated for a tool to be created by the city of Montreal that would make available to our community vacant spaces in the city that our artists and companies could use until they are rented. The city was interested in the idea and invited us to meetings to follow the discussion.
On the same day, CAM launched its brand new guide entitled Financing a Cultural Real Estate Project: A Guide for the Montreal Arts Community, (French only), which aims to respond to the needs of the arts community based on the Council’s consultations. The guide is intended for cultural real estate project holders: cultural organizations, artists’ collectives, technical resource groups, and any other organization wishing to develop this type of project in Montreal.
On May 2, at the National Summit on Culture in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez, announced nearly $10.7 million in funding to the Fondation des artistes to support artists and cultural workers in need of financial assistance. This assistance will provide direct financial support to workers in the live performance sector across Quebec.
As the Foundation selects the applicants who will receive this support, the RQD has scheduled a meeting next week to ensure that the Foundation’s assessment process is equitable across disciplines and marginalized communities. The RQD also wants to ensure that the selection process is more transparent and that the funds are accessible to all artists and workers who may not be able to apply as quickly or efficiently as those who are accustomed to applying.
The RQD has already met twice with Canadian Heritage to express its concerns and priorities and has asked Canadian Heritage to follow up with the Foundation on this issue. The RQD will continue to pursue its mission of inclusion, integration and valorization of the dance community in Quebec.
On April 29th, the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) and the dance community gathered at the Atrium of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens to celebrate International Dance Day 2022. After two years of online-only gatherings, the atmosphere was filled with joy and hope, especially after the Québec message was relayed.
This year, the RQD invited Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli to share the Québec message, which was unveiled that evening during a video projection and shared on the RQD’s social networks. In this video directed by Kayla Jeanson, Luca delivers a unifying speech paying tribute to dance, “this art that resides in each of us, from the simplest expression of movement to more complex choreography”. He celebrates its many facets: “dance as a universal activity, dance as self-expression, and dance as a vehicle for change”.
For the first time, the RQD held a Facebook Live to allow guests to meet with the artist, who was in Norway at the time. Luca was on hand to answer questions and participate in the festivities.
The RQD also recognized its long-standing members with a gift basket full of treats to thank them for their continued involvement.
Invited by the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD), artist Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli delivers a unifying message for International Dance Day. He pays homage to this art that resides in each of us, from the simplest expression of movement to more complex choreographies. He celebrates its many facets: dance as a universal activity, dance as self-expression, dance as a vehicle for change.
Like his professional and artistic approach, the world-renowned B-boy authentically demonstrates here that dance is accessible to everyone. To amplify the message, this video directed by Kayla Jeanson includes audio description, a practice that the RQD is proud to adopt for the first time. The RQD commits to continuing to develop actions in favor of accessibility in dance, in particular by sharing key resources that allow our sector to be more accommodating and by inviting Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli to offer training on the subject.
Quebec Message for International Dance Day 2022
By Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli
Hidden within us, whether we are aware or not, dance is there. Dance can transform us and can have a positive impact in the world. Dance is one of the few activities that truly brings people together no matter the age, race, gender, language, or ability. It is a celebration of humanity at its finest. Through dance we open ourselves up to the world and feel a sense of belonging. Dance gives us limitless possibilities to express ourselves in different ways. It allows us to move even with the simplest of movements to create complexity. The beauty of dance doesn’t solely come from movement, but from the process of creating movement when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and authentic. Dance gives us the ability to believe in ourselves, and it is in those moments that we discover and expand our true physical, emotional, and spiritual potential. When we dance, we free ourselves from the worries and stresses of the world because we are connected to the present moment. We release tensions we might have and energize our path to growth. Dance is not about perfection, it’s about the way you move to feel free!
Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli
Luca has developed a unique dance style incorporating his crutches and the strength in his arms, that has gotten him worldwide recognition. He was the segment director and lead performer for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Opening Ceremonies. Luca is the founder and creator of the ILL-Abilities™ Crew, an international B-boy crew comprised of the world’s best “ILL-Abled” dancers. Luca also co-founded Projet RAD which was Canada’s first inclusive urban dance program offering people of all ages, all abilities the possibility to participate in accessible dance studios. Luca has been recognized as the Canadian Ambassador for Dance and received a Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada for his dance outreach programs.
Kayla Jeanson
Kayla is a videographer and dance artist who produces interdisciplinary work rooted in a desire to navigate the line between artist and audience, seer and seen. She has worked as a videographer for companies such as Cirque du Soleil, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers, Les 7 doigts de la main, and Le Monastère Cabaret du Cirque. She is pursuing embodied ways to incorporate the camera into live performance works and documentation as well as choreographing performances for stage and screen.
The Regroupement québécois de la danse is pleased to announce that it will be launching the inclusive project Ici, on danse: A Campaign to Promote Professional Dance that will run for almost a year and will cover the entire province of Québec, all levels of the sector’s ecosystem, and all types of dance.
“The Regroupement québécois de la danse and the dance sector are very pleased to be able to count on the support of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications for this major revival project. This campaign to promote dance in Québec will not only encourage the public to consume more dance and integrate it into their daily lives, but will also involve dance artists and organizations throughout the province, thereby contributing to the sector’s employability and increased revenue.”-Nadine Medawar, Executive Director of the Regroupement québécois de la danse.
> Read the press release from the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications.
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