Montreal, September 22, 2016 – The Fondation Jean-Pierre Perreault has made the online transmission of Quebec’s contemporary dance heritage one of its top priorities.The Fondation launched the portal EC2_Espaces chorégraphiques 2, along with its first online collection of choreographic toolkits, ensuring the dynamic presence of our dance legacies in the digital world.This initiative was carried out in close collaboration with Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, the Dance Department at UQAM, Fortier Danse-Création, La 2e Porte à Gauche, Le Carré des Lombes, Louise Bédard Danse, Lucie Grégoire Danse, the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation, PPS Danse and Tangente. The event was held at the Pavillon de danse de l’Université du Québec à Montréal, with Ms. Anne-Marie Jean, President and Executive Director of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and Mr. Julien Valmary, Management Support and Strategic Initiatives Director of the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
NEW MISSION OF THE FONDATION JEAN-PIERRE PERREAULT
The Fondation Jean-Pierre Perreault (FJPP) was originally an internationally renowned dance creation company founded in 1984 by the choreographer Jean-Pierre Perreault (1947–2002). In the early 2000s, it became the first dance organization in Quebec to establish its own creative space: Espace chorégraphique. Initially focused on preserving the work of its founder, in 2014 the FJPP broadened its mission to include documenting and transmitting Quebec’s contemporary dance legacies, while encouraging reflection on the creation and promotion of our dance heritage. The Fondation initiates long-term strategies and collective actions—including virtual exhibitions, international museum exhibitions, shows, cultural mediation workshops, seminars, focus days on copyright and dance heritage, and an artistic legacy guide—targeting dance professionals, the arts community and the general public. Through these initiatives, the FJPP makes works accessible for research, teaching and reinvention. All of these activities keep the memories of dance alive, inspiring creativity in the present and future, and allowing choreographers to earn royalties. The new digital platform EC2_Espaces chorégraphiques 2 fulfils the Fondation’s new mission, paying tribute to the visionary spirit of its founder, Jean-Pierre Perreault.
EC2_ESPACES CHORÉGRAPHIQUES 2
A key FJPP initiative, the digital platform EC2_Espaces chorégraphiques 2 offers visitors a unique digital collection of choreographic toolkits, a media library to experience dance close up, a forum for discussion around issues related to our contemporary dance heritage, and a space to document, transmit, share and discover. It invites visitors to re-enact, reflect and exchange, revealing the many ways in which our dance heritage may be passed on to future generations. It also helps to showcase Quebec’s contemporary dance heritage around the world, offering dance enthusiasts an exciting opportunity to deepen their understanding and appreciation.
DIGITAL PUBLICATION OF CHOREOGRAPHIC TOOLKITS
The digital publication of an all-new collection of choreographic toolkits is a cornerstone of the EC2 platform. Based on an original idea by Ginelle Chagnon—who was Jean-Pierre Perreault’s rehearsal director and assistant for several years—the toolkits include all elements related to the creation of a work (interviews, videos, dance notations, technical riders, etc.). They are a treasure trove of information and an invaluable tool in remounting dance works, helping choreographers to understand their aesthetic, social and historical dimensions. The toolkits include archival material as well as new documents expressly created for the collection. Three first toolkits—for Bras de plomb by Paul-André Fortier, Duos pour corps et instruments by Danièle Desnoyers and Cartes postales de Chimère by Louise Bédard—are now available for consultation by the general public, via EC2. Two more toolkits—for Bagne by Jeff Hall and Pierre-Paul Savoie, and Les choses dernières by Lucie Grégoire—will be published in the coming months. The entire toolkit may be purchased in digital or hard copy format.
CONCRETE RESPONSES TO THE MASTER PLAN FOR PROFESSIONAL DANCE IN QUEBEC 2011–2021
The FJPP’s activities meet many of the objectives set out in the Master Plan for Professional Dance in Quebec 2011–2021, unveiled in June 2011 by the Regroupement québécois de la danse, including those related to cultural mediation, the recognition of multiple dance practices and cultural diversity, and the development and promotion of the discipline. As the Master Plan emphasizes, to ensure the long-term growth of dance, it is important to support its various facets: creation, presentation, documentation, preservation and the transmission of choreographic legacies. Developing curious, adventurous and informed audiences is a major challenge. An appreciation for dance comes not only from attending shows but also from understanding its history, origins and legacies.
A KEY PLAYER
EC2 is a dynamic, inspiring and content-rich resource that is unique in Quebec’s cultural landscape. It is a true laboratory for discussion, encounters, sharing and understanding. EC2 is set to become a key player in building a common cultural heritage and history, a place where dance and its memories may flourish.
You too can become a key player in preserving our dance memories by visiting EC2_Espaces chorégraphiques 2
EC2: www.espaceperreault.ca
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The FJPP extends a warm thank you to the Dance Department at UQAM and La danse sur les routes du Québec for their generous support in holding this event
For the creation of EC2_Espaces chorégraphiques 2 and the digital collection of choreographic toolkits, the FJPP received financial support from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, as part of Quebec’s digital cultural plan.
The FJPP would like to thank the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts de Montréal for their support in all of these projects.
