Compagnie Marie Chouinard

Compagnie Marie Chouinard
Name	Compagnie Marie Chouinard
Founded	1990
Founder	Marie Chouinard
Location	Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Genre	Contemporary dance
Artistic director	Marie Chouinard

Compagnie Marie Chouinard is a contemporary dance company founded in Montréal in 1990 by choreographer Marie Chouinard. The company developed into an internationally touring ensemble noted for interdisciplinary collaborations that intersect with visual arts, music, and film through projects staged at venues such as Festival d'Avignon, Lincoln Center, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Over decades the group engaged with institutions including the National Arts Centre, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, and museums like the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal.

History

The company's foundation in 1990 followed Marie Chouinard's earlier work with La La La Human Steps and links to Montreal's dance milieu including Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Canada Council for the Arts. Early commissions involved partnerships with producers such as Tangente and presenters like Place des Arts, while residencies were hosted by organizations including the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the Festival TransAmériques. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the ensemble toured across Europe, engaging presenting networks such as Théâtre de la Ville, Sadler's Wells, Theatre Royal Stratford East, and festivals including Festival d'Automne à Paris and Venice Biennale. The company also collaborated with broadcasters like Radio-Canada and cultural ministries in Quebec and Canada, linking to funding agencies such as the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.

Artistic Style and Repertoire

The company's aesthetic draws on Chouinard's choreographic vocabulary, informed by training and exchanges with figures such as Alvin Ailey, Pina Bausch, and contemporary makers associated with Merce Cunningham technique. Works often integrate scenography referencing artists like Louise Bourgeois, Marcel Duchamp, and Carolee Schneemann, and music by composers including John Cage, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Philip Glass, and collaborators from ensembles such as Kronos Quartet. The repertoire blends rigorous physicality, theatrical framing, and visual art strategies observed in institutions like the Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. Choreographic methods echo improvisational practices associated with Trisha Brown, while structuring devices reflect dramaturgical models used at Royal Opera House and Opéra de Paris.

Notable Works

Signature works include pieces that entered international circuits: Le Sacre du printemps adaptations and reinterpretations associated with Igor Stravinsky's score and stagings comparable to historic productions like Vaslav Nijinsky's 1913 premiere; Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun references to Claude Debussy and choreographic lineage from Vaslav Nijinsky and Nijinsky's Rite of Spring traditions; site-specific and film works presented at Festival de Cannes and Venice Film Festival. Collaborations produced works featuring scores by Alexandre Desplat and Howard Shore and visual contributions from artists who have exhibited at Tate Modern and Centre Pompidou. Several landmark pieces were commissioned for gala programs at the Metropolitan Opera and festival commissions from Performa and Ars Electronica.

Company Members and Collaborators

Principal artistic leadership is associated with Marie Chouinard, who led choreographic direction alongside recurring collaborators including dramaturges and designers who have worked with institutions like Comédie-Française, Royal Shakespeare Company, and orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Orchestre symphonique de Montréal). Dancers and performers joined from conservatories including the École supérieure de danse du Québec, Juilliard School, and Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, and have later affiliated with companies like Ballet Théâtre Français, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. Musical collaborators include conductors and composers linked to New York Philharmonic and Orchestre national de France, while visual artists and filmmakers affiliated with the company have exhibited at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Serpentine Galleries, and worked for production houses connected to BBC Arts and Arte.

Tours, Performances and Residencies

The company maintained an extensive international touring schedule with performances across North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, appearing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Teatro Colón, and Wiener Festwochen. Residency partnerships occurred with the National Theatre School of Canada, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and the Institut français network, while festival engagements included Festival d'Avignon, Edinburgh International Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and Perth Festival. The company also participated in cross-disciplinary platforms like Biennale de Lyon and curated exchanges with institutions including MOCA Los Angeles and The Kitchen in New York.

Awards and Recognition

Recognition includes awards and nominations from organizations such as the Governor General's Awards, the Prix du Québec, and international honors including the Laurence Olivier Awards and festival distinctions at Bessie Awards ceremonies. The company's contributions were acknowledged by cultural ministries including the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec and received grants from bodies like the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts de Montréal. Marie Chouinard and the company have been featured in major retrospectives curated by institutions such as the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and have been profiled in publications including The New York Times, Le Monde, The Guardian, and Le Devoir.

Category:Canadian dance companies Category:Contemporary dance