{"id":94074,"date":"2023-02-09T10:53:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T15:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=94074"},"modified":"2023-02-09T13:01:15","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T18:01:15","slug":"preview-virginie-brunelle-talks-toronto-premiere-les-corps-avales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2023\/02\/09\/preview-virginie-brunelle-talks-toronto-premiere-les-corps-avales\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Virginie Brunelle Talks About The Toronto Premiere Of Les Corps Aval\u00e9s"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_94075\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-94075\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-94075\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/Virginie-Brunelle-interview.jpg\" alt=\"L-R (clockwise): Virginie Brunelle, Artistic Director \/ Choreographer, Compagnie Virginie Brunelle (Photo courtesy of the artist); Artists of Compagnie Virginie Brunelle perform Les corps aval\u00e9s (Photo: Vanessa Fortin)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-94075\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L-R (clockwise): Virginie Brunelle, Artistic Director \/ Choreographer, Compagnie Virginie Brunelle (Photo courtesy of the artist); Artists of Compagnie Virginie Brunelle perform Les corps aval\u00e9s (Photo: Vanessa Fortin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Montr\u00e9al choreographer Virginie Brunelle is bringing her company to Harbourfront Centre for the Toronto premiere of <em>Les corps aval\u00e9s<\/em>. The performances on February 24 and 25 are part of the Torque contemporary dance series.<\/p>\n<p>With the help of a translator, we caught up with Virginie to talk about the piece, which blends contemporary dance with live classical music, performed on stage by the Molinari Quartet. <em>Les corps aval\u00e9s<\/em> was first created in 2019, and was well received at its premiere by Danse Danse at the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre Maisonneuve.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_94080\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-94080\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-94080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/LCA-Vanessa-Fortin-6926.jpg\" alt=\"Artists of Compagnie Virginie Brunelle perform Les corps aval\u00e9s (Photo: Vanessa Fortin)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-94080\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artists of Compagnie Virginie Brunelle perform Les corps aval\u00e9s (Photo: Vanessa Fortin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Les corps aval\u00e9s<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cIn this piece I wanted to talk about a society with a loss of reference,\u201d she explains. \u201cAs I like to do, my observation of society \u2014 every piece is a different angle of society.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a piece that combines physicality with a strong musicality to respond to the restless spirit of the times.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn an era where technological developments should improve communication, it seems that we are gradually becoming disunited.\u201d We become less connected by the speed at which contemporary society runs. Yet, we try to maintain or re-establish those connections. That\u2019s the kind of back and forth that the dance conveys.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, the antidote is love and friendship.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough the movement, I wanted to poeticize this range of emotions,\u201d she says. \u201cHumanity is becoming fragile,\u201d she notes. It\u2019s reflected in the dance. \u201cThe bodies are swallowed by technology.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In this age where AI is taking over the media landscape, it seems an especially poignant message. Virginie recalls being asked to create choreography for a robot dog. \u201cI still want to work with humans for now,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r3iGexkUUT8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Classical music and contemporary dance<\/h3>\n<p>Virginie\u2019s path to choreography, as it happens, came through classical music.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s really weird. It arrived really late in my life. I saw my aunt play violin at five. A week later, I said to my mother, I want to play violin.\u201d From age five to 15, she was an active student and then performer. \u201cI learned violin from five years old,\u201d she says. Along with her studies, she performed in a string quartet. \u201cI spent a good part of my life playing music.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After high school, she met three women who became friends and then mentors and role models. \u201cThey brought out my artistic fibre,\u201d she says. \u201cOne of them was a performer, a dancer too. She invited me to dance in her show as a non-dancer. I fell in love.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She studied dance at CEGEP without a background in the field, something she feels might have made her freer to pursue her own vision. Once the course material got to the creative concepts underlying the movement, she was hooked.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_94076\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-94076\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-94076\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/LES-CORPS-AVALES-_Artists-of-Compagnie-Virginie-Brunelle_-Photocr-Vanessa-Fortin-1.jpg\" alt=\"Artists of Compagnie Virginie Brunelle perform Les corps aval\u00e9s (Photo: Vanessa Fortin)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-94076\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artists of Compagnie Virginie Brunelle perform Les corps aval\u00e9s (Photo: Vanessa Fortin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Shortly after graduation in 2008, her piece for seven dancers, titled <em>Les cuisses \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9cart du c\u0153ur<\/em> got a lot of attention. <a href=\"https:\/\/virginiebrunelle.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Compagnie Virginie Brunelle<\/a> was founded in 2009, and has since performed throughout Qu\u00e9bec as well as internationally.<\/p>\n<p>Her beginnings in music have also come to inform her development as a choreographer. \u201cFor me, I think classical music is so rich. [It] already has a dramatic curve.\u201d Once she\u2019s decided on a theme, the music is next. \u201cActually, the music comes first in my process. I like to do a lot of research in music first.\u201d It\u2019s the music that inspires the movement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really look for correlation between music and dance. It plays an essential role in the conceptualization of my work.\u201d Classical music in particular lends itself to her work. \u201cIt has an undeniable narrative function.\u201d As she explains it, the music creates dramatic tension that links the audience members into their own memories.<\/p>\n<p><em>Les corps aval\u00e9s<\/em> gave her the chance to put both her passions together. \u201cIt was the first time that I invited live musicians to work on stage with us. It was my most ambitious creation to that point.\u201d It also realized another ambition. \u201cBy bringing together two disciplines I cherish \u2014 chamber music and dance.\u201d Using classical music is like coming home. \u201cIt&#8217;s like a double show for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/quatuormolinari.qc.ca\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Molinari Quartet<\/strong><\/a>, founded in 1997, are dedicated to performing the work of 20th and 21st century composers. \u201cI chose Molinari Quartet for their rigour and their talent.\u201d The combination creates a unique kind of performance. \u201cIt brings something really alive, both for the musicians and dance,\u201d she says. \u201cOn se lance la balle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her choreography uses familiar music and recognizable gestures. \u201cFor me, in each piece, I try to create a bridge between the audience and the scene,\u201d she says. \u201cI try to create a dialogue with the audience, so they can create some reference with their own experience and their own baggage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don&#8217;t want only one interpretation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tickets to the performances are on sale <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/harbourfrontcentre.com\/event\/les-corps-avales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig van Daily \u2014 classical music and opera in five minutes or less <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/ludwig-van.us9.list-manage.com\/subscribe?u=4f785cb3f9058f2393ccad035&amp;id=57cdb68eac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>HERE<\/em><\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Montr\u00e9al choreographer Virginie Brunelle is bringing her company to Harbourfront Centre for the Toronto premiere of Les corps aval\u00e9s on February 24 and 25.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":94075,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[40430,20,4967,29,9567,63],"tags":[32489,39936,40469],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/Virginie-Brunelle-interview.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-otk","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94074"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94074"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94081,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94074\/revisions\/94081"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94074"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=94074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}