"Kin" La Tresse, Final Tuning Dance Residency Performance, photos by Valérie Boulet, Matthew Quigly, Lucy M. May, Laura Toma, Geneviève Boulet , Erin O’Loughlin
Message from Artistic Director
Welcome to Final Tuning 2023. We acknowledge our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain with deep respect and gratitude. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as "Minhrpa" (translated in Stoney Nakoda as "the waterfalls") and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley First Nations – as well as the Tsuut'ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play here, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place. We are thrilled to launch our new dance program, Final Tuning.
Final Tuning is an excellent opportunity for independent choreographers and companies ready to test their final work in a theatre space with the support of creative faculty (dramaturge, lighting designer and composer and others) and the hands-on support of the professional technical team of the Jenny Belzberg Theatre. The participants benefit from the time and final creative process to polish and present the work as a preview to a public audience at the Banff Centre. We are very excited to support a crucial step in the final creation process of completed work before its world premiere.
Our mission is to create a fertile learning environment to support diverse artists in their creative process and to encourage all participants to share ideas, collaborate and co-create. I am pleased to welcome Ana Sanchez-Colberg, Arun Srinivasan, and Edgardo Moreno faculty.
We are grateful to the leadership of Janice Price and Mark Wold and all the tremendous support from the staff of the Banff Center; we thank all the people who nurture our bodies and souls to make this possible.
Alejandro Ronceria, Director of Dance Training and Dramaturg
About the Program
Don’t miss this opportunity to see a public performance of Banff Centre’s Final Tuning Dance Residency in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre. In this immersive and physically engaging work, co-choreographers and performers of LA TRESSE: Geneviève Boulet, Erin O’Loughlin, and Laura Toma, welcome two additional dancers of unique talent and depth to the ensemble: Lucy M. May and Matthew Quigley.
The five performers of “KIN” invite audiences on a psychedelic voyage to a universe which is both a reflection and refraction of the world as we know it. A place where past, present, and future co-exist, this microcosm challenges doomsday narratives choosing instead to draw upon the intelligence of nature to conceive of an adapted world. Employing imagination, curiosity, and sensuality, “KIN” transports the public to an empathetic and playful utopia.
Please find more information about LA TRESSE here.
Please turn off all cellphones, photo/video cameras.
About the Company
Established in 2014, LA TRESSE is a laterally arranged organization whereby the three founding members: Geneviève Boulet, Erin O’Loughlin, and Laura Toma, create, co-choreograph and perform works which highlight interdependence and the transportive power of imagination. Their work includes trios, ensemble works, and commissions and has been presented at numerous festivals and venues. Their first work, Beauté Brute (2015) was performed at Zone Homa, Vue Sur La Relève, OFFTA, Dance Matters (Toronto) and La Rotonde (Quebec). Volume II (2017) won the Audience Choice Award at Festival Quartiers Danses and has been presented at VALSPEC and The Grand (Calgary). LA TRESSE has created works for Springboard Danse Montreal in both 2017 and 2019, and EDCM in 2019. Agora de la Danse presented L’Encre Noire, in 2019 and since then have proven to be essential partners and mentors in establishing LA TRESSE’s position within Montreal’s dance ecology; presenting their new creation, KIN, in Spring of 2023.
Biographies
Geneviève Boulet
Geneviève received her training from L’École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal. She has danced for Roger Sinha, Lina Cruz, O Vertigo, Annie Gagnon, Dany Desjardins, Fleuve Espace Danse and Dynamo Théâtre. She has been with the company Destins Croisées since 2009 performing more than 300 shows across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Boulet has participated in a number of workshops including P.A.R.T.S. and the Batsheva Dance Company for which she received support from the CALQ. In 2014, she was selected to be part of the creation, Dance Grammar, choreographed by Roy Assaf at the Dance Biennale in Venice, Italy. Since then, her professional relationship with Assaf progressed into the creation of the solo A Girl performed in Montreal, Calgary and Mexico. She has been a part of the Legacy Project under the direction of Margie Gillis since 2018 and continues to work as rehearsal director on various projects.
Co-Director, Co-Choreographer, Performer
Etienne Issa
Etienne Issa is an environmental researcher, architect and scenographer. His ongoing doctoral research explores the valorization of building waste streams using fungal microorganisms as organic binders for circular and regenerative biomaterials towards resilient interspecies communities and cities. Etienne has collaborated with architecture offices as project leader for Pelletier de Fontenay and Atelier Barda in Montreal, and Kuehn Malvezzi in Berlin where he touched on social housing, art schools, museum and exhibition design, including the winning competition entry for the Insectarium of Montreal. He has equally led design-build installations for the Reford Gardens in Métis and the Grands Voisins project in Paris dedicated to the transformation of the former Saint-Vincent de Paul hospital creating inclusive public spaces for community users and refugees. Etienne has recently been involved as a guest lecturer and critic at Princeton University, the University of Montreal, UQAM, HEC Montreal, the Canada Green Building Council, and the University of Camerino.
Set Designer
Lucy M May
Lucy M. May is a dance artist based in Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal) and born in Fredericton (Wolastoqiyik territory). Improvisation resides at the heart of her work as a dancer, informed by her exchanges with Margie Gillis, Marie Chouinard, and her Krump practice since 2016. She has been mentored in the street dance by Ja Britton Johnson aka Jigsaw since 2018, following studies at LADMMI (EDCM) and the Rotterdam Dance Academy. She currently freelances with creators including Ariane Boulet, La Tresse, and Helen Simard. Her own creations include The Conditions (2024), Anima / Darkroom (2019) with 7Starr, Vivarium (2014/17) with Noémie Avidar, Patrick Conan, and Paige Culley, and the land-based project Esemplastic Landing (2016-17). Her work investigates the materiality of attention and human relationships to spaces, and has been programmed across Canada.
Dancer-Collaborator
Erin O'Loughlin
Originally from Calgary/Treaty 7 Territory, Erin O’Loughlin is a Montreal/ Tio’tià:ke- based dancer, choreographer, teacher, and founding member of LA TRESSE. O’Loughlin holds a BA in Dance and International Relations from the University of Calgary and her training includes the Ailey School, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and attendance at workshops including ImPulsTanz, Gaga USA&IL, and residencies at the Banff Centre (Creative Gesture, Dance Artist in Residence, Final Tuning). In Alberta she worked with Davida Monk, Maya Lewandowsky, Helen Husak, and Corps Bara Dance Theatre. She currently performs with Andrea Peña & Artists, Sylvain Émard Danse, and Sinha Danse. In 2016, she worked for Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar in Mumbai, India. Alongside her co-creators Laura Toma and Geneviève Boulet, she has created and performed in numerous works with LA TRESSE since 2014 winning prizes such as the “Prix Coup de Coeur du Public” from FQD, and the “Gibney Company/Springboard Emerge Award”.
Co-Director, Co-Choreographer, Performer
Matthew Quigley
Matthew is a dancer and creator based in Montreal. He studied ballet at Canada's National Ballet School and then went on to study dance at The Juilliard School receiving his BFA in 2019. In New York, he worked with Company Stephanie Batten Bland, performing works Look Who’s Coming to Dinner at La Mama and Movements Out of Single Use Plastics at the UN in NYC. He collaborated with choreographer Roy Assaf, performing 25 People, Andrea Miller for Gallim’s Stone Skipping during their Met Museum residency, and performed a solo by Danielle Agami during his senior year. He is also an active choreographer, creating work for stage and film — most recently releasing a short film entitled Dino — and is an avid photographer and visual artist. He has collaborated with La Tresse since 2020 and has also recently worked with Sylvain Émard Danse and Destins Croisés.
Dancer-Collaborator
Catherine Ste-Marie
Catherine Ste-Marie has always been interested in the production side of the performing arts. In addition to a DEC in Cinema and Cabinet-Making, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Stage Design from the École supérieure de théâtre de l'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She has extensive experience as a stage manager, production manager and technical director and currently works as a technical director and stage manager with Montréal-based dance companies: Ebnfloh and La Tresse. Prior work includes two years in the role of Assistant Technical Director and Stage Manager for contemporary dance presenter Tangente. When she is not behind the stage, Catherine is sailing. She has sailed on several bodies of water and made several ocean crossings.
LA TRESSE Technical Director and Stage Manager
Laura Toma
Born in Romania and raised in Canada, Laura is a graduate of the Laban Center in London, UK and The School of Dance in Ottawa. She has professional training in theatre as well as in latin and ballroom dance. Her professional development has included training at P.A.R.T.S. in Belgium and with the company Ate9 in Los Angeles. In August of 2012, Laura graduated from the first official Gaga Teacher Training Program in Tel Aviv, Israel under the mentorship of Ohad Naharin and is the first certified Gaga teacher in Canada. She has taught for Compagnie Marie Chouinard, the RQD, l’ÉDCM, and L’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, among others. Laura has been a part of Andrea Peña & Artists since 2014. In June of 2016 she performed at the Venice Biennale of Dance for Israeli/French choreographer Emanuel Gat.
Co-Director, Co-Choreographer, Performer
Arun Srinivasan
Arun has worked extensively in the performing arts for 30 years. He trained at York University earning a Specialized Honours B.F.A in Design & Production. Select dance collaborators have included Robert Desrosiers, Peter Chin, Danny Grossman, COBA, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Tiger Princess Dance Projects, The National Ballet School and ProArteDanza. He has been the resident designer for Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre since 2002. Theatre credits include Soulpepper Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Pleaides Theatre, Crow’s Theatre, The Stratford Festival, Factory Theatre, The Canadian Stage Co., The Globe Theatre, Cahoots Theatre Projects, Musical Stage Co., Luminato & Buddies In Bad Times Theatre. His career has garnered him nine Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations for Outstanding Lighting Design in both the theatre and dance categories.
In the musical theatre world, he was the Toronto Associate designer for The Lion King for Mirvish Productions. In addition to theatre and dance, he has designed concerts for The Art of Time Ensemble, New Music Concerts and Nagata Shachu Ensemble. He has worked on galleries at The Royal Ontario Museum and for The Thompson - Landry Gallery. Arun has had the privilege of teaching lighting design at York University, TMU (formerly Ryerson University), the University of Waterloo and mentorship at The National Theatre School. Productions have taken him to Ukraine, Malaysia, Singapore, India, China and across North America. He is thrilled to be joining the faculty here for this new exciting program. Following his time here, Arun will be returning to The Stratford Festival to design Much Ado About Nothing.
KIN Lighting Designer and Lighting Faculty
LA TRESSE - Artistic Team
Artistic direction, choreography and performance : Geneviève Boulet, Erin O’Loughlin, Laura Toma
Performers and collaborators : Lucy M. May, Matthew Quigley
Dancers in creation : Nasiv Kaur Sall, Rakeem Hardy
Music : Richard “Shash’U” St-Aubin
Scenography : Étienne Issa
Costumes : Marilène Bastien
Lighting Design : Anne-Sara Gendron
Dramaturgy : Angelique Willkie
Rehearsal Direction : Isabelle Poirier
Outside Eye : Rakeem Hardy
Technical Director : Catherine Ste-Marie
Co-production : Agora de la danse
Residencies : Agora de la danse, Théâtre Hector-Charland, Fondation Margie-Gillis, Louise Lapierre danse, Salon 58/Mandoline Hybride, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Support : Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, LOJIQ
LA TRESSE - Company
Alejandro Ronceria
Alejandro Ronceria is an internationally acclaimed director/choreographer/dance dramaturge based in Toronto. He directs and produces dance/theatrical productions internationally and mentors Indigenous choreographers and productions.
Ronceria was the co-founder/Program Director of the first Aboriginal Dance Program in North America at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. During his five-year tenure, the groundbreaking program brought together Indigenous and Inuit performers from across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Greenland, and New Zealand. His dance films have screened at TIFF and Sundance. Classically trained in ballet in Colombia, he holds an MFA in Dance Dramaturgy from York University. Ronceria was inducted into the Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame.
Director of Dance Training and Dramaturg
Ana Sánchez-Colberg
Ana Sánchez-Colberg is a Puerto Rican multidisciplinary artist working internationally. Her trajectory begins in choreography and dance. She established Theatre enCorps in 1989-2021and has a track record of award-winning works created and performed in over forty cities world-wide. She has been awarded Fellowships by the Swedish Research Council, Arts Council of England, British Council amongst others. She has also been a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Award in 2016 and the recipient of the highly coveted MAP Funding (USA) award in 2019, among other awards and recognitions.
Since 2016 Sánchez-Colberg moves fully into non-stage multidisciplinary/cross-arts works based on experimentation with generative compositional rules to create new forms of collaborative and participatory contemporary art. The works defy categorization as they bring together elements of fine and visual art, audio composition, movement, photography and film, live documentation in works that question the relationship between art institutions, the 'art-object' and the subjects involved in the creation and reception.
She is the Artistic and Executive Director of Vision.AI.R-e, a company developing multidisciplinary projects integrating performing arts and new technologies.
Dramaturg Faculty
Edgardo Moreno
Edgardo Moreno is a Canadian-Chilean composer based in Hamilton, Ontario.He has been commissioned for projects in Canada, Venezuela, Mexico, Sweden, Norway, Argentina, Colombia, England and USA. He has worked extensively with contemporary dance choreographers and artists including Penny Couchie, Justin Manyfingers, Alejandro Ronceria, Allen Kaeja, Karen Kaeja, Olga Barrios, Tara Butler, Lilia Leon, Norma Araiza, Rulan Tangen, Starr Muranko,Tasha Faye Evans, Jeanette Kotowich, Carlos Rivera, Sara Roque, Diana Lopez. He is presently working in creating video and live sound pieces that are part of his Fireflyproject. www.musicamoreno.com www.fireflyproject.ca
Composer Faculty
List of Banff Centre Production Staff (Final Tuning 2023)
List of Banff Centre Production Staff (Final Tuning 2023)
Banff Centre Production Staff:
Blair Atkinson - Audio and Video Technician
Brendan Briceland - Head of Projection Technology and Running Crew
John Brigham - Audio and Video Technician
Curtis Doherty - Interim Studio and Video Technician
Ben Ewing - Senior Recording Engineer
Lyle Fish - Head of Sound
Matt Flawn - Head of Lighting
Samantha Hindle - Technical Director
Jozef Karoly - Video Post Production
Carey Lees – Wardrobe Shops Facilitator
Johnathan Limbrick – Omni-Technician and FOH Sound Engineer
Woody MacPhail - Senior Technical Producer
Dave Miller – Stage Carpenter
Henry Ng - Audio and Music Technician
Albert Picknell - Head Piano Technician
Donna Sharpe – Final Tuning Program Stage Manager
Darrell Shaw - Assistant Head of Lighting
Pete Szakony – Omni-Technician and Running Crew
Raj Rathore - Assistant Head Stage Carpenter
Brett Rayner - Head Stage Carpenter
Nerida Ross - Production Coordinator
Rita Taylor – Photographer
Raffi Tchalikian - Audio and Video Technician
Mark Tierney - File Encoding
Elena Vandakurova –Wardrobe Shops Facilitator