As soon as I entered the Kravis Center on April 14 for the one-night only performance of Ballets Jazz Montréal’s full-length production of Dance Me, I sensed a different energy in the theater.
As I sat down and looked around, I immediately noticed that there was an air of excited anticipation and that the audience was much larger than usual for a dance event.
Dance Me is a multi-disciplinary creation inspired by the work of Leonard Cohen, the famed Montreal-based artist, poet and songwriter that was premiered by Ballets Jazz Montréal in 2017 and has been touring since then with great success.
Most likely many of the audience members were drawn to the Kravis performance because they were Leonard Cohen fans but I am positive they left with an enormous appreciation for contemporary dance and the 14 terrific dancers that make up Ballets Jazz Montréal, as well as the large team of artists that beautifully captured and sensitively enhance Cohen’s music and poems though the choreography of a trio of internationally known choreographers (Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem), the dramaturgy and stage direction of Eric Jean, the lighting design and production of Cedric Delorme-Boulard, Simon Beetschen, videography by HUB Studio, set and prop design of Pierre-Etienne Locas, and costume design by Philippe Dubuc.
Approved by Cohen during his lifetime (he died in 2016) and conceived by then-artistic director Louis Robitaille, the work was intended to appeal to a wide audience. The work is structured as a journey that takes the viewer through the broad range of work that Cohen produced, from his early folk songs to some of his more mediative works and poetry. These were interconnected in a series of distinct sections that were described as “season.” Clearly this was a show where the main focus was not going to be on dance. There was a lot more happening on stage and it was a lot to take in, so I decided it was better for me to just sit back and enjoy, come what may.
I appreciated the way the scope changed for the viewer from visual to auditory, from high energy to reflective, from onstage, full ensemble dance sections to projections of animations and larger-than-life figures and then, just at the right time, how it would slow down and focus up-close on a single performer. In the 75-minute show that highlighted 16 of Cohen’s most popular songs, the words of the poet rang supreme while the choreography seemed to serve more as a type of energy or an abstraction of the lyrics. I appreciated how I was able to hear and absorb the words as they echoed in my head while I watched the dancers sweep across the stage to collect in intricate groupings of undulating and complex choreography which — in hindsight — melded together in my memory.
Images, however, abounded. The always-present image of the dark figure of a man dressed in Cohen’s trademark hat and trench coat slowly crossing the stage, gently fluttering down snow in a pale blue spotlight, upside-down showgirl legs kicking in unison followed by a bounty of red lips that bounced to dance on the cyc. There were also interesting props like the fight poles that the lovely Silje Vereide introduced in her solo and the white, electronic boxes with screens inside that the dancers manipulated. What was not to sit back and enjoy?
One moment of beauty and vulnerability was when dancer Zoey Anderson, wearing a simple black dress and her light blond hair shining, sat down and sang “So Long, Marianne” (1967) with such clarity and authenticity. I have long admired Anderson’s dancing when she performed with Parsons Dance but to discover that her artistry extends beyond dance and that she has not only a beautiful voice but also an excellent delivery was quite thrilling.
In another moment, as the words of Cohen reciting his poem “A Thousand Kisses Deep” resonated, a silhouetted man sat typing at a desk as miscellaneous letters appeared to spill out onto the apricot-colored cyc and floated away as if they were clouds.
Amid the ensemble sections were three duets choreographed by each of the three choreographers but danced by same two dancers, Shanna Irwin Calderón and Yosmell Calderon Mejias.
The first duet was “Steer Your Way,” (2016) choreographed by Foniadakis. There was an underlying motif of ballroom tango as Calderón, whose cutting clarity — especially in her legwork — was immediately evident, paired with her strong and fluid partner Mejias.
Rustem choreographed the second duet, which was set to the iconic folk ballad “Suzanne” (1967). It was an incredible partnering feat for both Calderón and Mejias as Calderón circled around Mejias’ body — not once touching the ground — in a continuous never-ending lift. It was truly amazing to watch, seemingly so effortless, as if gravity did not exist for just that moment in time.
Ochoa created the final duet that showcased some equally impressive partnering. Set to Cohen’s “It Seemed the Better Way,” (2016) it was absolutely mesmerizing to watch the dancers’ equally balanced body parts transition with such complete calm and confidence into these never-the-less completely daredevil lifts. I recall one off-balance lift where Mejias held Calderón suspended by just her knee as she leaned away from him and then, like a figure skater, she dove down, brushing the floor to swoop up and end cantilevered on Mejias’s back as if she was a ski jump ramp.
Naturally having the same two dancers performed the three different duets emphasized their scope and depth as artists, but for me, it also served as an anchor to the production. Time passes and relationships change, as we observed as this couple went through the three duets. Their intimacy grew through their continued physicality and made me feel their relationship could withstand the test of time. It was a clear reminder of how Cohen’s remarkable poems have held up over time as they still ring true today.
Towards the end of the show, Anderson returned to sing “Hallelujah,” (1984) with fellow dancer DaMond LeMonte Garner. Their vocal duet was such a simple and quiet presentation which allowed the famous lyrics to soar as the audience and I joined in by softly singing alongside them. As they finished and sat down, the dark figure of a man dressed in hat and coat again crossed the stage and exited, only to reappear projected on the cyc. There was the spirit of Cohen, larger than life, dancing. Now he was the dancer and the dancers, scattered across the stage, were still.
Ballets Jazz Montréal has maintained its distinct and accessible artistic identity for over 50 years. Now under the artistic direction of Alexandra Damiani, it is recognized as one of the leading contemporary dance companies in the world as it continues to expand its repertory by collaborating with a wide range of internationally known choreographers. This performance of the multidisciplinary production of Dance Me was a winning and immersive example.
The outstanding performers were Zoey Anderson, Troy Atamanuk, Gustavo Barros, Millie Brinck-Dubuc, Yosmell Calderon Mejias, Marcel Cavaliere, Kyle Davis, Jasmine Heart Cruz, Shanna Irwin Calderón, Miu Kato, DaMond LeMonte Garner, Zack Preece, Madelaine Salhany and Silje Vereide.