Margie Gillis: Choreography in Seven Movements
Ever since her first solo performance in 1975, Montreal dancer Margie Gillis has been compared to Isadora Duncan. Cathartic dance, charismatic artist ... the descriptions have accumulated throughout her career. The first Western artist to introduce modern dance to China, the first modern dance artist to receive the Order of Canada, she had become a legend well before celebrating her third decade of dance - no mean feat indeed!
So what's next? “My wish is not to form a company but to create for others, and strengthen my vision, visibility and signature as a choreographer.” No sooner said than done, and the Cirque du Soleil commissioned two solo dances for its show Love (The Beatles).
She will be celebrating 35 years of dance by applying her unique signature to works for others. With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, she has created M.Body.7/ M.Corps.7, a larger program than her usual work, for 7 renowned soloists: Giaconda Barbuto, Anik Bissonnette, Holly Bright, Laurence Lemieux, Emily Molnar, Risa Steinberg and Eleonor Duckworth.
The choreographies have been tailored to the talents of each of these dancers who have made their mark on the Canadian scene, from the youngest (Emily Molnar) to the oldest (Eleonor Duckworth, age 72). They will then form part of the dancers' respective repertoires.
Initially, Margie Gillis wanted to create a sequence of solos. Then came the idea of combining solos, duets and group choreographies, with their interaction perceived as different facets of the same woman or different members of the same family. She worked individually with each dancer and then they all came together to rehearse the full ensemble.
M.Body.7 had its world premiere at Place des Arts (February 2008) before touring in Canada.