Sylvie-Ann Paré
Esther Gaudette
An accomplished dancer, Esther Gaudette began her career at the age of 16 with the company Sursaut. A graduate of the École de danse de Québec in 2000, she has worked as a dancer, choreographer, rehearsal director, and teacher. She has taken part in several productions by Isabelle Van Grimde and Francine Châteauvert, as well as 5 heures du matin by Pigeons International, Corps noir by Stéphane Gladyszewski, and Fifteen Heterosexual Duets by Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie.
Since 2007, she has danced for Daniel Léveillé Danse, performing in alternation all the female roles in his productions. She was part of the creation of Solitudes Solo (winner of the CALQ Prize for Best Choreographic Work 2012–2013) and Solitudes Duo.
As an actress, she has appeared on the big screen in feature films such as L’espérance by Stefan Pleszczynski, Soupirs d’âme by Helen Doyle, and Karaoké Dream by Jean Leloup. On stage, as a dancer, she was part of Paradis perdu, directed by Dominic Champagne in 2010, as well as Poésie, sandwichs et autres soirs qui penchent in its 2006 and 2016 editions, directed by Loui Mauffette. In September 2015, she began a collaboration with choreographer Daina Ashbee, performing the solo When the ice melts, will we drink the water?, winner of the CALQ Prize for Best Choreographic Work 2016.
Manuel Roque
Alongside a diverse and exhilarating career as a performer with, among others, Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Dominique Porte, Peter James, Sylvain Émard, and Paul-André Fortier, Manuel Roque began choreographing short works (Brendon et Brenda, 2002; Ô mon bateau, 2004) before creating and performing RAW-me (2010), a solo that won awards at the Festival Vue sur la relève and the OFFTA. This was followed by the duet Ne meurs pas tout de suite, on nous regarde, closer to dance-theatre, created and performed with Lucie Vigneault.
He founded Compagnie Manuel Roque in 2013 and created an in situ project for Montréal’s Place des Arts public space in January 2014. The solo Data (2014), exploring the transformation of matter, was presented at Usine C, then reprised at the FTA 2015, the June Events Festival (Paris), and on international tour. In addition to his participation in the European project Migrant Bodies, where he created Matière noire, Roque choreographed Aurora for the graduating students of the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, followed by 4-OR, presented in Montréal in December 2015 by Tangente and Parcours Danse. His most recent creation, the solo bang bang, premiered in Lyon in April 2017, then at the FTA 2017 and the June Events Festival in Paris.
Manuel Roque’s work explores the blending of contemporary languages, staging a kinesthetic virtuosity combined with a polymorphic questioning of the contemporary human condition.
JURY NOTES
The jury noted the great power, precision, and accuracy of Esther Gaudette, a dancer both enigmatic and elusive. They also highlighted her raw sensitivity, her total commitment to a clear, uncompromising path, and the consistency of her choices.
This award also sheds light on the highly diverse career of Manuel Roque. A poetic dancer of great virtuosity, he possesses a strong athletic and technical background. The jury recognized his passion for creation, the quality of his commitment, as well as the rigor and depth of his artistic approach.
Bassam Saggagh
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