Ismaël Mouaraki – Destins Croisés
Of Franco-Moroccan origin, Ismaël Mouaraki discovered urban dance at the age of 12 in his native region of Nancy, France. He encountered contemporary choreographic language with choreographer Xavier Lot, with whom he collaborated as a performer for more than three years. Since 2003, he has pursued his work through Destins Croisés, the company he founded. His choreographic creations reflect the leitmotif of all his work: embodying the infinite facets of humanity. Whether in Loops (2008), the duo Slam en/Corps (2009) in collaboration with spoken word artist Queen KA, the solo RefleXction (2010), Lien(s) (2016), or his more recent works oZe (2019) and Phenomena (2019), his creations revolve around notions of polarity, control, domination, and the perception of the individual within the group.
Ismaël Mouaraki surrounds himself with artistic collaborators whose talent and expertise inspire his bold vision. With them, he has developed a unique signature rooted in openness to genres and discovery of others. From his first hip-hop steps to presenting his works on renowned international stages such as Agora de la danse in Montréal, Lincoln Center in New York, PAMS in Seoul, or Internationale Tanzmesse nrw in Düsseldorf, he has taken artistic and creative risks. A choreographer, dancer, and teacher, he has received commissions in Canada and Europe, taught in professional training centers such as the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, and worked alongside renowned choreographers. He has contributed to various projects, including the 5th edition of Pas de danse, pas de vie! by the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) and Cirque Éloize’s show ID. He choreographed the Pink Carnaval parade in honor of designer Jean-Paul Gaultier at the Just for Laughs Festival and co-created the show Ayong with choreographer Herwann Asseh at Le Quartz in Brest, France. He choreographed D-Complex in collaboration with the Centre culturel de Namur, presented at Les Abattoirs de Bomel in 2016. More recently, he collaborated with circus students from the École nationale de cirque in Montréal on Pop-Corps, a short creation for the Triptyque program, co-signed with Marc Béland and Edgar Zendejas.
Elon Höglund and Emmanuelle Lê Phan – Tentacle Tribe
Based in Montréal, Tentacle Tribe is a Canadian-Swedish creative alliance between Emmanuelle Lê Phan and Elon Höglund, who create unusual choreographies with a contemporary touch, in the form of conceptual hip-hop influenced by all kinds of earthly creatures. With Tentacle Tribe, they have established themselves as practitioners of diverse dance and movement techniques, active contributors to the world of street dance, b-boying, and b-girling, and ultimately, stage artists. They approach choreography through a variety of movement philosophies, aiming for their work to transcend the boundaries of style and embody music beyond technique.
In their creations, they explore complex partnerships, refined musicality, and highly physical choreography infused with energy. Lê Phan and Höglund have worked together since 2005 and founded Tentacle Tribe in 2012. Their first official collaboration was the duo Body to Body, specially created for Cirque du Soleil in Québec City, which was also adapted into the film Elon & Emmanuelle by Natalie Galazka. Their second creation, When They Fall, premiered at the Festival Quartiers Danses in 2012 and 2013 in Montréal. The duo has been commissioned for special artistic events with Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Éloize.
Their landmark duo Nobody Likes a Pixelated Squid (2014) was presented in about thirty cities in 2015–2016 and was adapted for the screen in the short films Vanishing Points, showcased at around fifty international festivals, and Crack the Cypher, directed by Marites Carino. In November 2016, they created the dreamlike duo Fractals of You, presented at Danse Danse, featuring video projections by artist Gene Pendon. In 2017, the company grew, expanding their duet work into group pieces such as Origami Mami, threesixnine, and most recently Ghost, presented at Danse Danse. Tentacle Tribe has been in residence at York University and Arizona State University and has also created commissioned works for Dansenshus Oslo and Vancouver’s OURO Collective.
JURY NOTES
The jury members decided to award the Envol Prize ex aequo to these two companies, as it was too difficult to choose between them.
Destins Croisés, for its ability to create works on socially engaged themes that give its ever-evolving signature a strong consistency. The company has made it its mission to help break down barriers around urban dances by contributing to their visibility and accessibility. Through its creative projects, residencies, and choreographic workshops, Destins Croisés has, for 15 years, supported the emergence of young talents with diverse practices. The company is also deeply engaged in the community, particularly in Montréal neighborhoods with strong multicultural presence, and has made collaboration its primary tool for development, paving the way for future generations.
Tentacle Tribe, for the freshness brought by this young company led by the creative duo Elon Höglund and Emmanuelle Lê Phan, which has enjoyed resounding success since its early days. Their research leads them to explore the stage in a theatrical manner while maintaining a vocabulary rooted in the foundations of urban dance. In full expansion, Tentacle Tribe seeks to give back to the community by offering residencies and workshops open to all and by welcoming apprentices. While the creation of works is essential for the company, the relationships it aims to build with the community are equally fundamental, fostering encounters among individuals whose worlds can intersect.
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