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MAYDAY/ Melanie Demers

Work-in-Progress Performance: Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at 12 p.m.
Pay What You Decide – a social experiment in which we ask you to value your artistic experience.

July 1-7, 2019

"Demers’s work reflects her questioning of theatre’s social role throughout the ages" - V. Svoboda, The Gazette

Mélanie Demers is a Canadian choreographer, word lover, moviegoer and art addict. She founded her dance company MAYDAY in 2007 to explore the darker zones of the human condition.

As part of this exploration, Demers has taught dance in Kenya, Niger, Brazil and Haiti. The harsh realities of the developing countries strengthened her belief that the role of art is to address political issues and to stimulate a debate of ideas. To date, she has choreographed over fifteen works presented in over thirty cities across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.

Since its inception, MAYDAY has served as a place of exchange and reflection, a true artistic think tank. The company features a diverse range of performers, some from its home base in Montreal, and others from around the world. Sometimes light and refreshing, sometimes sharper and sour, their pieces feature a mix of explosive energy, sensuality, and dramatic intensity.

MAYDAY uses the stage as a platform to examine the role of the artist and to explore the fate of individuals and the world we live in. Demers’ works have been described as simultaneous distress signals and an invitation to change. This is why she named her company MAYDAY, a word in which she perceives both hope and despair.

During this residency, Demers will create new work, co-commissioned by the Quick, which will be showcased in our 2020/21 season.