The Gaspésie has long presented original cultural festivals. The FURIES festival, a contemporary dance event in Marsoui, a seaside village of a few hundred residents in Haute-Gaspésie, is no exception. It runs from July 25 to 28.
For its 5th edition, the festival FURIES, a contemporary dance festival at a human scale, environmentally responsible and gay-friendly, features striking choreographic forms in the everyday landscape. Performances take place indoors and outdoors at various locations in the village.
As its founder and co-executive director, Priscilla Guy, explains, "we tend to programme finished works, because our risk-taking isn't about supporting the creation of premieres, but rather about an eclectic and uncompromising programme that favours the revival of works that have often had little or no exposure in Québec, let alone in the Gaspésie. So we often favour finished works that we've been able to see in person or on video."
On the other hand, the team is often tempted to go with shared favourites among its three members, whose aesthetic tastes are quite different. Ultimately, many factors come into play, such as origin, artistic maturity, the type of choreographic practice, the aesthetic offered, solo or group pieces, representation of marginalized communities, a concern with contributing to the decolonization of dance dissemination, and so on. The programme must reflect a set of values that the festival upholds and that influence its choices.
From July 25 to 28, 2024, Marsoui will buzz with diverse artistic creations. The two-part opening night features the music of the Haitian ensemble Rara Soley, rich in new sounds: the tanbou, vaksinn, graj, tcha-tcha, and voices produce music that touches the soul. This will be followed by Mirages, a composite installation by the company Emmanuel Jouthe | Danse Carpe Diem, an intimate piece that suggests a mise en abyme of life.
The rest of the weekend promises a programme that is diverse and colourful. The event will culminate in the return of the Gala de lutte de l’Est, a popular event featuring "wrestlers" who spare no effort to bring the belt back to Marsoui. You'll definitely need to be there to experience its full intensity.
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FURIES - Contemporary Dance Festival is an initiative and production of the Mandoline Hybride organization, whose mission, since its founding in 2007, has been to develop contemporary art in various forms, anchored in dance.
Its research, production and dissemination projects aim to (re)think the place and scope of art in society, from critical perspectives. Promoting emerging artists and including diverse voices are priorities for the organization.
Four permanent components help put the organization's values into practice:
- Regards Hybrides
Aims to foster the articulation, development and reach of practices and discourses at the intersection of dance and cinema. With its web platform, collection, international biennial and service offerings for artists and presenters, Regards Hybrides is the only project of its kind in Canada.
- Salon58
Established in 2018, Salon58 is dedicated to hosting artists in residence and programming intimate concerts, with a focus on artistic experimentation and closeness to the public.
- FURIES — contemporary dance festival
Under the artistic direction of Priscilla Guy, Sébastien Provencher and Karla Etienne, FURIES is a dance festival that features striking choreographic forms in the everyday landscape.
- L’Hybride — café & bookstore
More than just a café, L’Hybride functions as a hub that allows Mandoline Hybride to innovate, consolidate its initiatives, implement them and share them.
The FURIES management and coordination team: Priscilla Guy (on the right), Sébastien Provencher and Karla Etienne
FURIES – Contemporary Dance Festival
furiesfestival.com
comm@mandolinehybride.com
1, Rte Principale O.
Marsoui, QC G0E 1S0