‘Le Grand Continental’ Comes to Boston
For the last two months, more than 100 Boston-area residents have been preparing for their Celebrity Series of Boston debut. On May 16-18, they get their moment in “Le Grand Continental.’’
The public dance event, the creation of Montreal-based choreographer Sylvain Émard, premiered in 2009 at Montreal’s Festival TransAmériques and quickly became an audience favorite. It has since traveled to places including New York, Philadelphia, Ottawa, and Mexico City. Boston is the seventh city where amateur dancers undertake an intensive rehearsal process culminating in a free weekend of public performances. The Boston group includes students, teachers, grandmothers, a marine, and a local politician.
“The piece just had to be danced by non-professional dancers,’’ says Émard, whose childhood experiences in line dancing inform the piece. “To me ‘Le Grand Continental’ is like an homage to social dance. I decided to mix the form of that dance with more contemporary moves and do the same with the music, using popular music and reworking the scores with a contemporary composer.’’
Although the dancers range in age from kids to senior citizens, and many have little dance experience, Émard keeps the standards high. “I am known to be quite demanding and rigorous with dancers and in a certain way I still am with the Continental dancers,’’ he says, adding that working with amateurs carries certain perks. “It is very refreshing for me to be with people that are there simply, but most importantly, because they love dance.’’
Émard makes it a point to go wherever the piece is being performed. “I always work with the dancers in all the cities,’’ he says. “I think the contact between the choreographer and the cast is essential.’’ He speaks highly of the Boston crowd, saying, “The Boston cast is a great group of dancers, very dedicated and supportive of each other.’’
After Boston, the work moves on to Vancouver, but wherever it goes, people are moved by it. “What still surprises me is that the response is the same everywhere,’’ Émard says. “I guess dance really has something universal.’’
“Le Grand Continental’’ will be performed Friday and Saturday, May 16-17, at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 18 at 3 p.m. in Copley Square Park, Boston. Free. www.celebrityseries.org
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