By Bernie Fabig
The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM) performing its original work Leonard Cohen’s Dance Me. Dance Me has two performances at The Broad Stage on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.
This performance is about the famed poet-singer-songwriter that evokes the grand cycles of existence in five seasons, as described in Cohen’s deeply reflective work.
“Dance Me” is inspired by the rich and profound work of Montréal-based poet, artist and songwriter, Leonard Cohen.
Tickets starting at $69 are available at thebroadstage.org or by calling 310-434-3200, or visiting at the box office at 1310 11thSt., Santa Monica, beginning three hours prior to performance.
Approved by Cohen during his lifetime, and under the artistic direction of BJM Artistic Director Louis Robitaille, with the strong, bold dramaturgy of Eric Jean, this riveting homage to the famed artist evokes the grand cycles of existence in five seasons, as described in Cohen’s deeply reflective music and poems.
With a soundtrack of Cohen’s most beloved songs, Dance Me paints a multifaceted portrait of the man who gave the world “Hallelujah” and “So Long, Marianne,” his words finding profound, new meaning though dance. Three internationally renowned choreographers – Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem – who put movement to Cohen’s legendary songs, which are brought to life by 14 Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM) performing artists. Dance Me, for which BJM has been granted exclusive dance rights for five years, combines scenic, visual, musical, dramaturgical and choreographic writing to honor one of Montreal’s greatest ambassadors.
Leonard Cohen songs included in the production include “Suzanne;” “So Long, Marianne;” “Famous Blue Raincoat;” “Lover, Lover, Lover;” “Hallelujah;” “First We Take Manhattan;” “Tower of Song;” “Everybody knows;” “Here It Is;” “Dance Me to the End of Love;” “Boogie Street;” “Nevermind;” “Steer Your Way;” “It Seemed the Better Way;” “String Reprise/Treaty;” and the poem “A Thousand Kisses Deep.”
Robitaille said in The Georgia Straight, “It was our luck that his last album [You Want It Darker] and songs went darker, and music critics considered it a masterpiece,” Robitaille says. “We use three songs from that album, so we really use songs from the beginning, from 1967, to the very last one.”
The project started when Robitaille got a call from the organizers of Montréal’s 375th anniversary celebrations. In the Toronto Star he said, “They wanted an integral evening, not a typical Ballets Jazz mixed program. The music of Leonard Cohen came into my mind immediately as the perfect vehicle. Although he was deeply rooted in Montréal he has touched so many people around the world, young and old, as much today as ever.”
The next challenge was to get Cohen’s approval. Robitaille never met with the famously reclusive poet, singer and songwriter but through his manager, Robert Kory, Cohen made clear he did not want the ballet to be biographical or just a collection of his greatest hits. Nor, as it happened, had Robitaille ever envisioned it as such, so he was allowed to proceed. “He gave us his blessing,” says Robitaille. “It was a great gift.”
Surrounded by a team of celebrated designers, Dance Me combines scenic, visual, musical, dramaturgical and choreographic writing to pay tribute to Montreal’s greatest ambassador. Dance, music, lighting, scenography and videography all come together in this unforgettable show, for which BJM has been granted exclusive dance rights for five years.
Lynn Saxberg in the Ottawa Citizen wrote, “Dance Me, the riveting new Leonard Cohen-inspired piece is a grandly executed … with a pace bustling with athletic prowess that demands every ounce of strength from the company’s muscular and focused dancers [and] built on a lovingly assembled playlist of Cohen’s songs, old and new, Despite the melancholy tone of much of Cohen’s material, the man definitely had his own unique groove, and that’s what drives this piece.”
About Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
Emerging from a collaboration between Geneviève Salbaing, Eva Von Genscy and Eddy Toussaint in 1972, BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal – is a repertory company that creates, produces and presents contemporary dance performances based on the technique, rigour and aesthetics of classical ballet. Its work consistently appears on local, national and international stages.
The company offers its artists high-level professional ballet training and gives internationally renowned choreographers the freedom to develop their artistic process in keeping with BJM’s identity. In doing so, the company is able to create an exclusive repertoire that is accessible to all. As a leading ambassador of Quebec dance across the globe, BJM is synonymous with flawless execution. Its distinctive style is at once artistic, sexy, explosive, original and accessible.
Since being named artistic director in 1998, Louis Robitaille has reoriented the company toward audiences open to new choreographic forms. He has linked BJM with rising names in the world of contemporary dance, such as Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton and others. The company also regularly collaborates with internationally renowned choreographers, including Mauro Bigonzetti, Andonis Foniadakis, Itzik Galili, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Barak Marshall, Benjamin Millepied, Rodrigo Pederneiras, Ihsan Rustem and Cayetano Soto. In recent years, the company’s artistic direction has favoured multidisciplinary creations that blend ballet with other artistic disciplines such as theatre, video and music.
Every piece created for BJM remains faithful to an aesthetic exerting a positive influence. With accessibility and quality as its key values, the company has managed to incorporate enjoyment into creations that are strong, expressive and demanding. The distinctive personality and high calibre of its performers ensure the company’s sustained success and reputation. Through its many productions, performances and educational activities, BJM is able to encourage discovery, stimulate imagination and democratize dance, all while sharing with local and international audiences its deep passion for this discipline. Having presented more than 2,600 performances for over 3 million people in 68 countries, BJM is a true ambassador of Canadian dance and artistic vitality across the globe.
In 2016, BJM and its artistic director were awarded the Rideau Hommage prize in recognition of the company’s reputation and continued presence on the Québec stage.
In 2017, BJM proudly celebrated 45 years of history, ballet, touring and meeting audiences.
