Article | Corps de ballet Show

Article from Mattv.ca, cultural webmag | Extract (translated by L'École supérieure)

The dancers of L'École supérieure de ballet du Québec (ESBQ) represent the cream of the crop, and every year they put on an end-of-year show. Some are nearing the end of their student careers, others are still at the beginning.

On May 30, they performed at Salle Pierre-Mercure in UQAM's Centre Pierre-Péladeau. The floor and balcony were packed with excited friends and family, waiting to see the fruits of a year's hard work by these young people they cherish. I don't think they were disappointed.

Photo: Gabriel Talbot /Mattv

On the eve of the 60th anniversary of this institution founded by the famous Ludmilla Chiriaeff, Artistic Director Anik Bissonnette put together a show that would hold its own on many an artistic stage.

The show opened with a classic 19th-century ballet, Paquita. There were some beautiful moments, and some fragile ones too. However, it's important to understand the level of technical difficulty represented by this tableau; it's light-years away from the “macarena”. Spend a few seconds on pointe and you'll be hearing from me.

Photo: Gabriel Talbot /Mattv

Then much younger dancers treated us to a medley of folk dances from various places, including Quebec. An excellent, energetic and festive moment. A number that strangely enough struck a patriotic chord in me.

I won't give you a written rosary of the other tableaux presented, because what we saw next was professional level. There was no attempt to convey a political, economic or social message. We were simply enveloped in beauty, talent and artistic intelligence.