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(NOTE: No current biography
for Mr. Gingras was available at the time this exhibition was assembled.
This biography is taken from the 1998 Aboriginal Dance materials.)
Gaétan Gingras vivid interest in creating dance performances evolved
alongside his desire to become a dance performer. During his first years
of dance education in Cégep in Drummondville, his discovered joy of
dancing could not be contained in dance classes, so he naturally
progressed to making his own choreographies. By the time he joined his
first professional dance company, Gaétan had created numerous dances that
were presented during various school and community events. His versatile
performing talent, rapidly discovered by such choreographers and theatre
directors as David Earle, Robert Desrosiers, Ginette Laurin and Gilles
Maheu, did not allow him much space for the continuation of his own
dance-making. Gaétans successful dance career did not, however, chase
away the desire to prove his strengths as a choreographer.
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Photo:
Don Lee |
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First notable opportunity to choreograph seriously came in spring 1992
when Gaétan was invited by the College in Drummondville. He choreographed
then a solo which he himself performed, a quartet (co-choreographed with
Sonia Delawide) and a piece for twenty students of the dance program. Soon
after, he presented a duet at the FIDA (Festival of Independent Dance
Artists) in Toronto, entitled Before a Joy Proposed; Behind a Dream. It
was a short study of a promising relationship remembered only as a dream.
By that time Gaétan gained the support of the provincial and municipal
Arts Councils, which allowed him to continue concentrating on his
development as a choreographer. His next creation, Isolé, was a
solo that retraced with much empathy the exile of an American Indian.
Presented in 1993 at the FIDA festival and at the Earth Spirit Festival,
also in Toronto, it opened a new stream of inspiration that only grew in
strength with each new creation. Native peoples culture, their traditions
and ways of life, so imbued with spirituality and reverence toward nature,
became for Gaétan much more than just another inspiring theme. Very
personal concerns and involvement originated his journey into this vast
land.
After seeing Isolé, Dina Davida, artistic director of L'Espace
Tangente in Montreal, invited Gaétan to create a piece within the
framework of the intercultural series Ascendanse. Sentier Inconnu,
presented in spring 1994 by Tangente, was Gaétan's second close encounter
with Indian Culture and, particularly, with the experience and meaning of
rituals. It was followed by Dancing with my Ancestors, also
presented by Tangente. Gaétan's latest creation, Osheron, is
probably most developed in its composition and use of symbolic imagery of
native rituals conveying various moods and emotions, and translated into
movements. Osheron, fourth creation of Gaétan which draws its
inspiration from the depths of the native culture, could serve as a
closing part of a cycle, which like the passing of the year goes through
four distinct seasons. Five years ago, Gaétan could not predict that Isolé
would only be the beginning of a long road, so he cannot foresee the next
turn. He can only be thankful for being at now and continue creating works
that celebrate nature and trust the path of his career that follows the
changing seasons.
Gaétan's artistic vision is evolving with his journey down the path of
his Native Indian ancestors. His source of inspiration comes from the
daily life of native people, which was guided by the respect of the cycles
of life unfolding in profound harmony with the nature and protected by the
ever-present spirits of the universe. His dance brings out the deep
spirituality of the simple lifestyle of the native people, the expression
of spirituality, being the element of utmost importance in Gaétan's
vision of his art.
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