MEDIATHEK

A prolific and internationally respected artist, Sylvain Émard created his own dance company Sylvain Émard Danse in 1987, quickly establishing a reputation for a very original style. Highly theatrical at first, his work soon evolved into a more formal approach to dance. From his first solo piece Ozone, Ozone (1989) to his most recent work Ce n'est pas la fin du monde (2013), he has been exploring the territory of human nature through the force and strength of the body. His repertoire now includes over thirty original pieces that have had a resounding impact all over the world. Renowned for his refined style and precise movement, his presentation in 2009 of Le Grand Continental at the Festival TransAmériques must have come to some as a surprise. Inspired by line dancing, this unique piece has featured 1000 non-dancers in several performances across Canada, the United States, Mexico and South Korea, attracting some 80,000 spectators. Sylvain Émard’s unique style has led to invitations to work as guest choreographer in theatre, opera and cinema. These collaborations include his joining forces with Robert Lepage in 2005 to work on the opera 1984 by Lorin Maazel, presented namely at Covent Garden in London and at La Scala in Milan. Sylvain Émard has received numerous prestigious awards, such as the Jean A. Chalmers Choreographic Award (1996). In 2011 he was named Personality of the Week by La Presse/Radio-Canada for Le Grand Continental®. Sylvain Émard is also co-founder and board member of Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique.