2021 Awards and Recognition in Dance in Quebec

At the 37th annual gathering of the members of the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD), major changes were announced. A new Board of Directors, new Co-Chairpersons, new Executive Management. Together they are ready to take action to support and defend the interests of more than 600 dance professionals, with a transformative vision for the future of the RQD.

During the virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, October 26, Paul Caskey, Executive Director of the Centre de Création O Vertigo – CCOV, and Fannie Bellefeuille, Executive Director of RUBBERBAND (who were both already board members), were selected to act as Co-Chairs of the Board of Directors of the RQD. They are taking over from Jamie Wright and Lük Fleury, who had been Co-Chairs since 2017.

“I’m aware of how vast, diverse, rich, and often complex our community can be. We are all partners playing essential roles to keep our field thriving—artists, collaborators, presenters, service providers, studios, cultural workers. I look forward to accompanying the RQD and all of its members as we embark on this new chapter.” – Paul Caskey, Co-Chairperson

 

“With continuity in mind, I want to share the experience I acquired over these past 10 years on the Board of the RQD, with the intention of supporting the new Executive Director. I also want to be able to represent my dancer colleagues in a just and fair manner.” – Fannie Bellefeuille, Co-Chairperson

Two managers as Co-Chairpersons of the RQD

Over the years, Paul Caskey has worked as a dancer, choreographer, technician, lighting designer, technical director, and producer. Co-Artistic Director of Studio 303 from 1994 to 2005, Caskey then moved to Halifax to become the Artistic Director of Live Art Dance Productions, a position he held for 11 years. In 2016, he returned to Montreal to oversee the transformation of O Vertigo Danse into Centre de Création O Vertigo – CCOV. Throughout his career, Caskey has worked with both emerging and established artists, in major urban centres as well as remote regional communities, acquiring a unique perspective on the production and presentation of dance.

Since 2010, Fannie Bellefeuille has worked for RUBBERBAND. A Theatre graduate, she founded and managed her own theatre company, Collectif Ikaria. She obtained a DESS and a Master of Management of Cultural Enterprises at HEC Montréal, followed by a certificate in Philanthropy, which is in progress. In addition to her management activities, Fannie acted on stage and on television between 1992 and 2005. She also wrote and produced several plays and two short films. In 2012, she joined the Board of Directors of the Regroupement québécois de la danse. She also became a member of the Finance Committee of the ISPA. Finally, she was elected President of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Dance Assembly in 2017.

A Board of Directors reflecting the sector

During their new mandate, the Co-Chairs will be surrounded by a Board of Directors that reflects the cultural, generational, and territorial diversity of the sector. A dozen candidates competed for five positions — a sign of the engagement of the professionals in the association — and the newly elected board members are George Krump (cultural worker) and Nicolas Filion (Anne Plamondon Productions/FÔVE DIFFUSION), while Jean-François Duke (dance artist based in Quebec city), Nasim Lootij (Vâtchik Danse) and Fannie Bellefeuille (RUBBERBAND) were re-elected.

They join the following current board members: Paul Caskey (CCOV), Lucy Fandel (dance artist and writer), Lük Fleury (BIGICO), Alexandra ‘Spicey’ Landé (Ebnflōh) and Valérie Lessard (Filigrane Archives). The first task of these ten board members will be to co-opt three other people to complete the already solid Board of Directors.

Looking toward to the future

In the coming months, the renewed Board of Directors of the RQD will be a priceless ally of Executive Director Nadine Medawar, who was recently appointed. After giving a summary of the key events of 2020–2021, she shared her vision for the future, which is focused on bringing people and the sector closer together. Her priorities: developing the membership of the association; creating development opportunities for the members; making sure that the RQD is present across the entire territory; being a leader in equity and inclusion; improving the working conditions of dance professionals; and fostering the post-pandemic recovery of the sector.

This 37th annual gathering of the members signalled a significant shift for the RQD. As an umbrella organization for the dance community in Quebec, it will bring people together and foster exchanges, debates, and collaborations, in order to amplify the voice of the sector.

Media Contact:
Caroline Rompré
Publicist
pixelleX communications
caroline@pixellex.ca

Source:
Coralie Muroni
Communications Director
Regroupement québécois de la danse
cmuroni@quebecdanse.org

Sitting on the board of directors of the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) is a unique opportunity to become involved on behalf of your community, to better understand the leading issues in professional dance, and to help find common solutions for the advancement of the discipline. Submit your candidacy so that the RQD can continue to grow in all its richness and diversity.

Positions up for election

The board of directors (BD) is made up of 10 elected members and three co-opted members.  Five (5) positions are up for election at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM):

• Two (2) in the corporate members group
• Three (3) in the individual members group

The AGM will also be an opportunity to elect a new president of the RQD from among the 10 members of the BD, either newly elected or already serving their term.

➝ View the list of positions up for election

Competencies required

As much as possible, the RQD board of directors aims to incorporate complementary fields of expertise, provide adequate representation across various areas of practice and organizational forms, and ensure artistic, cultural, territorial and generational diversity. The RQD is searching for people with proven competencies in strategic governance and management in order to support its efforts to ensure the sector’s recovery.

Tangible involvement in the service of the community

The function of director requires strong values of involvement, team spirit and integrity. It also requires a significant time investment. In concrete terms, the BD holds an average of eight three-hour meetings annually, during the week (morning or afternoon), as well as a one-day retreat. Members of the RQD board of directors are also invited to sit on working committees, based on their interests, expertise and availability.

How to submit your candidacy

In order to submit your candidacy, we encourage you to complete the form provided for that purpose by no later than October 19, 2021. You must be a member in good standing for your candidacy to be deemed valid.

Your application must include a portrait photo (JPEG format), along with a text describing:

➝ Your professional career path and areas of expertise (100 words).

➝ Why you want to serve on the RQD board of directors (150 words).

Submissions from candidates will be transmitted to members a few days before the AGM, which will be held on October 26, 2021.

The day of the AGM, each candidate will be given 90 seconds (1 minute and 30 seconds) to introduce themselves to members. Spontaneous candidacies will also be accepted during the AGM election period.

Want to find out more before you become involved?

Please contact director Fannie Bellefeuille or director Isabelle Poirier for further details on the mandate given to the board of directors.

Please contact the Director of Communications, Coralie Muroni, to find out more about submitting a candidacy.

Act now to submit your candidacy!

In response to the pandemic, the RQD team has redoubled its efforts to defend the interests of the professional dance community. Whether you need training, support, or the information and resources you need for your practice, your association will always be there to support and represent you.

And to get a clearer picture of what the RQD can do for you, seven dance professionals share the support they have received over the past year.

Join today so you too can take advantage of all these benefits!

 © Hélène Langevin

“The pandemic has revealed a resilient dance community that has continued to be active and, most of all, there for each other. The RQD has been there every step of the way on the journey we’ve all been forced to take by these extraordinary events. It has become a showcase for a number of initiatives set up to provide a cultural alternative for our audiences. Its database on financial aid measures has facilitated our team support. But most of all, by bringing our case to the government and by standing up for our interests and for the special characteristics of our discipline, the RQD has responded to a glaring need: giving voice to an ecosystem under threat.”

Amélie Gauthier, Executive director of Bouge de là

 © Jason Frias

“The RQD dancer training support program has aided me enormously during the pandemic. I was lucky enough to have been able to continue training during these difficult times with Sarah Steben and the program Moving Beyond, online or in-person (when allowed). Being able to train isn’t always a given. Also, with the arts scene on pause due to COVID, income has increasingly dried up. But thanks to the classes reimbursements offered by the RQD, I have been able to continue to develop my dance with one less financial burden weighing me down, thus allowing me to concentrate a lot more on my art.”

Mary-Lee Brunet, Dancer

 © David Ward

“At the RQD, solidarity this year has taken the form of a drop-in centre, a place where at the beginning of the pandemic you could come calling with all your cares and worries. Drawing upon the RQD has been essential with respect to public health measures and our access to creation spaces, performance venues, etc. Urgent measures taken by the organization have included financial support and workshops to help us transition to online working methods. The attention it has brought to training by bringing all the different schools to the table to discuss challenges and solutions has been beneficial for the whole community.”

Angélique Willkie, Assistant professor at Concordia University and dance artist

 © Marie-Pierre Tremblay

“The RQD has played a crucial role in bringing the projects of our brand new organization, Danse Laurentides, to fruition. With its flexibility, rapid follow-up, and grasp of our specific situation, the RQD has been there at the most difficult points of this, shall we say, very particular year, a year that has plunged us into the unknown. Among others, collaborating with the RQD has allowed us to broaden the scope of the classes we offer in the Laurentides in order to provide professional dancers with access to more high-calibre advanced training activities without having to leave their home area.”

Caroline Dusseault, Choreographer, performer, and director of Danse Laurentides

 © Mathieu Girard

“It is remarkable the way the RQD has been there for us over the last year. Its team members have adapted to the situation and have kept us informed about developments in the public health crisis in a clear and effective manner. It is not easy to feel relevant, what with the world and society undergoing sudden change. However, the RQD has been a reassuring presence amidst the vagaries of unexpected events, modifications, and contradictory information. Being able to come together around the knowledge and contributions of various representatives of our great community is essential. That’s why I hope that the new ways of doing things learned over the past year will represent a continuing contribution to enriching our shared experience.”

André Laprise, Director of the Académie de danse de l’Outaouais and trustee of the Fonds chorégraphique Fernand Nault

 © Marjorie Guindon

“Recent events have shown us just how vulnerable we are without community support, and so the RQD is there to help build bridges between what happens at the individual level and what involves the whole community. For twenty years now, I have watched the organization evolve and have been a beneficiary of those changes; the various meetings and assemblies over the years have allowed me to broaden my view of the discipline. For example, I should mention the space accorded to a diversity of practices and the growing prominence that environmental considerations have taken on in our conversations. The RQD is our most important source of shared political leverage through which any desire for evolution in the choreographic art must pass. The slogan from a few years ago, I am the RQD is still relevant; it is a launching pad and a responsibility.”

David Rancourt, Artistic director of PPS Danse

 © Vanessa Fortin

“For me, as for many other dance artists, the forced shutdown brought about by the COVID-19 crisis has given me time to think about new projects. The RQD digital cultural development agent helped me identify the best technological tools to include in one of my projects. Thanks to this support, my Lab culturel application was accepted. Now I will have the opportunity of benefiting from personalized support and financial aid to help me make my project focusing on inclusion in dance a reality.”

Ariana Pirela Sánchez, Choreographer and dancer

The RQD is you.
Your network. Your voice. Your strength.

The board of directors of the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Nadine Medawar as the RQD’s new executive director. She took office on August 16.

Nadine Medawar has had a diversified career with experience in management, public policy, the arts, and public mobilization. As Head of Governor in Council Appointments and as Policy Adviser to the ministers of Canadian Heritage, she implemented a new selection process for the governance of federal cultural agencies. These include the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board, CBC/Radio-Canada, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and other national museums. She has recruited some of the country’s most talented executives and cultural leaders, and has contributed to the development of national cultural policy. Showing fervour and tenacity, she succeeded in surpassing the 35% objective for diversity, gender equality, and indigenous representation.

During Nadine Medawar’s mandate as Quebec Senior Advisor for the operations of offices of all federally-elected officials, she developed communication strategies, put in place crisis-prevention strategies, and developed field mobilization. She also worked in the media and broadcasting sector for several years, particularly in strategic planning and market development. In addition, she founded True Music, a recording and concert production company that was nominated for Best New Production Project and obtained production, business and development grants.

Her master’s degree in Conflict Studies has given Nadine Medawar the skills to identify paths to inclusive solutions and common ground. Her bachelor’s in commerce and her experience as producer within the arts as well as a musician bring her closer to the reality of cultural organizations, cultural workers, and artists.

A mentor in the cultural sector, supporting and guiding cultural organizations in their challenges and aspirations, Nadine Medawar exemplifies positive, inclusive leadership.

Her management expertise and business experience, her implication with respect to diversity and inclusion, her knowledge of culture-related issues, and her talents as a negotiator won over the members of the selection committee of the RQD’s board of directors. Nadine Medawar is deeply anchored in today’s society and there is no doubt that she will ensure the opening of minds and horizons in the dance milieu.

> Read the press release

“Joining the RQD means embracing movement and being part of a tight-knit community in which all the members, like the threads used to sew a sash, are important. It means joining our voices to create true strength in numbers. This unity is vital for the healthy and sustainable recovery of our sector.

For the past year and a half, our lives have been fraught with uncertainty, anticipation and a pressing need to put these extraordinary circumstances behind us. Our desire to create, dance and share with others grows from week to week. Managing change has become a daily challenge for the dance community. Individuals, organizations and institutions all have a role to play in addressing the issues that affect us collectively.”

> Read the message from RQD Co-Presidents Lük Fleury and Jamie Wright.

Solidarity membership fees: A concrete commitment by the RQD in support of the dance community

Given that our community continues to feel the impacts of the pandemic, the RQD is giving you the opportunity to choose the membership rate best suited to your financial situation.

We did it for you! Highlights from 2020-2021

• A sum of $6.5 million received for dance thanks to joint advocacy initiatives undertaken with the community
• Consistent mobilization to support and defend the interests of dance professionals through the COVID-19 crisis (meetings with the CALQ, The MCC’s Arts de la scene/Diffusion committee, etc.)
• Consultation meetings held concerning the impacts of the pandemic and the recovery of the professional dance sector
• Tabling of a memorandum on the amendment of the Status of the Artist Act
• Participation in the movement in favour of a guaranteed basic income
• Production of a guide to holding secure virtual dance classes
• Creation of a directory of artistic residency locations and programs
• Some 127 technical classes given in four Quebec regions, 33 Coup de pouce projects and 19 training activities carried out
• More than $38,000 reimbursed for dancer training
• Collaboration in the study on performing arts audiences in Quebec, conducted by the GTFAS
• Grant of $10,000 for the Prix Interprète awarded to Chi Long
• Québec Message for International Dance Day, by Aïcha Bastien-N’Diaye
• The RQD named among the finalists for the Nos indispensables de la solidarité award presented by the CAM

The RQD is you.
Your network. Your voice. Your strength.