Mikael Xystra Montminy

Mikaël Xystra Montminy studied in the professional sector of the École de danse de Québec (2002-
2005), then in the pre-professional program at the School of Alberta Ballet (2005-2008). Ballet
Kelowna then hired him as one of its principal dancers in classical and contemporary ballet (2008-
2009). Upon his return to Québec, he performed in La Noce d'Harold Rhéaume, Les Chemins
invisibles by Cirque du Soleil, in productions by the Opéra de Québec in co-production with the
Metropolitan Opera (New York), and also performed for the collective Le CRue. In parallel to these
activities, he trains independently in the following styles: hip-hop, break-dance, Latin dances,
ballroom. He has more than 200 performances of all these styles to his credit. In addition to this
training, he has completed several intensive workshops (Los Angeles, New York), including a
mentorship with Victor Quijada, founder of RUBBERBANDANCE, and a ten-week martial arts training
at WPD China Academy (Hainan Island, China) and Qi Gong training.

A choreographer, teacher and performer, in 2014 he founded the professional dance company Wu
Xing Wu Shi fusing various dance forms and martial arts into a distinctive style. The WXWS company
performed at the official opening of Carré 150 in Victoriaville in 2015. He had a creative residency
opportunity at the Musée de la Civilisation de Québec in 2015 and 2016. Mikaël is one of the
choreographers in Karine Ledoyen's project for Osez! (2017), in Québec City. He was then invited
again as a performer/choreographer for Osez en solo! (2020). An adaptation of the production
Transire/Jeune homme et la mort became the flagship work of the WXWS company and saw the light
of day in the form of a webcast in November 2021 due to pandemic circumstances. On this occasion,
Mikaël turned to to firefighting where he now makes his career in Sept-Îles as a firefighter while
continuing the artistic activities of his company in the same place.

Recently, Mikaël was invited to collaborate with Robert Lepage, in Quebec City, for the launch of the
next season of the Diamant’s Les Amants du Diamant. He is also involved as a martial choreographer
in Exmachina's research and creation laboratory Expo Lutte (working title) in collaboration with the
Musée de la civilisation de Québec for an upcoming exhibition.

The philosophy and practice of martial arts inspire choreographer Mikaël Xystra Montminy in his
fusion approach with dance and are an integral part of the WXWS break-ballet. He is motivated by
the desire to combine splendor and physicality. According to him, between the aerial and the
terrestrial, the yin and the yang, the celestial and the animal, the intellectual and the emotional,
there is light.