tribute
Pierre-Paul Savoie
A journey
Choreographer, performer and director Pierre-Paul Savoie founded PPS Danse in 1989, a company renowned for its multi-disciplinary works with powerful images and pertinent questioning. A versatile artist, he has worked for stage, film and television, often collaborating with major theatrical, musical and circus institutions. Highly committed to his milieu, he was president of the Regroupement québécois de la danse for five years, and until recently worked on structuring an international network for dance for young audiences (Young Dance Network). His career has been marked by numerous awards, notably for his contribution to the development and dissemination of dance in Quebec.
From theater to dance
As soon as he entered the National Theatre School of Canada in 1975, he became interested in a form of theatricality that marked his work. It was there that he discovered dance, which would become his true path. His curiosity led him to learn acrobatics at the National Circus School of Montreal, before enrolling in Concordia University's dance program. There, he met Jeff Hall, with whom he would be a creative partner for almost 15 years. Their athleticism, charm and humanistic vision have captivated audiences, forging an interdisciplinary approach to dance that combines voice, text, diverse theatrical interpretations, choreography, sculptural décor and innovative imagery. In 1995, they won the Prix Jacqueline-Lemieux for Bagne, a work that has gone down in the memory and history of Quebec dance.
Pierre-Paul's career has been marked by many collaborations, including those with Luc Plamondon, Claude Poissant, André Montmorency, Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon. He has contributed to many cultural events, including choreography for the Prix Gémeaux gala (1996), the ADISQ gala (1995), the 350th anniversary parade of the City of Montreal (1992), and the Cirque du Soleil tribute show at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (1995).
Artist-citizen
In 1999, Pierre-Paul Savoie became fully involved in dance issues. As president of the Regroupement québécois de la danse, the performer temporarily stepped back to let the citizen take on the role assigned to him by his community. He experiments with a different way of communicating, organizing, sharing and bringing people together. His presidency and involvement contributed to the advancement of important issues such as increased funding for the performing arts and improved conditions for practice. In 2004, his contribution to the dissemination of dance was recognized with the Prix Attitude, awarded by the Réseau de diffuseurs de l'Est du Québec. In 2008, he was awarded the Prix Hommage RIDEAU for his contribution to the development of dance in Quebec. This unwavering commitment to the evolution of the discipline and the development of its community has long been reflected in the residencies and mentoring programs offered free of charge to young creators.
A time for maturity
When Pierre-Paul Savoie had the idea of seeking out exiled Canadian choreographers for the Diasporama series in 2007, he was still intuitively initiating the openness to the outside world that characterizes PPS Danse's creations today. Over the long term, they are the fruit of collaborations with artists from near and far, bringing together a variety of disciplines and imposing his own humanist vision, as in Danse Lhasa Danse and Corps Amour Anarchie / Léo Ferré. At the same time, Pierre-Paul Savoie has given concrete expression to his desire to contribute to the awakening of new generations by including works for young audiences in the PPS Danse repertoire since 2006. The freedom he finds there is not accompanied by any compromise for this demanding audience. In so doing, he attaches great importance to cultural action, placing it at the heart of the creative process and the inspiring encounters it makes possible. In 2015, he received the Prix de l'action culturelle from the City of Montreal in recognition of his contribution in this field.
Countless encounters
As Pierre-Paul said on the occasion of anniversaries that have left their mark on the company, “to look back is to illuminate the road ahead. It's an opportunity to measure how far we've come through countless inspiring and memorable encounters. Pierre-Paul Savoie knew the art of communication and how to cultivate a warm rapport with people. Whether at performances, soirées-rencontres or activities, he took great pleasure in meeting audiences to discuss and pass on his passion. A key figure in the Quebec dance scene, he maintained close ties with many of the artists and collaborators who crossed his path.
« Dance is a form of expression that is non-verbal, poetic and imaginative. It takes us on a journey of the mind and soul. »
Awards and honors
1995 – Prize Jacqueline-Lemieux of the Conseil des arts du Canada – price shared with Jeff Hall;
2002 – Special award of the jury of l’Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival for Strata, mémoires d’un amoureux;
2004 – Attitude prize, awarded by the ROSEQ (Eastern Quebec Show Organizers' Network);
2008 – Hommage RIDEAU Award (Independent Network of United Arts Presenters);
2014 – RIDEAU Tour Award (Independent Network of United Arts Presenters), prize shared with Coup de coeur francophone;
2015 – Prize for cultural action from the city of Montreal.
