
Set to excerpts of Glenn Gould’s rendition of Bach’s Two and Three Part Inventions, and accompanied by a luminous sound design by John Gzowski, A Perfect Day speaks to Laurence Lemieux’s relationship to dance over time, and her sense of self within it.
Through a series of intimate solos, the work follows the performer as she recollects her past and grapples with the current urgency of the moment to share human emotion with an audience.
A Perfect Day also serves as a reflection on the importance of artistic practice as a daily occurrence, and the renewal of its purpose post-pandemic.
Run time is approximately 50 minutes.
Choreographer and Performer
Laurence Lemieux is a dancer, choreographer, and Artistic Director of Citadel + Compagnie. Born in Québec City, Laurence studied dance at L’École Supérieure de Danse du Québec, and at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT). She danced for TDT from 1986 to 1998, winning a Dora Mavor Moore award in 1998 for her interpretation of Christopher House’s Cryptoversa.
Read more +Lemieux has choreographed over thirty original works and has danced for some of Canada’s most prominent choreographers, including Margie Gillis, James Kudelka, and Jean-Pierre Perreault. Lemieux is a passionate advocate for the arts and is President of the board of Daniel Leveillé Danse in Montreal. In 2012, Lemieux created The Citadel Dance Program, bringing high quality, free dance classes to children and youth living in Regent Park.
Choreography and Performance: Laurence Lemieux
Sound Design & Variations on Bach: John Gzowski with excerpts of Bach’s Two and Three Part Inventions, performed by Glenn Gould
Lighting & Scenic Design: Simon Rossiter
Costume Design: Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell for Hoax Couture
Rehearsal Direction: Danielle Baskerville
Stage Management: Marianna Rosato
House Technician: Eli Stefura
This show was presented by Citadel + Compagnie in collaboration with Harbourfront Centre
In 2018 I created Love me out of it, a solo set to Teenage Head’s Frantic City album. The solo was an attempt to look back at my dance career, using the punk rock album as a backdrop for this exploration. I was never fully satisfied with Love me out of it. Every occasion I had, I would change, adapt, revisit. In March 2020, as our theatres went dark, I suddenly had the opportunity to take the time to revisit this work. Perhaps too much time. But through this forced exploration emerged A Perfect Day.
I would like to thank:
Simon Rossiter for his utmost dedication to this project, John Gzowski for his never ending patience, Danielle Baskerville for her constant support and care, and Marianna Rosato for grounding me on a daily basis.