CHOREOGRAPHED BY: JAMES KUDELKA and LAURENCE LEMIEUX
RUN TIME: 60 MINUTES
Kudelka/Lemieux Mix is a triple-bill featuring Toi et Moi, LaurenceLemieux’s physical exploration of a female/male relationship, Soudain l’Hiver Dernier, JamesKudelka’s award-winning duetand The Man in Black, an ode to the human spirit set to six songs by Johnny Cash, one of Kudelka’s most enduring dances.
Toi et Moi (18 minutes)
Originally commissioned by Dance Arts Institute in 2024, Toi et Moi is a physical exploration of a female/male relationship, set to Quebec’s country music icon Willie Lamothe. The duet choreographed by Laurence Lemieux explores themes of trust, friendship and love.
Soudain l’Hiver Dernier (17 minutes)
Soudain l’Hiver Dernier (1987) was commissioned for the inaugural season of Montréal Danse; a remarkable duet exploring variations on the theme of not failing someone. Lifting or supporting a body always implies some kind of trust, and this choreography by James Kudelka distills this bedrock faith. The work has been performed by the company at venues across Canada and abroad, winning the Bank of Scotland Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007.
The Man in Black (23 minutes)
The Man in Black, originally commissioned by BalletMet Columbus and given its premiere in April 2010, is one of James Kudelka’s most enduring dances. The work is a celebration of American working-class grit and of the man whose gravelly voice embodied it so movingly, Johnny Cash. The choreography, like the songs that inspire it, is an ode to the human spirit, socially congenial yet proudly independent; vulnerable yet resilient.
“Only such a master of his craft as James Kudelka could draw from the vernacular of American country-western dance styles to create a work so inventive, so alert to the music and their lyrics, and so deeply moving.”
— The Toronto Star (2013)
Creative Team
Choreography: James Kudelka, Laurence Lemieux
Music: A collection of songs by Willie Lamothe (Toi et Moi), Gavin Bryars, Jesus Blood never failed me yet (Soudain l’Hiver Dernier), Six Covers, Sung by Johnny Cash (The Man in Black)
Lighting Design: Noah Feaver (Toi et Moi), Simon Rossiter (Soudain l’Hiver Dernier), Simon Rossiter after Trad Burns (The Man in Black)
Costume Design: Valerie Calam (Toi et Moi), Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell for HOAX Couture (The Man in Black)
Rehearsal Direction: Laurence Lemieux (Soudain l’Hiver Dernier & The Man in Black)
Stage Management: Marianna Rosato
Tour Details
- 5 on-stage performers
- 8 people on tour
- Designed for intimate spaces
- Also fits any theatrical stage
- Special equipment – The company travels with a special floor
- 60-minute run time (plus intermission)
TRAILER
about The Compagnie
Led by Artistic Director Laurence Lemieux, Citadel + Compagnie is a Canadian professional dance organization that creates, produces and presents works on local, national, and international scales from its home base in a former Salvation Army Citadel in Toronto.
Having created over thirty original works, Lemieux continues to refine her choreographic vision with works ranging from intimate solos like A Perfect Day, to large scale ensemble works like Vimy 1917. From 2008-2020, James Kudelka, one of Canada’s finest choreographers, served as the company’s resident choreographer, allowing him to revisit some of his greatest works while making way for challenging new contemporary creations.
Through remount initiatives, the Compagnie is also dedicated to the preservation of important Canadian dance work, making available iconic repertoire to a new generation of dancers, including the work of the late Jean-Pierre Perreault.
Since its foundation in 2000, the Compagnie has toured extensively, travelling to Russia, Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival, and Vimy, France, as well as major U.S. tours to L.A., Louisiana, Portland, the acclaimed Jacob’s Pillow Festival in Massachusetts, and The Battery Dance Festival in NYC.