Skeels Danse
Andrew Skeels has firmly established himself as a choreographer to watch. In this return engagement with Danse Danse, he delivers a sumptuous creation for seven dancers, a deeply moving, dreamlike reflection on absence.
A rising star on the dance scene, awarded the Grand Prix de la critique in Paris in 2018, Skeels created his first piece for Nederlands Dans Theater in 2022–23 and has worked with Les Grands Ballets and Cirque du Soleil. This dancer with an atypical background, a Montrealer by adoption, is now developing a subtle and sophisticated choreographic language, driven by his insatiable curiosity and his love of all things dance. With Past Rooms, set to a score by composer Julien Tarride, he ventures into dance-theatre. A woman suffering from insomnia is plagued by strange nocturnal visions… A tender and striking meditation on the burden of grief and sorrow.
Artists
Montreal-based American choreographer Andrew Skeels’ practice intermingles elements of contemporary, classical and street dance. Andrew Skeels danced with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, where he encountered the styles of Kylián, Ek, Celis and Veldman.
Credits
Past Rooms
Choreography Andrew Skeels
Dancers Jean-Sébastien Couture, Marilyne Cyr, Jose Flores, Danny Morissette, Silvia Sanchez, Anna Sanchez.
Stage direction Andrew Skeels, David DiGiovanni, Joe De Paul.
Dramaturgy David DiGiovanni, Robert Vezina.
Music Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Original Music Julien Tarride.
Set and costume design Damián Siqueiros.
Lighting designer Rasmus Sylvest.
Floral design Reuben Stewart.
Costume construction Jill Meuris.
Puppet design Flavia Hevia.
Photos Damián Siqueiros.
Promotional video Max Machado.
Video editor Fred Baune.
Work
Past Rooms
Andrew Skeels
A woman sits alone on the couch, unable to fall asleep. A hand emerges from the cushion and grabs her wrist. A ghost drags a corpse across the room. Past Rooms combines dance and theater to explore the troubling and inevitable dreamscape of emptiness and insomnia. Award-winning choreographer Andrew Skeels collaborates with Canadian playwright and director David di Giovanni to create a gripping, tender, and haunting meditation on the weight of grief.
A Word From Danse Danse
Dear audience,
For the second show of its 26th season, Danse Danse is delighted to once again present the remarkable work of Andrew Skeels. A multi-talented artist with an extremely varied background, this Montreal-based American fuses a multitude of artistic influences to create striking stage experiences.
We already know him for his dynamic, lyrical, cutting-edge choreography blending contemporary dance, ballet, and urban dance. But with Past Rooms, we now find him in the realm of dance-theater, exploring complex themes such as grief, love, and mourning.
Tonight, Andrew Skeels' exquisitely crafted choreography offers us a tender, spellbinding meditation on the weight of grief, brought to life by the extremely agile, versatile bodies of its 6 performers.
Good evening to all!
Pierre Des Marais — Artistic and Executive Director
Territorial Acknowledgement
Danse Danse acknowledges that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’keha:ka Nation. We honour the continued presence of Indigenous peoples on the Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal) territory, which has long served as a meeting place for exchanges between nations. With respect for the links to the past, present and future, we thank the Indigenous peoples for reminding us of the importance of living in harmony with ourselves, with each other and with nature, and we are grateful for the opportunity to present works of living art at Tiohtiá:ke.
Team
Artistic and Executive Director Pierre Des Marais Director, Accounting and Administration Kim Hoang, CPA Production Manager Hervé Holdrinet Director, Marketing and Communications Hélène Nadeau Advisor, Marketing and Communications Julia Giehler Manager, Content Marketing Mélanie Boisliveau Communications Officer Jérôme Gagnon Media Relations Sheila Skaiem - 514 572.8687 Social Media Ariane Laget Manager, Digital Marketing Anthony Cavigny Manager, Inclusion and Accessibility Claire Oliver Manager, School Services Lola Jegu Manager, Special Projects and Assistant to the Executive Director Evelyne Fournier Manager, Philanthropy and Partnerships Mihaela Machiodache Manager, Customer Relations, Ticketing and Administration Marie Laporte Stage Technicians Le Regroupement des techniciens de scène du Québec.
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT Emmanuelle Poupart, Partner – McCarthy Tétrault LLP. VICE PRESIDENT Michèle Meier, MBA, ASC, Head of Communications and Marketing - Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. TREASURER Thierry Pejot-Charrost, CPA, Vice-President, Internal Audit and Risk Management – Transat A.T. Inc. ADMINISTRATORS Anik Bissonnette, Artistic Director - École supérieure de Ballet du Québec, Chantal Bouvier, President and CEO - Le Cercle des présidents du Québec. Julie-Anne Côté, Consultant in museology. Pierre Des Marais, Artistic and Executive Director – Danse Danse. Karla Étienne, Executive Director, Canadian Dance Assembly. Jonathan Lachapelle, CFA, Vice-President, Investissements – Fednav Holdings Inc. Sébastien Leblond, Co-founder, President & CEO - Capital RainMKRS Inc. Lucy Riddell, Vice Chair - R. Howard Webster Foundation. Nathalie Seïde, MBA, Pl. Fin, Senior Advisor, Integration and Marketing Implementation - Desjardins.
A Word from the choreographer
I'm absolutely thrilled to be invited back by Danse Danse for the third time. It's an experience that fills me with excitement.
I first came to Montreal a few years ago to audition for Les Grands Ballets. The city seduced me immediately, with its unique charm and cultural diversity. But what really defined my stay was attending my first Danse Danse show.
That moment hit me like a bolt of lightning. It was as if Montreal had whispered in my ear that it was the perfect place for a dancer. The energy in the room, the creativity on stage, all underlined what an incredible city Montreal is for art and dance. It was a key moment that made me feel a deep connection to this city and to Danse Danse in particular.
Being invited to be a part of Danse Danse's season is a tremendous honour. I'm incredibly proud to contribute to the cultural richness of the magnificent city of Montreal. It's a city that radiates art at every corner, and I'm thrilled to be able to play a part in its cultural effervescence.
I would like to thank Danse Danse for their continued confidence in me. It is a privilege to work with such a dedicated and passionate organization. I look forward to sharing my work with Montreal audiences once again, and to continuing to grow as an artist through this unique experience. Montreal is truly an extraordinary city, and I'm honoured to be able to contribute to it through dance.
Andrew Skeels — Choreographer and Artistic Director of Skeels Danse
Biography
Andrew Skeels
Andrew Skeels is a Montreal-based choreographer. He has created work for the Ballet of the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Nederlands Dans Theater 2, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Cirque du Soleil, Tanztheater International Festival Hannover, Théâtre de Suresnes Jean-Villar, Kansas City Ballet, Festival Quartiers Danses Montréal, Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur, WestWave Dance Festival San Francisco, Colorado Ballet, and Festival Ballet Providence. His production for the Théâtre de Suresnes, Finding Now won the 2018 Grand Prix de la Critique in Paris. He is the winner of the 2015 Hannover Think Big Choreographic Residency Competition and received the 2013 Prix Coup de Cœur du Public from the Festival Quartiers Danses Montréal. Skeels grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and received his dance training at the Boston Ballet School under the mentorship of Carol Roderick and Anne Tolbert. He danced with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, where he performed in the works of Jirí Kyliàn, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, Stijn Celis, Didy Veldman, and Stephan Toss. His choreographic language reflects his ever-expanding curiosity and love for the art of dance. He draws influence from his training as a film editor and applies a cinematic approach to his choreography. He challenges dancers, asking that they move with daring speed, breathtaking fluidity, and bold release. His work is detail-oriented, and he works patiently to perfect movement quality, musicality, and nuance inside his work. He provides a supportive, collaborative work environment, which enables dancers to take bold chances.
Performers
Breaking, hip hop and popping dancers from all over the world take turns challenging each other following the rules of the JOAT game. Festive and electrifying!
And then, one day, there was Funk. Step back in time with a fiery dance concert, led by some of the biggest names in Dutch street dance.
Ballet BC is back in force with an outstanding triple bill in which the music of Ravel’s iconic Bolero acts as a catalyst to enhance the power of the ensemble.
Dancing his life on stage, choreographer and dancer José Navas opens his heart and soul as he shares memories of his late partner. A luminous and touching homage.
Electrifying and utterly spellbinding, the award- winning BLKDOG explodes with rebellious energy in a dance that questions our capacity for resilience. An uncompromising view of the world.
A vibrant tribute to Margaret Harris, an Indigenous elder who devoted her life to keeping her culture alive. A colourful multimedia narrative, a stream of images, dance, song, carved masks and sumptuous regalia.
Back in Montreal, much to our delight, Asia’s leading contemporary dance company takes us on a dizzying sensory journey inspired by a mysterious lunar phenomenon.