Daniel Soulières

Daniel Soulières

Daniel Soulières, dancer, choreographer, artistic director, general manager (born at Montréal 10 January 1950).

Daniel Soulières has worked with Quebec choreographers from modern dance pioneers Françoise Riopelle, Françoise Sullivan and Jeanne Renaud, to younger emerging choreographers. Through Danse-Cité, he supports dance artists by producing and programming dance creations in a presenting season known for its novel highlighting of the creative process.

Daniel Soulières received much of his dance training in ballet and modern dance from the classes associated with LE GROUPE NOUVELLE AIRE, and later with Linda RABIN. Soulières has danced in the work of more than 50 choreographers of all generations and in film and theatre. His decades-long professional relationship with Jean-Pierre PERREAULT began in 1980 while dancing in Dix minutes.

He has danced for Louise BÈDARD, Danièle DESNOYERS, James KUDELKA and Roger SINHA, among others. He has worked with theatre directors Denis MARLEAU and Gilles Maheu, and film directors Bernar Hébert (Élégie, 2004), Olivier Asselin (La fin de la voix, 2002) and Raymond St-Jean (Mozart, l'enfant de la musique, 1999).

In 1980, Daniel Soulières presented with Monique Giard their work Treize chorégraphes pour deux danseurs, to stunning success – the piece enjoyed a performance run of more than a month. Based on this triumph and his experience running the choreographers' collective Qui Danse, Daniel Soulières founded Danse-Cité in 1982.

Danse-Cité

Danse-Cité produces and programs contemporary dance works in multiple configurations and voices through various frameworks that highlight the project’s instigator, whether dancer, designer, young or experienced choreographer. The organization has acted as a significant catalyst in the careers of many dance artists, giving young performers opportunities to work alongside mature artists.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2007, Danse-Cité published Traces contemporaines, Danse-Cité, which tells the story of the organization through the voice of Soulières and the writings of the artist and critic Katya Montaignac. Soulières continues to act as artistic director of the organization which, as of its 30th anniversary in 2012, had supported and presented more than 260 creations.

Daniel Soulières is a founding member of the Regroupement Québécois de la Danse, Québec’s association for professional dance,  and participated in the consultations leading to the founding of Diagramme Gestion Culturelle, a collective management organization. In 1989 he was awarded the prestigious Jacqueline-Lemieux Prize for his contribution to Canadian dance.