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Episode #5: Interview with the Artist

1. What is your name and the name of your company?
MARIE-JOSÉE CHARTIER/CHARTIER DANSE

2. What is the exact location of where you are based?
TORONTO, BY THE WATERFRONT, CRUSHED BETWEEN THE LAKESHORE, THE GARDINER, THE CONDOS AND THE AIRPORT…HEE HAW.

3. Tell us in 25 characters who you are.
BORN AND RAISED IN MONTREAL. 100% QUEBECOISE. 100% CANADIAN. GEMINI. LOVE: TRAVEL, LANGUAGES, MOTOWN MUSIC. DISLIKE: STRAWBERRIES AND BANANASs. AND YOU CAN FIND A LOT MORE ABOUT ME ON MY WEBSITE www.chartierdanse.com.

4. Who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?
MY FATHER, FOR HIS WORK ETHICS, MY MOTHER FOR HER THEATRICAL FLAIR AND MICHAEL J. BAKER FOR TEACHING ME ABOUT ART.

5. What was the last book or film you read/saw?
LAST BOOK: The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels

6. Tell us a little about the work you are performing at d:mic/fac.
LA LOURDEUR DES CENDRES WAS COMMISSIONED BY HEIDI STRAUSS AND DARRYL TRACY THROUGH THEIR COMPANY FOUR CHAMBERS DANCE PROJECT. THE WORK PREMIERED IN 2003 AT BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES THEATRE IN TORONTO. THIS CHOREOGRAPHIC WORK RELIES SOLEY ON THE TWO PERFORMERS AND IS VERY DEMANDING PHYSICALLY. I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH HEIDI AND DARRYL AND TOGETHER WE GENERATED THE MATERIAL. A BIG INSPIRATION FOR THIS WERE SOME SPECIFIC WORKS FROM CANADIAN PAINTER BETTY GOODWIN.

7. Is Toronto a good place to perform in?
YES AND NO: YES, BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW ME HERE AND THEY APPRECIATE WHAT I CREATE.

NO: BECAUSE I MISS THE LARGER ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS THAT ONE GETS IN OTHER COUNTRIES ( e.g.Mexico,Netherlands,Germany).

8. What do you do without fail following a show or before a show, to prepare?
BEFORE A SHOW: MAKE SURE MY HAIR LOOKS GOOD!!!!! AND YES A COUPLE OF EXTRA PLIÉS!!!

AFTER  A SHOW: GET THAT GLASS OF WINE WITH SOME FRIES….THE BEST POST- SHOW TREAT….

9. What is your favourite thing about Toronto?
FINDING ALL THE BEST FOOD FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD AND BEING ABLE TO CATCH THE BEST R & B MUSICIANS IN ANY SMALL CLUB OR RESTAURANT.

See Marie-Josee’s work ‘LA LOURDEUR DES CENDRES’ at the Betty Oliphant Theatre as part of the Baker Series, August 11th at 7 p.m., August 12th at 9 p.m. and August 13th at 4 p.m.

For tickets call 416.504.7529. or visit www.artsboxoffice.ca. Click here for more information.

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