Compagnie Virginie Brunelle

Good evening everyone,

It’s a real pleasure to welcome back Virginie Brunelle, a Quebec-based choreographer we’ve been following and appreciating for many years. With her latest work, Sans quoi nous crèverons, she once again opens the door to a singular world shaped by sensitivity, humanity, and raw beauty.

Originally trained in music, Virginie Brunelle brings a distinctive approach to weaving sound and movement together. Everything is intricately connected: the physical language, the breath, the silences. She also has that rare ability to let each performer come into their own with authenticity. Every dancer is highlighted for what makes them unique, and that diversity deeply enriches the work.

With this piece, Virginie Brunelle reaffirms her place among the leading voices on Quebec’s contemporary dance scene.

Enjoy the performance!

Pierre Des Marais — Artistic and Executive Director of Danse Danse. 

__________ 

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. 

Sans quoi nous crèverons (On the verge of collapse) is undoubtedly the gentlest creation process I’ve experienced, and paradoxically, one of the most electrifying. Where some works stretch out over time, this one unfolded over a shorter span, like a sweeping surge, a single continuous breath. There was a kind of clarity to it, almost physical, as though things had to happen this way, without unnecessary resistance.

For a long time, I believed that creating meant diving into places of tension, discomfort, even pain. Now, I feel that maturity is offering me another path: a certain distance, a way of inhabiting emotions without getting lost in them, and of softening their depths.

With this work, I wanted to turn toward what sustains rather than what breaks. To create an ode to friendship, to togetherness. To imagine, and truly experience, that together, we can be stronger, steadier, more alive. That solidarity and collective momentum can become deeply rooted, vital forces.

But being together is far from simple. It takes effort, listening, constant adjustment. As in any relationship, there’s negotiation involved, yielding at times, standing firm at others. It’s a fragile balance, always shifting.

And yet, what it offers surpasses everything. Within that shared space, something circulates and transforms: trust, a gentle strength, a kind of light that endures even in the midst of tension.

Sans quoi nous crèverons (On the verge of collapse) was born from that desire to believe that connection, despite its demands, is what carries us and keeps us standing.

Virginie Brunelle

Choreographer Virginie Brunelle. 

Performers Sophie Breton, Alexandre Carlos, Yelda del Carmen, José Flores, Émile de Vasconcelos-Taillefer.

Rehearsal director Lucie Vigneault.

Music* Laurier Rajotte.

Costume design Virginie Brunelle, Jonathan Saucier.

Set design Jonathan Saucier.

Lighting design Chantal Labonté.

Sound design Guy Fortin.

Technical director - creation François Marceau.

Production director Charlotte Ménard.

Administrative director Lorganisme.

Co-producers National Arts Centre, Kinneksbond – Mamer Cultural Centre.

International Distribution CAPAS · Dance Label.

Financial Support Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Conseil des arts de Montréal, Caisse Desjardins du Plateau-Mont-Royal, and Caisse Desjardins de la Culture.

Special Thanks Louise Lapierre Dance School.

*With excerpt from the Adagio in G minor by Remo Giazotto