What is man but a slave to biology? asks exciting new dance piece

Animal Triste cast, including JamesGnam, Brianna Lombardo Marc Boivin, Riley Sims, Courtesy Mathieu Doyonre,

Is man merely a slave to his biology? A new piece, Animal Triste, poses the question through dance.

A new work by Mélanie Demers, Animal Triste premiered earlier this year in at Montreal’s Agora de la danse. Along with Demers’ Mayday Danse, Vancouver’s Plastic Orchid Factoryis bringing the piece to Vancouver, for three nights. The show runs Oct. 19, 20 & 21 at 8 p.m. at Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie St.).

From the looks of the trailers (links below), the show looks like a wild one.

The cast includes Marc Boivin, James Gnam, Brianna Lombardo, and Riley Sims.

From the media release: “In the world’s grand parade, humans are nothing more than sad animals… [They are] prisoners of a hidden biology that guides their every step.”

Further illumination into the dance comes in the form of a quote from the song the song Paradis perdu, by Jean Leloup: “And then one day we will see the promised land/Several will jump into the water and drown/It will be patient, find the estuary of the river/Beyond the sea there is a country as beautiful as paradise.”

Brianna Lombardo, and Riley Sims in Animal Triste. Mathieu Doyon photo.

Brianna Lombardo, and Riley Sims in Animal Triste. Mathieu Doyon photo.

Choreographer Mélanie Demers is a former dancer with M O Vertigo. She founded Mayday Danse in 2007. Her previous work includes Les Angles Morts (2006), Sense of Self (2008), Junkyard/Paradis (2010), Goodbye (2012) and MAYDAY remix (2014). WOULD (2015) won the CALQ Prize for best choreography.

Animal Triste is part of a new cycle of work from the choreographer, along with a piece called Icône Pop. Last August, Icône Pop was awarded the Buddies in Bad Times Vanguard Award for Risk and Innovation by Toronto’s SummerWorks Performance Festival. Both works are touring internationally.

Animal Triste trailer

Animal Triste trailer for agoradance

Tickets range from $18 (under 25/student/senior) to $22 (artist/industry) to $28 (general public) at ticketstonight.com.

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