Sylvain Émard first distinguished himself as a dancer working with renowned choreographers such as Jean-Pierre Perreault, Jo Lechay and Louise Bédard before he formed his own company in 1987. Here his signature style soon emerged. Emard is recognized for his complex and refined choreographic vocabulary. His approach draws on the kinaesthetic power of dance by highlighting the inherent intelligence of the body. From his first solo Ozone, Ozone (1987), to his latest creation Pluie (2004), Sylvain Émard excels at laying bare the dramatic and the poetic, at creating an atmosphere charged with emotional intensity. As a prolific artist, he has created more than 20 original works in the last 15 years. Considered as one of the major choreographers from Canada, his creations are regularly welcomed on the national and international stages.
In addition to commitments with his own company, Sylvain Émard is the President and Founding Member of Circuit Est, a centre for choreography, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Governor General's Awards for the Performing Arts. He has recently been named an official member of the advocacy committee of the newly created Grand Théâtre de Lorient, in France. Sylvain Émard also works as guest choreographer in theatre and cinema, as well as in various prestigious schools of dance.
Recipient of the Jacqueline Lemieux Prize from the Canada Arts Council (1991) and of the Jean A. Chalmers Prize for Choreography (1996) for his lifetime achievement, he is also the Winner of the Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal (1996) for Rumeurs.
www.sylvainemard.com
