At the premiere of its latest production, Echos, Sursaut announced Morgane Le Tiec as the successor to Francine Châteauvert as the company’s artistic director.

The evening’s presentation of Echos, her latest and last creation for the Sursaut Dance Company, brought her full circle on this extraordinary journey, before passing on the torch to a new generation.

At the helm of Sursaut since1987, and proud of the work accomplished, Francine Châteauvert looks to the future with confidence. “I’ve realized many projects; I’ve put my body, heart, and soul into them, and I’ve said what I had to say. I think Morgane will breathe new life into the company and continue to develop the discipline with inspiring dance projects for young audiences.”

 

Preparing a new generation
The board of directors has been working with the director of the company for several years to prepare this artistic succession. It was by a happy coincidence that Morgane Le Tiec emerged as a candidate.

“It was a ‘coup de cœur’ for one of her choreographies that I saw her perform, to which my immediate reaction was that children will be touched by this piece”, explains Francine Châteauvert.  “We were looking for an authentic, humble artist with an artistic vision and a personal signature. After numerous conversations and meetings, we felt that Morgane fit the profile we were looking for. Our intuition was confirmed when she completed a dance creation residency with the company in May 2021 for Olympe, a project designed for young audiences. She is a high-level performer, an up-and- coming choreographer; her mind and body are brimming with artistic projects. I recognized a certain similarity between her work and my own approach.”

For her part, Morgane Le Tiec considers herself honored to succeed Francine Châteauvert as Artistic Director of Sursaut. She hopes to follow and build on the work accomplished, with her own personal artistic touch. “It is with energy, creativity, and care that I will assume my duties,” she says, thanking the company for their confidence in nominating her. She will assume her duties in January 2022. Francine Châteauvert’s departure is slated for June 2022, allowing for a smooth transition toward new horizons.

 

About Morgane Le Tiec
Originally from France, Morgane Le Tiec studied at the Paris Opera School and then at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Danse de Paris. After several years as a performer for renowned international companies such as La la la Human Steps, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, the Compagnie Marie Chouinard, and the Cirque du Soleil, she is now exploring choreography. She has created several dance projects, always seeking to combine other art forms with her work, including video, literature, sculpture, and theatre. Her creations have won her the Prix du public in 2015 for her piece Sous ma peau, and the Jury Prize for a work in an urban context in 2018, for her solo Au-delà des ecchymoses, both awarded by the Festival Quartiers Danses in Montreal. She also initiated the podcast L’envers des corps, which gives dancers a platform to express themselves and share their thoughts on the profession.