RUBBERBANDance Group literally exploded onto the Montreal scene in 2002. Presenting a unique artistic blend of ballet, contemporary dance and breakdancing, the company surprised audiences and critics with three creations presented by Espace Tangente over two seasons, and several smaller works being premiered around the city in mixed programs or self produced evenings. Tender Loving Care and Hasta La Próxima shared a place in Le Devoir’s Top 5 in Dance for 2002, while Elastic Perspective started a 100 performance streak in 2003 by winning the RIDEAU Prize at Vue sur la relève Festival. In the 2003-2004 season, RUBBERBANDance Group was granted a residency at Usine C for the creation of Slicing Static, named the best dance production of 2004 by the Montreal cultural event weekly, Hour.
In 2007, RBDG received the support of a major partnership with the Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts, through which it was granted a four-year artistic residency. The three works that have emerged from this partnership to date are AV Input/Output, Punto Ciego, presented at the Cinquième Salle in a sold-out three-week run in March 2009, and Gravity of Center in April 2011.
Now in the forefront of Montreal’s contemporary dance community and recognized internationally for its new and unique vision of contemporary dance theatre, RBDG has created and presented to date nine dance works, four short films – including Hasta La Próxima, finalist in the short film category at the American Choreography Awards – and has taken part in a large number of events in collaboration with other artists (galas, special events, video clips, demos, etc.). The group has been presented throughout Canada, and has represented Canadian artistic innovation in the United States, Europe, UK, and Japan.
Gravity of Center- Each being is both at the centre of the world and orbiting around others. Interdependence is obvious and struggles are inevitable. In a space out of time, RUBBERBANDance Group’s raw movement expresses all the weight of this adversarial relationship. The five dancers – a family, a nomadic tribe or an entire people - interweave, fight, crave and hustle in an astonishing fluidity of action. All of this, only to survive.
With Gravity of Center, Victor Quijada succeeds to contain the ferocity of hip hop in a perfectly refined choreographic language. Between dynamic rhythms and physical prowess, the company’s unique vocabulary is the epicenter of this ninth creation.
Quijada collaborates on this production with creators dear to RUBBERBANDance Group. Yan Lee Chan sculpts the space with its lighting as Jasper Gahunia, DJ Lil’ Jaz, creates an atmosphere with music that is the true link to RBDG’S visual aesthetic.
Gravity of Center premiered in April 2011 at Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts in Montréal.
Post Hip-Hop Project (PHHP)- A mixed program featuring the duets sHip sHop Shape Shifting and excerpts from AV Input / Output performed by Anne Plamondon and Victor Quijada. Also, a sneak peak into the new creative research from Quijada and recurring collaborators Jasper Gahunia (music) and Yan Lee Chan (lighting), featuring high caliber performers from the urban dance milieu.
