James Gnam Entre chien et loup MAI dance
Dance

James Gnam dances the line between safety and danger in Entre chien et loup

by Lorraine Carpenter

The performance by the Plastic Orchid Factory dancer is on at the MAI from March 29 through April 1.

Taking its name from the French idiom denoting twilight, “the time when the light is so dim that one cannot distinguish between a dog or a wolf,” Entre chien et loup is a solo performance by B.C. dancer James Gnam — who has previously worked with les Grands ballets Canadiens de Montreal.

The piece, which is on at the MAI from March 29 through April 1, was inspired by the early days of the pandemic, when safe spaces, mortal fears and the imagination of children occupied the minds of many people in lockdown.

“Our family was preparing to leave for a residency in Berlin when the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The solo I was going to be working on addressed themes relating to the Cold War and of the end of the world theory. Then, in many ways, a kind of end of the world did happen. In the weeks and seasons that followed, my work became my life. I was having conversations with my children about mortality and hope, history, science and faith. Time in our small home began to expand and compress as a durational dance practice might.”

—James Gnam

There will be a talkback following the performance on Friday, March 31.

For more details and to buy tickets, please visit the MAI website.

James Gnam dances the line between safety and danger in Entre chien et loup

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Posted in Dance

by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.