What is it?
Manger Nos Racines is a choreographic co-creation inspired by the stories of Chinese Montrealers, Chinatown and the culture that developed there, all combined with the family stories of the artists involved. A first edition entitled Sit, Eat & Chew was produced in 2022-2023, and presented by Festival Accès Asie. We are now working on the second version.
For the community
The creation of the show is anchored in our exchanges with the community. Since September 2022, my fellow dancers and I have been teaching dance classes to people of different generations and linked to Chinatown.
During the spring of 2024 we continue to teach classes in two seniors’ residences, in addition to offering movement workshops on outdoor sites accessible to all.
All these activities are free.
The artists expose themselves and increase contacts with the community while carrying out a research-creation process. The current team includes Phi Nguyen, Martine Castera, Parker Mah, Charo Tai Wei Foo, Taylor Yeung, Romy Denoncourt, Victor Vân Tran and Léa Tremblay Fong.
The work takes the form of a guided tour of Chinatown which stops at four sites.
At each site a different choreography or theatrical scene unfolds.
The whole show lasts around 70 minutes.
SHOW SCHEDULE
Beginning at Sun Yat-Sen Park, corner of De la Gauchetière and Clark:
Friday June 28, 4 p.m.
Friday June 28, 6 p.m.
Saturday June 29, 4 p.m.
Saturday June 29, 6 p.m.
(postponed to Sunday June 30, same hours, in case of rain on June 28 or 29
UPDATE: Update: June 29 show has been postponed to June 30 due to rain!
Friday July 5, 4 p.m.
Friday July 5, 6 p.m.
(postponed to Saturday July 6, same hours, in case of rain on July 5) For updates on the schedule in case of rain, check our Facebook page.
For any questions, contact Léa: lea.tremblay.fong@gmail.com
Martine Castera
Performer-creator and coach, Martine is a popping, whacking, contemporary dance and hip hop dancer, in addition to her background in karate. The team clown!
IG @martinecastera_eclipse
Romy Denoncourt
Interpreter-creator and teacher, Romy specializes in popping and has developed a new sign language to communicate with Cantonese-speaking elders.
IG @romy__dnt
Parker Mah
Composer, guide, community consultant and administrative support. He is co-founder of the JIA Foundation and has been involved in Chinatown for over a decade.
rhythmandhu.es
eyedea.ca
FB parker.mah
IG rhythmandhu.es
Phi Nguyen
Performer-creator and teacher, Phi is our wushu “sifu”, mastering levitation and metamorphoses. He teaches other dancers in the project and choreographs martial arts (wushu) including tai chi.
Website
Léa Tremblay Fong
Producer, choreographer, administrator and dancer in Manger nos Racines, Léa specializes in contemporary dance. She weaves bonds between people of varied origins and ages, dissolving our fears of approaching strangers, carried by her joviality and her child’s heart.
Website
Victor Vân Tran
Performer-creator and teacher, Victor “Savage” is a Vietnamese b-boy, playing card master, retired gangster, and happy dad.
savsupreme.ca |
IG @savsupreme
Taylor Yeung
A multilingual performer-creator, teacher and ambassador, Taylor specializes in hustle and whacking. She plays an essential role as translator between all the artists and citizens participating in the project.
IG tales.taylor | Dance Reel: Taylor Yeung Dance Reel 2021
Past and occasional collaborators:
Support for cultural mediation and story collection: Mei-Yin Ng, Wai-Yin Kwok External eyes: Charo Tai Wei Foo, Sophie Gee, Song Wang
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
Manger Nos Racines is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the borough of Ville-Marie; and supported by the Yee Kang Center, Chinese Community Housing, Jia Foundation, Rocio Machorro – Yoga Plus, Dobe & Andy Restaurant and Fleurs et Cadeaux Restaurant.
