Giving professional dance the tools to preserve its heritage

Montréal, May 1, 2019 – The Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) is proud to unveil its new bilingual publication, Québec’s Dance Heritage: State of affairs, Perspectives, and Practical Advice. The first of its kind, this hundred-page document fulfills an essential need for those wishing to preserve dance memory as a source of inspiration for the next generation of artists.

This publication, the product of years of work, benefitted from the support of a dedicated team of about 30 experts in dance, library science, museum conservation, research, and archival science, all working together within the RQD’s Roundtable on dance heritage. It affirms a collective desire expressed in the Master Plan for Professional Dance in Québec 2011-2021 to increase awareness of Québec’s rich choreographic repertoire, to develop a culture of preserving and enhancing dance heritage, and to facilitate access to dance history.

“Despite the fact that Québec’s dance heritage is preserved in over thirty archival fonds and one of Canada’s largest specialized libraries, studies of Québec’s dance history are still far and few between, it is rarely the subject of exhibitions and documentaries, and remounting and recreating existing works is still a challenge,” says Fabienne Cabado, executive director of the RQD. “The aim of this publication is to inspire dance professionals and give them the tools they need to constitute dance heritage. The fact remains though that without clear governmental support and dedicated funding, huge swathes of this precious heritage will sink into oblivion.”

The guide describes the current state of affairs and formulates a series of aspirations and objectives with the aim of starting a discussion on issues related to the preservation and transmission of dance heritage. It also features a substantial practical component including a repertoire list and a toolkit which gives tips on who to contact and how to take action. Whether they work onstage or offstage, in studios or offices, as performers or designers, dance professionals will find in this guide many of the resources, suggestions, and references they need to constitute, preserve, present, and transmit the tangible and intangible traces of their heritage.

The RQD thanks Canadian Heritage for funding the English translation of this publication.

► Download the publication

The RQD
The Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) represents more than 550 dance professionals on public stages and in the political arena. Founded in 1984, it has since played a leadership role in developing projects that help consolidate the discipline. Its achievements are intended to promote dance in all its expressions, support its establishment and deployment across Québec, and build bridges between professionals, amateurs and lovers of dance.

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Source: 
Coralie Muroni, RQD Communications Manager, 514 849-4003 #222