Making it Happen Part 2: Solo Artists

Fringe ArtsANASTASIA WANSBROUGH & Elysha del Giusto-Enos — Published November 26, 2012

Pascale Yensen is a dancer/choreographer in love with the ridiculous.

She’s nearing the end of Concordia’s Contemporary Dance program and is working on forming relationships with other artists as well as “growing a pair” so she can handle the rejection that comes with working in her field.

With a performance coming up in December, she wants the audience to take her work in and have a laugh every so often without needing to fully understand why.

“I have done things in my pieces like put a cinder block on my hair while laying on the floor while yelling in German,” Yensen said. “Or I had a dancer balance a shelf on her ear with an apple on top while slowly moving and singing ‘I’ve got the whole world in my hands’. I really like to have fun with my stuff.”

Yensen is now in her third year of Concordia’s Contemporary Dance program; her fourth year will be independent study.

“[Independent study] is an amazing opportunity. I can take my time and put all my concentration into one choreographic work, and I get to pick dancers that I will form a strong relationship with.”

Yensen will be collaborating with her composer and musician of many years, Tristan Henry.

“This is a piece I hope will help me hit the ground running, so to speak, after I graduate,” she said.

Yensen started ballet classes when she was 12-years-old and it didn’t take much for her to be hooked. She later went into a contemporary dance training program in Ottawa and found her way into Concordia’s program after that, focusing on choreography.

“I usually start my process with no idea what I’m going to do,” said Yensen. “I will start to build my work with improvisation until it becomes something. I’ll explore every single thought in my head and put that mosaic of material in order and have some fun along the way.”

Currently, Yensen is working on a piece for the department’s December showings.

“Somehow, I ended up creating a duet of two sisters having a playful disagreement before a family photo. Where the hell did that come from?”

Finishing school is a terrifying thing, Pascale admits, and as a dancer there is no formula for success. Nearing her final year at Concordia, she is starting to get excited about the possibilities that lay ahead, but she is also realizing what it takes to succeed as a dancer/choreographer.

Success also relies on many skills that lay outside of the realm of dance, such as writing grants and promoting oneself. Yensen has the desire to explore theatre, dance film and dance photography in the future.

“Basically, I’m excited to get out there and just do it.”

You can check out Yensen’s work at the Contemporary Dance department’s performances / Black Box, Studio 265, (1450 Guy St., MB Building, 7 floor) / Dec. 6-12 / 8 p.m. Contemporary Dance Events Website

New Painters On Display

by Elysha del Giusto-Enos

Sandra Alain is an artist who considers painting as therapy. As someone who just came to Montreal a year-and-a-half ago she finds the art world can be cliquey.

“My fear in approaching galleries formally was that I felt I didn’t have a strong enough portfolio,” Alain said. “Probably something every overly self-critical artist thinks, but nonetheless it was enough to stop me.”

For now she is promoting her work on her website and by working as an art educator.

She is seeking to get into a Masters of Fine Arts program for 2013.

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