INTERVIEW WITH ANNIE ST-PIERRE

“After ten years studying classical ballet professionally at the L’École supérieure de ballet du Québec (ESBQ), I made my career as a jazz, cabaret and musical dancer on projects and shows around the world.

I’ve been working in the circus world for ten years now! First, as an artistic coach and then principally as a choreographer, artistic director and director. As a freelancer, I’ve collaborated on all kinds of artistic projects: from dance and film to theatre and beyond.

Plus, as I have a bachelor’s degree in communications, I enjoy rolling up my sleeves and taking on a wide range of responsibilities.

The experience that had the biggest impact on my personal and career journey happened when I was twenty-five, when I first took part as a choreographer on a social art project at an underprivileged high school. Contributing to the creation of such a project, with its immensely positive effects on these young people who had never stepped foot on a stage, completely rocked my world! From my perspective, that night was the most beautiful thing that has happened on earth for me.

I followed up on this desire to continue on this creative path with artists, with human beings, who are not dancers by training, but who perform on the stage. This led me to go knocking on the doors of our major circus schools in Montreal, and it became my expertise: stage and movement director of human beings, artists, actors, singers and acrobats.”

“The artist, actor, acrobat, singer, dancer and interpreter fundamentally inspire me creatively. Next comes music, movement, dance, emotion, illusion…and spectacle!”

 What inspires her…

EVERYTHING inspires me! Especially human beings and their complexity, their fragility and their strength! The way we act in relation to others and our environment. Next, obviously is music…it’s all there! Often, I have no choice but to simply retell what the music tells me! Certainly, music comes before movement for me! There’s also light: lighting that highlights, guides or suggests. And, more concretely, I find all live shows inspiring – even if they’re not all perfect!

Her role at Éloize 

“The role of artistic director for live, ongoing shows inspires me a great deal! Keeping each live show rolling while dealing with the human beings who put it on every evening in new locations means teamwork and listening to one another! Adapting to circumstances to keep each live show faithful to its original creation, while also dealing with its evolution over time. Realizing everybody’s strengths so that the shows flourish and grow! Reacting to change because everything is in movement….all the time! All this continually offers me beautiful challenges that I am very delighted to undertake!”