Anatomica #3
André Gingras
André Gingras was born in Canada and studied in Toronto, Montreal and New York City. In New York he worked with Christopher Gillis, Doug Varone, Mariko Tanabe and the Doris Humphrey Repertory Co. In 1996 Gingras became a regular member of Robert Wilson’s creative team, developing and performing; TSE, The Days Before, Prometheus, 70 Angels on the Facade and Relative Light among others, all over the world.
Gingras began choreographing in Holland in 1999. His movement research finds its inspiration in martial arts, breakdance, the physical symptoms related to specific medical conditions and in post-modern dance and theatre. His desire is to interface dance with the visual and digital arts and to engage audiences in a dialogue based in contemporary issues.
His first stage work, CYP17, was premièred in the CaDance Festival 2000 and made a large impact internationally. An extensive tour throughout the Netherlands was followed by many invitations from festivals and theatres in Europe and in India, including renowned festivals as the Rencontres Chorégraphiques de Seine-Saint Denis (Bagnolet), Romaeuropa Festival, Munich Dance 2002 and the Biennale of Venice 2003. Gingras was rewarded for CYP17 with the Encouragement Prize 2001 by the Amsterdam Art Fund.
In 2002, he collaborated as choreographer for Peter Stein's production of Penthesilea, which was premièred at Epidauros Amphitheater and toured throughout Europe. The same year, his second Korzo production The Sweet Flesh Room was premièred in the CaDance Festival (2002) and recently returned from a successful U.S. tour. In 2007, Gingras toured his full-length work, The Lindenmeyer System, throughout Europe.
His first choreography for Nederlands Dans Theater I, Mean Free Path, premièred in April 2004 and his new work for the company, excessive second body smile premièred in February 2005. The large scale work for 230 non professionals, U Bevindt Zich Hier was recently created for the closing of the Springdance Festival 2005. In 2006, Gingras created Nel Foco Che Gli Affina, an evening length work for Nurnberg Staatstheater and Hypertopia for his own company.