Three years ago, a global pandemic brought new realities that many of us had a hard time accepting. We were suddenly forced to adopt a completely new way of living and so, Roger Sinha questioned himself. As human beings are profoundly social, what are the impacts of this physical distance from one another? And how does one express and present one’s art in this new social universe?
This is how he came up with the idea of a skirt that would be 2 meters long on each side, allowing the dancers to perform while respecting the spatial restrictions recommended by the government.
Left: first sketch by Roger Sinha
Droite: sketch by Emily Rose
This idea led to a collaboration between the choreographer and the ensemble Of Sound, Body and Mind, made up of Tim Brady (electric guitar), Helmut Lipsky (violin) and Shawn Mativetsky (tabla). Being already in contact for an unrelated piece, it didn’t take much time for Tim Brady, leader of the musical group and the choreographer, to agree on the importance of reflecting challenging and unsettling current times in their artistic project. After two residencies at the Maison de la Culture Janite-Suto, the show was coming together. The situation, however, was still very precarious and unpredictable. Venues couldn’t receive their audiences, which made it difficult for the team to envision further concretization of the piece. It was following a photoshoot celebrating Sinha Danse’s 30th anniversary, with none other than the renowned Damian Siqueiros, that the idea for the film was born. A year later, we were lucky to receive the Digital Now Grant from the Canada Council for Arts (CAC) allowing us to adapt the work into being shared virtually with audiences. More than ever, art was being displayed on screens and its circulation was essential to our well-being.
Left: Citlali Germé, photoshoot for Sinha Danse’s 30th anniversary in 2020.
Right: Damian Siqueiros, photoshoot for Sinha Danse’s 30th anniversary in 2020.
Sound recording of the film 2M/Solitudes in 2021.
From left to right: Shawn Mativetsky, Helmut Lipsky, Tim Brady, Damian Siqueiros, Roger Sinha and Felix Simard.
2M the show, a title that referred to the two-metre distancing, was thus transformed into a film called: 2M/Solitudes. Although inspired by the psychological effects from the covid-19 pandemic, the film’s themes go beyond this context. It acknowledges that socialization and human interdependence is essential, especially in so-called ‘individualistic societies’. It reminds us that stimulating ones creativity and expressing it are essential to help us overcome life’s difficult moments. The film includes five scenes, each presenting a unique experience while the final scene brings together the characters in the unique architecture of the Montreal Biodôme. With the refined aesthetic of this one, we decided to make an independent and shorter version called Shared Breath.
Photos of the final scene in the Biodôme
Olivia Jaen Flores, Emmanuelle Martin, Amélia Lamanque et Citlali Germé.
After three years in the making, an exciting new stage has begun for the team: being selected at various film festivals around the world! The short and long version of the film both received positive responses from festivals in the United States, in Europe and South America. The journey has only just begun!
