Tricoter from Julie Lebel on Vimeo.

Tricoter re-creates the spirit of a knitting circle. The dance winds and unwinds through and around the public who are arranged in the round. Yarn is integrated into the choreography and weaves an architecture that links public and place to the dancer.
While dancing, the yarn gets tangled in a large knot of bright colours and the memories that knitting occupy in our own family history re-emerge. We experience Tricoter through play, curiosity, and exploration of belonging to a community.

We can offer interactive workshops inspired by the performance: finger and arm knitting or creative movement with yarn.

Premiered at SKAMpede festival in Victoria in June 2016. Thanks Theatre Skam for your support. Tricoter is also part of Des arts dehors/ Arts Outside by Made in BC – Dance on Tour and Jouer Dehors program from La danse sur les routes du Québec.

Creative Team:

Julie Lebel – Artistic direction & choreography
Elliot Vaughan – Music composition
Diane Park – Set design
Jo Leslie – Dramaturgy support

Poem by Jennifer Whickam member of Cas Yikh (Grizzly Bear House) in the Gidimt’en (Bear/Wolf) Clan of the Wet’suwet’en people, translated in French by Naomi Fontaine, Innu author.

Created in collaboration with all performers: Anne Cooper and Sarah Gallos

Team of dancers and musicians who dance and play Tricoter:

• Vancouver: Sarah Gallos – dance, Isabelle Kirouac – dance, Clara Rose -music, Tara Rajah – music, Meredith Bates – music.
• Montréal: Marie-Pier Gilbert – dance; Liane Thériault – dance; Liliane Moussa – dance, Anna Atkinson – music, Lana Tomlin – music, Jennifer Thiessen – music,
• Smithers: Kathy Wertz – dance, Robin Lough – music, Miriam Colvin – dance.
• Halifax: Meredith Kalaman – dance.
• Toronto: Phylicia Browne – dance, Maria Fernanda Riano – dance, Jamee Valin – dance.

Additional props following Diane Park’s original design: Kimira Reddy

Tricoter’s technical requirements can be downloaded here.

Tricoter’s Covid-19 specific technical requirements can be downloaded here.

Tricoter’s dates and places:

2022

• Vancouver International Children’s Festival, May 31-June 5 2022 – for children aged 0-24 months & their adults
• Burnaby Summer Stages, August 17 2022, Confederation Park, Burnaby, BC.
• Queensborough Community Center, August 18-19 2022, Ryall Park, New Westminster, BC.

2021

• Festival Les Petits Bonheurs:
  • Maison de la Culture Maisonneuve, Studio PJE, Montreal, May 8-10 2021,
  • Tohu Cité des arts du Cirque, May 16 2021,
  • Parc Médéric-Martin, Montreal, August 22 2021.
• Tricoter Film: Vancouver International Children’s Festival May 31 to June 13 2021

2020

• Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, August 19 2020, Robson Park, Vancouver, BC
• Bulkley Valley Concert Association, September 26 2020, Glenwood Hall (outside), Smithers, BC.

2019

• WeeFestival, May 17-20 2019, Hamilton & Etobikoke, ON
• Summer Pop Up Dances, August 8 2019 6:30 and 7:30pm, Thornton Park, Vancouver BC (Collective Knitting Workshop at 6:45pm)
• Tricoté serré (Family Event), September 22 11am-2pm, Place des arts (Esplanade),  QC. Collective knitting workshop and dance workshops.
• Fête citoyenne, September 7 2019 at 1, 2 and 3:30pm, Rivière des prairies Library, QC.
• October 15 2019, 3:45pm and 6:30pm, Rivière des prairies Library, QC, Finger knitting workshop at 4pm.

2018

• Salle Jean-Marc Dion (Lobby), Sept-Iles QC, June 6 2018.
• Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Québec QC, July 11 2018, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
• Parc Michel-Chartrand, Longueil, QC, July 29 2018, 10:30am followed by a hand knitting workshop.
• Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Québec QC, August 15 2018, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
• Grandville Island, presented by Made in BC, during Contact Ouest, a contact event of the Réseau des Grands Espaces, September 21, 4-7pm at the Chain and Forge, a new public activation space under the bridge. Tricoter will be presented at 2:15pm and 6:45pm.
• Harry Jerome Community Centre: 123 23rd St E, North Vancouver, BC, September 24 2018, 10:30-11:30, performance followed by a participatory workshop.
• Parkgate Community Centre: 3625 Banff Ct, North Vancouver, September 24 2018, 2:30 or 3pm, performance followed by a participatory workshop.
• Surrey Arts Centre: 13750 88 Ave, Surrey, BC, October 14 2018 12pm, 1pm and 2:30pm.

2017

• Vancouver Central Library, International Dance Day, April 29 2017
• Roundhouse Community Centre, May 13 2018, culmination of Yarn Around Residency and Roundhouse’s 20th birthday.
• Vitrine de la danse francophone, Richmond, June 1 2017, organized by Réseau des grands espaces, Conseil culturel et artistique francophone de la C-B, Rafa and Made in BC – Dance on Tour.
• Port Coquitlam Cultural Roundtables, June 15 2017, City of Port Coquitlam.
• Célébrations Canada 150, Grandville Island Vancouver Centre Francophone de Vancouver, July 22&23 2017,
• Célébrations Canada 150, City of Port Coquitlam, New Works, August 26 2017
• Contact Ouest in Yellowknife NT, Réseau des grands Espaces, September 15 2017
• Dance in Vancouver Biennale, SFU Woodwards’ Atrium, November 23 2017

2016

• SKAMpede Festival, July 8-10 2016 (Victoria, BC)
• Vancouver Big Draw, October 1 2016, Sunset C. Ctr.
• Family Fuse, Vancouver Art Gallery, December 11 2016

Photo credit:  Anita Bonnarens and the Vancouver Art Gallery, Dancer:  Sarah Gallos. In video, Sarah Gallos with viola player and composer Elliot Vaughan. Video credit: Julie Lebel.