MINIATURES

A self-portrait in the form of an impressionist’s mosaic

With Miniatures, created in 2008 at Agora de la danse, José Navas returns to his passion for solo work and reveals himself in all the nuances and subtleties of a mature dancer. Exposing the fragility of a soloist who bares his soul, he invites the public to an intimate encounter with the artist and man, in an unveiling of his history and loves in seven short solos to his chosen music. One of the most romantic shows in Compagnie Flak’s repertoire. Touching and exhilarating.

Word from the choreographer

The first solo performer I ever saw was Risa Steinberg, back in the early 80’s, performing pieces by Isadora Duncan and other pioneers of dance. The show awed me and shaped my desire and love for the solo format. As a young artist, my first ventures in choreography took the form of solos. Dancing solos is like singing a cappella: as performer you are exposed. It fails utterly unless you connect your body and soul.

In painting, miniatures are fastidiously small, highly detailed representations of reality. At first the naked eye sees a tangle of colours on the tiny surface. But if you look closely, the details reveal a surprising landscape and a whole reality. Miniatures consists of movement landscapes, translations into movement of my own fields of memories. They are short glimpses of love stories and of carnal desire. After more than twenty-five years as a dancer, with my body changing faster and maturing, these landscapes are my declaration that my love affair with solo work will endure, regardless of age and circumstances.

Miniatures (promo)

“José Navas is carving a very interesting journey between group pieces in love with movement, and intimate solos from the gut of the performer.”
Rosita Boisseau, Télérama, Paris, 2011

“An evening vibrating with emotion by an artist stripped of all artifice and delivering himself up to his art.”
Dance International Magazine, Vancouver, 2009

“He is an engaging performer who wins the audience over not just through his incredible, understated technique, but also through the honest charm with which he lays out his life.
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Irish Times, Dublin, 2008

“Languorous, ecstatic, carnal, filial, parodic, destabilizing, luminous … a sublime performance”
La Presse, Montreal, 2008

“Simple, but oh, how sublime! … He gets that less is more.”
Le Devoir, Montreal, 2008

“Miniatures offers strong and abundant images, a sophistication, contrasting registers and a spontaneous communion between an exceptional creator and an attentive audience. In short, it’s a moment of intimacy not to be missed.”
Voir, Montreal, 2008

“With his usual geometric precision, unquestionably virtuosic, he doesn’t just do show. He offers himself. … Navas as we have never seen him.”
Dfdanse, Montreal, 2008

“It’s filled with absolutely fabulous moments, with a great poetry … This show, undoubtedly, will make you fall in love with contemporary dance.”
C’est bien meilleur le matin, Radio-Canada, Montreal, 2008

“It’s both chiselled and moving, which is rare. … For the first time in my life, I saw a face dance.”
Je l’ai vu à la radio, Radio-Canada, Montreal, 2008

Recent Tours

  • Agora de la danse, Montreal, Canada, October 23, 2008 | WORLD PREMIERE

Credits

Choreographer and dancer: José Navas

Music: J.S. Bach, Vincenzo Bellini, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy, George Gershwin, María Grever, Antonio Vivaldi (read more)

Rehearsal director: Ami Shulman
Lighting: Marc Parent
Costumes: José Navas/Compagnie Flak

Length: 60 minutes

Photos: Valerie Simmons and Michael Slobodian

Miniatures is a production of José Navas/Compagnie Flak in coproduction with Agora de la danse(Montreal, Canada).