Post by Dance Collection Danse

Daniel Léveillé (1952-2026) DCD is sorry to learn of the death of acclaimed choreographer Daniel Léveillé in Montréal on June 7. Daniel was a major figure in Canada’s contemporary dance scene, beginning with his training in Martine Epoque’s Le Groupe Nouvelle Aire and with Linda Rabin. He danced professionally with Nouvelle Aire from 1979-1980, with Iro Tembeck’s Axis Dance from 1979-1981, and with Françoise Sullivan from 1978-1981. In the late 1970s, he was part of an innovative group of new choreographers coming out of Nouvelle Aire that also included artists such as Paul-André Fortier, Edouard Lock, and Ginette Laurin. From 1981-1984 he directed his company Daniel Léveillé Chorégraphe Indépendant producing works such as his "Le Sacre du Printemps" (1982) and "Ecris-moi n’importe quoi" (1983). In 1991 he founded Daniel Léveillé Danse, which he directed until 2018, then passing the reins to Frédérick Gravel. During that time, he choreographed a handful of works that were performed naked. I can remember seeing "La pudeur des iceburgs" at the Canada Dance Festival in 2004 and being entranced by the human form and its vulnerability, the shapes Daniel created and how they were elevated by the shadows and light of Marc Parent’s lighting design. At the time, I remember hearing that Daniel had not received all the funding he needed for the work and thus he eliminated costumes from the budget … I presumed this was his iconoclastic way of sticking it to the arts councils but I’ve never received confirmation on that story … as good as it is. Daniel was also renowned as a teacher having been part of the dance faculty of the Université du Québec à Montréal from 1988-2012, influencing multiple generations of future interpreters and choreographers. In 1982, Daniel received the Canada Council’s Jacqueline Lemieux Prize and his lifetime contribution to dance was recognized with the 2017 Grand Prix de la danse de Montréal. DCD offers its condolences to Daniel’s friends and family, and our colleagues in the Montréal dance community. – Amy Bowring 📸 Michael Slobodian