On Sunday, July 26, Charlotte Ballet brings back Quebecer Neelanthi Vadivel and presents 3 exceptional works at the Saint-Sauveur Arts Festival – a presentation by Canderel
FASS offers an evening of three exceptional pieces from Charlotte Ballet, As I Am – Solo Echo – On Three, and brings dancer Neelanthi Vadivel home on Sunday, July 26 at 8 p.m.
Founded in 1970 in North Carolina, Charlotte Ballet is directed by choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo and renowned for its virtuosity and artistic standards. Neelanthi Vadivel is the Director of Artistic Operations for this company whose repertoire of classical ballet, contemporary and avant-garde dance is constantly evolving. For its first foray into Saint-Sauveur, the Charlotte Ballet chose a program bringing together three choreographic voices. On Three by Nicole Vaughan-Diaz explores the shared breath and trust at the heart of collective gesture. Solo Echo, which bears the distinctive signature of Crystal Pite, sweeps like a winter wind, its poetry inscribed in movement, resilience and the echo of memory, on sonatas by Brahms. Finally, As I Am by Mthuthuzeli November, resident South African choreographer of Charlotte Ballet, summons ancestral resonances in a quest for identity.
Trained at the École supérieure de danse du Québec in classical and contemporary dance, Neelanthi performed internationally with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (1995-1998) and Les Ballets jazz de Montréal (1998-2006), notably in works by choreographers Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Edgar Zendejas and Rodrigo Pederneiras.
After participating as a principal dancer in the touring production of Cirque du Soleil, Dralion (2006-2009), Neelanthi acted as artistic director of three of its productions in more than 40 countries: Saltimbanco 2009-2012, Michael Jackson Immortal 2013 and Totem 2014-2017. Having thus discovered the complexities inherent in this particular artistic field. Neelanthi became aware of the essential collaboration between coaches, physiotherapists and artistic direction. Her intuition and training in dance enriched her work in the circus, from which she learned profound lessons.
Her arrival at Charlotte Ballet marks a much-welcomed return to her first love, dance. In this position, she sets up and manages regional, national and international tours whose dates are confirmed for future seasons. Neelanthi has a very special relationship with the Laurentides region where she spent many summers in the family chalet on the shores of Lake Pilon, near Saint-Sauveur.