Forty dancers and as many participants as the Esplanade of Place des Arts can accommodate joined in the first version of an outdoor multidisciplinary performance work in which dance, music, and architecture came together. City Thread is designed to allow spectators to choose one of the groups of dancers and follow along on pre-determined paths, guided by a dedicated smart-phone application.
As hundreds of spectators actively participate in the performance, each one of them enjoys an individualized experience through their headphones, thanks to a unique soundtrack that unfolds as they wind their way around the public space and through the dancers. Simultaneously, multiple private encounters occur at random, as the performance is in continual motion.
The premiere of City Thread, part of the celebrations of Montreal’s 375th anniversary, took place in August 2017 on the Esplanade of Place des Arts.
City Thread was a RUBBERBAND production in the framework of the official celebrations of the 375th anniversary of the City of Montreal. With the participation of ANAGRAPH, Société de la Place des Arts de Montréal, TechnoMontréal, l’École supérieure de ballet du Québec, and l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, and the support of Valérie Truong Acupuncture Sportive, Kinatex Rockland, Luis Aledo, Azzuan, HOTEL10, GURU, and Blue Spike. RUBBERBAND is grateful for the support of the Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, and the Ontario Arts Council.