Often watered down or shunned in the offer of dance shows, however numerous they are, sports dance is nevertheless very much alive and rich as never before, both on the international stage and in Quebec.
In Vrais new documentary series Ballroom Fever (Watch trailer here)former world champion Jean-Marc Généreux, also choreographer and known as the flamboyant judge of several dance shows such as Révolution, So you think you can dance Canada and Danse avec les stars, accompanies in their endeavors three couples evolving in the three competitive areas of the world circus , namely amateurs, new professionals and seasoned professionals.
“I really wanted to shed light on a dance style that is not well known enough and has often been stereotyped and linked to a specific generation, but in reality it is very alive and very contemporary,” stressed Jean-Marc Généreux, who idealized the project, in one Interview with the agency QMI.
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“Ballroom Fever”, available Tuesday on Vrai, takes a trip into the world of sports dance through three pairs of dancers by Jean-Marc Généreux.
Divided into six parts, the documentary follows the journey of Virginie Primeau-Poirier, whose parents are former professional dancers, and her Ukrainian partner Nikita Druzhynin, the couple who had just turned professional when COVID hit. , formed by Bianca Champagne and Vincent Corriveau, as well as former rising star Jean-Philippe Milot returning to competition and his new partner Fijie Hering.
“Too often dancers have been mistaken for a moving backdrop, a foil for the singer or a foil for the actor, here we are about to demystify that and give the opportunity to artists who have chosen to make a living from their art brilliant,” said Jean-Marc Généreux, who hopes to inspire and move with his docu-reality while promoting dancers and the efforts of those artists who practice competitive dancing.
Canada still well represented
Dance sport has developed significantly in recent years. “In the explosion of dancesport on the planet, there has been a game of musical chairs. New countries have been added, especially countries [de l’Europe] from the east, which took up a lot of space. It is certain that the percentage of Quebecers decreases the more countries you invite, but the fact remains that Canadians are important players on the world stage,” said the dancer and choreographer.
At the time he played on the world stage, there were at most thirty countries represented at the competitions. Today there are more than 80 of them, divided into three clubs.
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Virginie Primeau-Poirier, whose parents are former professional dancers, and her Ukrainian dance partner Nikita Druzhynin are taking part in the documentary Ballroom Fever, available on Vrai from October 4th, 2022.
“Unfortunately, everything gets more expensive when it gets big, and when it’s your passion and you do it 24/7, it gets very expensive. Not first, but the couples we follow [dans la série documentaire]for example, they have invested everything they have in their careers,” he added, pointing out that while he and his wife France Mousseau were fortunate to have some sponsorships during their careers, not for everyone today It is the case of dancers who sometimes have to make great sacrifices in order to make a living from their art or strive for it.
The contribution revolution
Jean-Marc Généreux and France Mousseau were not even 20 years old when they left the provinces to conquer the world. “We have traveled 20 to 25 years on all continents defending the colors of Canada in shows, competitions, on TV everywhere but not at home and this fun result is revolution which today gives me the opportunity to talk about, what I like,” explained Jean-Marc Généreux.
This show is also, in his opinion, the perfect platform to attract the best dancers in their style. The three couples at the heart of “Ballroom Fever” all attended.
Produced by Fair Play in association with Quebecor Content, Ballroom Fever is coming to Vrai on Tuesday.