Alexandra Damiani 

Alexandra Damiani may have only become Ballet Jazz Montréal’s Artistic Director in the spring of 2021, but she has been a major player in the dance community for over two decades. During her 10 years with New York’s Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (2005-2015) – first as Ballet Mistress and then as Artistic Director – Damiani had the opportunity to work with and present a wide selection of contemporary dance choreographic languages by such internationally renowned choreographers as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Crystal Pite and Hofesh Schecter. Damiani also presented the company in major cities and international festivals, including at the Lyon Biennale in France and Sadler’s Wells in London.

 

Damiani is a multidisciplinary artist who has been lending her expertise to the world of film, television and advertising for many years. Her credits include participating in Darren Aronofsky’s cult film Black Swan in the role of ballet mistress, and working alongside Tanisha Scott on Cardi B’s performance for the 2019 BET Awards. Damiani is passionate about training the young dancers of tomorrow and has excellent connections with highly regarded institutions like Jacob’s Pillow and The Juilliard School.

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Satoshi Kudo 

Satoshi Kudo is a dancer and choreographer. He first joined Japan Action Club in Tokyo directed by international actor Sonny Chiba aiming to become a film actor. There he trained gymnastic, acrobatics and martial arts, practices that still affect his dance expression. He later followed dance to New York City and to his current base in Stockholm. Kudo has worked as a dancer for Ohad Naharin, Danish Dance Theatre, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and many other creators. He worked extensively as an assistant choreographer and rehearsal director for Cherkaoui’s works including Michel Jackson ONE/Cirque du Soleil(CA), Der Ring des Nibelungen/StaatsOper Under Linden(DE) & Teatro all Scala(IT), SUTAR with Shaolin Monks/Sadler’s Wells(UK) and more. Later he also worked for Royal Swedish Ballet(SE) including the works of Mats Ek, Johan Inger, Alexander Ekman, Sharon Eyal and others. As a choreographer, Kudo has been active since 2002. Kudo created the movement theory “Motion Qualia” which relates instinct reflex to motion such as gymnastics or martial arts. He uses it often for creating his works, which have been performed in Europe and Asia. Kudo also offers workshops and classes world wide. 

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Margie Gillis

Internationally acclaimed modern choreographer/dancer, Margie Gillis has been creating original works for over forty years. Her repertoire now includes more than one hundred pieces, which she performs as solos, duets, and group pieces. Born in Montreal to a family of accomplished athletes, Margie Gillis could not have wished for a better environment in which to develop her talent. Showing a passion for dance early in life, she began ballet and gymnastics lessons at the age of three. In her youth, she trained and rehearsed on her own and later continued her studies with such prominent teachers as May O'Donnell, Linda Rabin, Lynda Raino, and Allan Wayne. Over the years, this charismatic dancer has developed a remarkable personal style.

 

In 1979, Margie Gillis was invited to teach and give lectures in Maoist China, thus becoming the first artist from the West to introduce modern dance in that country after the Cultural Revolution. Two years later, she founded her own company, the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation with the mission to support and present her artistic work. Her international tours have taken her to Asia, India, Europe, and the Middle East as well as across North and South America. In parallel to her solo work, Margie Gillis collaborates on projects initiated by her peers. She participated in the creation of two of Martha Clarke’s major pieces in which she danced principal roles. She has performed with The Paul Taylor Dance Company in pieces created by her brother, the late dancer/choreographer Christopher Gillis. With Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, she danced the role of Miss Lucy in James Kudelka’s Dracula. She has also been a guest artist with the National Ballet of Canada, Ballet British Columbia and American companies such as Momix and The Bruce Wood Dance Company. She has collaborated with many other important artists in the world of dance, most notably with John Butler, Paul-André Fortier, Pauline Koner, Peggy Baker, Robbie LaFosse, Joao Mauricio, Tedd Robinson, Rina Schenfeld, Paola Styron, Rex Harrington, Risa Steinberg, Veronica Tennant and Emily Molnar. In Canada, she has shared the stage with Quebec soprano, Suzie Leblanc. Recently she toured in Sacred Ellington with the celebrated opera singer, Jessye Norman.