Danse-Cité is an organization that contributes to the evolution of dance practices and contemporary creation by supporting artists through research, creation, production and - or presentation. Danse-Cité is developing activities that facilitate universal access to the arts.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS :
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN AUDIO DESCRIPTION OF CHOREOGRAPHIC PERFORMANCES
Pour consulter l'appel en format Pdf, cliquez ici.
Since 2021, Danse-Cité has been developing a dance audio description program, a previously non-existent practice in Montreal, to offer blind and partially sighted French-speaking audiences adapted access to choreographic performances. Audio description involves orally and live describing the visual and sensory elements of a choreographic work, so that it can be transmitted, shared and experienced. It requires the knowledge and development of specific tools. (More on Danse-Cité's audio description here)
The aim of the training is to give 3 future audio describers the opportunity to acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge they need to work professionally in live audio description of choreographic performances.
TRAINING DESCRIPTION
The training course in Audiodescription of choreographic performances was designed by Danse-Cité, based on the expertise developed over the last three years. Since 2021, dance artist and writer Enora Rivière has been working at Danse-Cité as head audio-describer and researcher. She has audio-described eight shows with varied aesthetics and supervised four, continually refining her practice and her knowledge. Enora is the main trainer and works with outside professionals to enrich and deepen her knowledge.
The course is divided into four stages:
In-person participation in theoretical and practical workshops offered by the trainer and a panel of guest speakers between March 2024 and November 2024 (72 hours, over 6 weekends):
Workshops on the principles of audio description
Writing workshops
Meetings with blind and partially sighted people
Discovering the technical and technological system
Voice training
Introduction to guide techniques
Meetings with artistic teams
Building a pre-show workshop for blind audiences, including a tactile tour
Etc.
Time for personal work between each block of workshops;
Watching a live audio description by Enora Rivière during the FTA-Festival TransAmériques 2024 (date to be announced);
A practical course in writing, live oralisation and co-facilitation of a presentation workshop, supervised by Enora Rivière, during a show in the 24-25 season offered with audio description (date and show to be determined).
The audio describers will be encouraged to experiment with the various tools on offer in order to develop their own methods as they go along.
PROFILES SOUGHT
We are looking for two French speakers (spoken and written) and one bilingual French/English speaker (spoken and written).
Observing and analyzing dance, performances and bodies in movement;
Writing practice (factual, poetic, etc.);
Be comfortable with speaking and vocal work;
Precision et concision;
Adaptability;
Autonomy;
Taste for team work.
TRAINING CONDITIONS
Preliminary schedule of workshops*
Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm (including a 1-hour lunch break)
Bloc 1 : March 2024, 30 - 31
Bloc 2 : April 2024, 27 - 28
Bloc 3 : June 2024, 15 - 16
Bloc 4 : August, 31 - September 2024, 1
Bloc 5 : October 2024, 5 - 6
Bloc 6 : November 2024, 23 - 24
* The schedule of workshops will be validated with each participant during the pre-selection period.
Training course calendar
Observation course: June 2024, 3 - 6 (dates and schedules to be confirmed)
Practical training: period to be determined between mid-October and the end of November 2024
Workshops venue
Le CamélÉon : 420 - 3680, Jeanne Mance str. (4th floor), Montreal, QC, H2T 1A6. Accessible by elevator.
Compensation
Workshop days are paid at $30/day.
A flat-rate fee will be offered for the observation and practical work placements (writing, speaking and co-hosting a presentation workshop).
We are working on the development of the project to offer mandates to all future trainees from 2025. This training does not guarantee short-term contracts.
SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process will take place in five stages:
Reception of a motivation letter and curriculum vitae: February 2024, 15
Pre-selection period: February 2024, 15 - 21
Pre-selected candidates will be invited to send a recorded sound clip (description of a dance extract, 2 minutes max, .mp3 format, an email with instructions will be sent in advance): March 2024, 4
Meeting with pre-selected participants: March 2024, 4 - 7
The final selection will be announced: March 2024, 12 mars 2024
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment accessible to all.
Please send your application (motivation letter and CV) to Maud, Development and Communications director: communication@danse-cite.org, before February 2024, 15.
We thank you for your interest and remain available to answer any questions you may have.
THE REALITY OF AN AUDIO DESCRIPTION MANDATE FOR A CHOREOGRAPHIC PERFORMANCE
Audiodescription is a practice that is constantly evolving, adapting to the aesthetic project to be described. It is a lengthy writing process (allow a month in advance for a one-hour play) comprising several phases:
Meeting with creative teams;
Collection of literature on the play (company file, communication texts, press, etc.);
Get the video material you need to write;
Viewing and analysing the work if it has already been created, or following rehearsals if it is in the process of being created;
Writing text and speaking practice;
Submission of the text to a blind person;
Preparation of a pre-show workshop and tactile tour;
Rehearsals the days before the audiodescription;
Finalisation and adaptation of the text;
D-Day: Pre-show workshop + Live audio description + Post-show meeting with artists and audience members
Attendance and participation at planning, coordination and post-mortem meetings.
An audio description mandate requires a flexible working schedule.
'It's an exciting, generous and rigorous all-round activity, requiring the autonomy of solo writing as much as the ease of oral performance or the communication skills needed for teamwork', Enora Rivière
This training course has been made possible thanks to the financial support of: Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec, Fondation Cypihot-Ouellette, Fondation Mirella et Lino Saputo, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Fondation Whitearn, Fondation Sybilla Hesse, Ministère de la culture et des communication du Québec et Ministère de la langue française du Québec.