Guillaume Côté to Head Canadian Dance Festival

Guillaume Côté, a longtime principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto, has been spreading his wings for a while now, excelling in both musical composition and choreography (he was appointed NBC’s choreographic associate in 2013).

Now he can add director to the mix. In 2015, he will assume leadership of Quebec’s Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur. The festival, held in the mountain town of Saint-Sauveur, features an international array of dance and music. This year’s lineup includes the Martha Graham Dance Company, Compagnie Marie Chouinard and ProArteDanza, as well as a gala featuring dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Boston Ballet, New York City Ballet, Ballet BC, Alberta Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada.

Côté, a native Québécois, has already been getting his feet wet by co-producing this year’s festival (which runs July 31–August 9) with current director Anik Bissonnette. The opening night program is devoted to Côté’s choreography, including the world premeire of Dance Me To the End of Love, set to music by Leonard Cohen.