Passionate about dance since the age of five, Quebec choreographer Hélène Blackburn initially pursued studies in ethnography and theatre. She ultimately returned to exploring the dancing body, which she found to be the most effective means of expressing her reflections on human behavior—an endlessly fascinating subject in her eyes. She received professional training at Linda Rabin’s studios (now the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal) and at the Université du Québec à Montréal, where she met choreographer Jean-Pierre Perreault. She collaborated with him as a performer until 1989 (in Joe, Stella, Nuit, Les Lieux-dits, and Piazza).
In 1989, she founded Cas Public, which quickly earned an international reputation. Over three decades, Cas Public has created no fewer than fifteen works, several of which are aimed at young audiences: Bluebeard (2004), GOLD (2011), Symphonie Dramatique (2014), and* 9* (2016), all presented at the Opéra national de Paris, as well as Journal intime (2006), Variations S (2010), and Suites curieuses (2015). In 2016, the company's work was honored with the Grand Prix of the Conseil des Arts de Montréal. Not Quite Midnight (2018), Suites ténébreuses (2019), and Love Me Tender (2020) are among the company’s most recent touring productions.
A committed artist dedicated to advancing her discipline, Hélène Blackburn is also a renowned choreographer and educator beyond Cas Public. She is regularly invited to create works for companies in the UK, Norway, France, and Germany for both general and young audiences. She also collaborates as a teacher and choreographer with major professional dance training centers in Canada and Europe.
Hélène Blackburn’s creations are infused with the force of human impulses and often question the moral prescriptions surrounding love and relationships. This Montreal choreographer’s talent lies in captivating audiences through precise, highly physical movement while simultaneously opening up a space for critical reflection on the ideas embodied by her dancers.
