A new show by Montreal choreographer Rodney Desir employs a documentary process to create work that harmonizes art and science and explores flaws in the heart and cardiovascular system.

After meeting with several heart disease experts and people living with heart disease, Desir collaborated with composer Joran and sound designer Engone Endon to create a show called Symphony that will include nearly 150 artists.・He devised “De Coeur”.

The event will feature 11 musicians and dancers from the Montreal Orchestra, conducted by Naomi Wu, the Ottawa National Arts Center Orchestra, and the Orchester della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland.

In his research, Desir benefited from collaboration between the Montreal Heart Institute and the Ticino Heart Institute in Lugano. In fact, the show will visit Ottawa and Lugano after its performance in Montreal.

A new show, Symphony de Coeur, a collaboration between the Montreal Heart Institute and Montreal choreographer Rodney Desir, explores defects in the heart and cardiovascular system.La Presse Canadienne/HO-Kevin Calixte

The film also tackles the imbalances and emotional rifts that can arise from romantic relationships. We will also examine your heartbeat, its rapid movements, and your ribcage.

“My goal is not to involve people in something scary, because at the same time I want to open people’s minds and allow them to engage with subjects that they often want to look away from. It’s my way of talking about science,” Desir said in an interview.

Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada after cancer. Dr. Judith Brouillette, director of psychiatry at the Montreal Heart Institute, said the main heart conditions include vascular disease, infarction, and electrical network disorders such as arrhythmias and heart failure.

“When I was approached about collaborating, I was drawn to the theme of rifts and imbalances, because when heart disease develops, it creates an imbalance for patients and their families.The heart is a symbol of life and death. “The whole moment became unbalanced, as if it created life and death,” she said.

The psychiatrist explained that most people diagnosed with heart disease initially experience shock, but that everyone feels it differently. Although there are scenes that hint at death, there is no blood in the play. Instead, Desir sees her work as a wonderful celebration of her life.

“It’s about sitting in that room and thinking about whether you have the ability to empathize with everyone,” she says.

The testimonies collected by the choreographer are translated into different types of gestures. “When we talk about gesture, it’s not just choreography. It can be light, lighting, set design, music,” she said.

Desir attended four open-heart surgeries in Montreal and Switzerland for her subject matter. Her experience was overwhelming for her, but rewarding in her search for information and inspiration.

“The open-heart surgery was amazing. I thought I was going to pass out,” she recalls. “I was prepared for seeing the heart and that there would be a lot of blood, but I was not prepared for the smell of burnt tomato juice and the fact that I would hear so many mechanical sounds. The sound of metal left a strong impression on me, and now it’s part of my work.”

According to Desir and Brouillette, art and science influence each other.

“We learn through science and books and get to know the individual, but sometimes there are parts, questions, and phenomena that cannot be solved by the mind,” Brouillette said. “When you have a hard head, you have to think in terms of other systems and your own. [gut],wholeheartedly. ”

Desir believes that art can help disseminate and share science for some people who feel the field is not for them. “Art is accessible. Art is universal, just as science is universal,” the choreographer said.

“Symphony du Cour” will be performed by Danse Danse at the Salle Wilfrid Pelletier on Place des Arts in Montreal from April 4th to 6th.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 30, 2024. Canadian Press health content receives funding through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.