ALÈN
MARTEL
dancer _
researcher _
instructor _
arts manager _
Since 2007, the trajectory of my career has been focussed on dance and spans performance, choreography, research in early dance history and the intersection of computer science and dance, university instruction, and supporting the dance milieu in Canada as an arts, venue, and production manager.
RESEARCH AREAS
ETHNOCHOREOLOGY
Through an ethnochoreological lens, I examine early dance history, including how practices branched to what they are today, institutionalization of practices, and de-mything historical analyses. My research has been presented at conferences, in productions, and permeates my teaching at the university level.
COMPUTER SCIENCE + DANCE
As a practitioner, I exam human-machine interactions and how computer programs and software can serve as an extension of our creative processes and performances. I also focus on the applied historiography of early programs, centring on the 1960s to the 1980s.
Current students of mine have password access to an applied historiography where several early computer programs that were used in dance were rebuilt using p5.js. They also feature a few of my own.
I also work with TouchDesigner and will provide upcoming events where designs are being used / performed with.
LIST OF PERFORMANCES
2024
Just Breathe, Okâwîmâwaskiy. Performer. Calgary. Choreography by Melanie Kloetzel and Sandra Lamouche.
Displaced (Stage Performance). Performer. Calgary. Choreography by Melissa Monteros and Wojciech Mochniej.
Displaced (Screendance). Performer/Actor. Poland + Calgary. Directed by Melissa Monteros and Wojciech Mochniej.
Hy:phen:ated. Performer. Calgary. Choreographed by Wojciech Mochniej, Melissa Monteros, and by the WM2 company.
Untitled Work-in-Progress (excerpt). Performer. Calgary. Choreographed by Alèn Martel.
2023
Just Breathe, Okâwîmâwaskiy. Performer. Calgary. Choreography by Melanie Kloetzel and Sandra Lamouche.
The Launch. Choreographer / Dancer. Calgary (Music Video). Choreography by Alèn Martel.
CELLS | CELLE. Dancer. Calgary. Choreography by Wojciech Mochniej, Melissa Monteros.
The Body is a Series of Signs. Dancer. Calgary. Direction by Wojciech Mochniej and Melissa Monteros with collaboration with the WM2 Company.
Discover. Display. Dissolve. Interactive Designer. Calgary. Choreography by Jared Tobias Herring.
2022
SHED. Dancer / Collaborator. Calgary + Vancouver. Solo direction by Pam Tzeng.
2021
Algorithms from Yesterday. Videographer. Calgary (Dance Film). Choreography by Rufi Oswaldo.
The Strid. Dance Dramaturge. Calgary (Film). Directed by Chantelle Han.
Asynchronous Dance. Director / Coder. Toronto (Online). Directed by Alèn Martel.
Displaced. Performer. Calgary (Dance Film). Choreography and Direction by Melissa Monteros with support of Wojciech Mochniej.
2020
Processing. Choreographer / Performer / Coder. Calgary (Online). Choreography by Alèn Martel.
2019
UC Chamber Choir. Dancer / Choreographer. Calgary. Choreography by Alèn Martel.
2018
Lacrimosa. Performer / Collaborator. Calgary. Choreography and Direction by Kunji Ikeda.
GHOST. Performer. Calgary (Music Video). Choreography by Eden Hildebrand and Jocelyn Leiver.
2017
Opening Performance for Tanya Tagaq. Choreographer / Performer. Calgary. Choreography by Alèn Martel.
Averting East. Choreographer / Performer. Calgary. Choreography by Alèn Martel.
2016
Empty Orchestra. Choreographer / Performer. Calgary. Choreography by Rufi Oswaldo and Alèn Martel.
2015
Mercy. Performer. Calgary (Music Video). Choreography by Serenella Sol.
2014
Beautiful City. Performer / Collaborator. Calgary. Choreography by Paul Chambers.
ARTS + VENUE MANAGEMENT
My early professional career was managing and coordinating events but catapulted into production management (music and dance), arts and venue management, and venue design. I have developed revised operational strategies for arts and venue organizations, supporting event execution, revenue strategies, human resources, document processing, organizational reviews, and technical operations. My work has also taken me into the realm of venue design, working with organizations and their project architects and interior designers on new venues, centering my contributions on technical capacities and the structures that support the experience for users at all levels – performers, renters, patrons, and staff. Finally, I also work on building and redeveloping websites and have worked on websites for film festivals and performing arts centres.
Since 2019, I have coalesced my experience in arts and venue management with the business and grant management experience of a close friend and, now, business partner, Alisa MacKinnon, in a business partnership that we call PIVOT. Arts and Venue Management. For more information about our company and the services that we offer, click the button below.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
If there is a project that you’d like to work on together, whether performance, teaching, research, or administration, then just drop me a message at [email protected].