Daniel Gariépy — Artistic Director

Daniel Gariépy is a native of Montreal. The recipient of a Chalmers Grant, his studies in baroque dance have taken him across North America and beyond to work with leading specialists in historical dance. In 1991, he journeyed to Paris to meet with French baroque dance icon Francine Lancelot. Sitting in on rehearsals of Lancelot's groundbreaking "Ris et Danceries" company crystallized his love of historical dance. The work of this baroque dance pioneer left a marked impression on him. He subsequently studied with the late Wendy Hilton at Stanford University; with Elaine Biagi Turner in Toronto and Thomas Baird in New York. He has also worked with Jeannette Zingg of Opera Atelier, and is thoroughly grounded in the dance and gestural styles of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

A graduate of McMaster University, he has taught baroque dance through the University of Toronto and at Wilfrid Laurier University. He was invited to choreograph the dances for their productions of Rameau's "Platée" and Lully's "Thesee". Of these, the press said: "...Rameau's Platée featured dancers from La Belle Danse, bona-fide show stealers whose interludes enriched this opera immeasurably." Daniel Gariépy has led workshops in baroque dance at the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute in Toronto, as well as at their annual Baroque Education Day.

Mr Gariépy was invited by the Mozart Society of Toronto to choreograph Mozart's only ballet, "Les Petits Riens" which was performed by La Belle Danse. As a result, the company was invited back to perform Mr. Gariépy's original choreography for Gluck's "Orphee". Subsequently, La Belle Danse was invited to provide the ballets in Handel's "Acis and Galatea" for the Arbor Oak Trio. Very well received, this production was remounted at the Guelph Spring Festival. The press remarked: "Choreographer and performer Daniel Gariépy created and adapted dances to accompany various scenes that were stylistically flawless and lovely to behold. His company of eight dancers, La Belle Danse, were perfectly in tune with the period style, and enhanced and illustrated the emotions of the music."

Mr Gariépy continues to teach baroque dance at Toronto's Winchester Street Theatre, home of the Toronto Dance Theatre.