Louise Lecavalier : dance, labour, culture

The principal dancer of the Montreal-based company La La La Human Steps from 1981 to 1999, Louise Lecavalier was the single most iconic dancer of her generation, elevating the punk ballet art form to new heights. From a distinctly feminist angle, this critical study looks broadly at the figure of the dancer and their contributions to dance aesthetics and cultural politics.

Importantly, this book prioritizes the dancer's voice and shines light on the generally unseen labour of (often women) dancers in producing the historical movements of the discipline. From a close examination of La La La Human Steps' and Lecavalier's evolving aesthetic, to a consideration of Lecavalier's public persona as rebel, conduit and saint, this study charts her growth as a dancer and as an icon.

With analysis given to her appearance as bodyguard in Kathryn Bigelow's film Strange Days (1995), and her solo piece No No No I'm Not Mary Poppins (1982), Lecavalier’s work and legacy unfurls before the reader, highlighting the often-unrecognised presence of Africanist aesthetics in her company's repertoire. With extra materials, such as images of performance and street photography as well as a letter from the renowned dancer herself, Louise Lecavalier: Labour, Fandom and Cultural Politics is a celebratory and much-needed insight into the artistic motive and dancer's perspective.