DANCE
Ballet and Contemporary
Classical Ballet
In his classical ballet education, Mikaël Xystra Montminy mainly uses the techniques of Cecchetti and Vaganova, aiming for the efficiency of movements, the fluidity, the physicality and the body alignment. He shows how to stretch the limits of the body while respecting it, and he is looking for a beautiful, clean and operational technique. Mikaël works specific exercises looking for sensations for a better accomplishment of the movements through images (or visualizing) and the understanding of anatomy. What remains important for him is to make the performer independent in his practice and disciplined, able to understand, identify, analyze the issues and apply the solution for a good mastering of his dancing body.
Contemporary
For contemporary, Mikael uses elements from various sources of inspiration such as the game with shapes or some techniques of a more urban or animal essence. His style is characterized by the mobility of the chest and the contact with the ground. He uses with great freedom the elements of classical and modern techniques and adds up a lot of disjointed, shelled, dried or fluid movements, sometimes techniques from urban dance such as popping or waving. The emotion and the expression, often initiating the movement, show themselves to be essential elements of his approach. His contemporary identifies a lot to the WXWS break-ballet but without using extremes of the classical or breakdance styles.
Contemporary or Neoclassical Ballet
Mikaël approaches the contemporary ballet in pretty much the same way as the contemporary, while maintaining a more "classic" temperament. He explores the full potential of the body movement through classical dance-based pulses as well as expressions and movements from contemporary dance.
WXWS Ballet
This form of dance is defined as the mixture of styles from classical ballet, contemporary and neoclassical that Mikaël is practicing, while incorporating exercises, sequences and elements from the Qi Gong and Wudang Kung Fu. He also uses the foundations from different trainings such as Pilates, the "Fitness table" and some work principles like isometrics, plyometrics, stamina, as well as joints warming and active stretching.
Turns and Jumps
Mikaël also offers specific courses to learn or improve the turns and jumps. The course starts with a warm-up, followed by a teaching of the jump and turn basics and exercises, in order to reach a certain skill and a maximum height, control and strength. The course ends with the teaching of movement and sequences adapted to the dancer’s level.
Urban dances
Mikaël teaches hip-hop and breakdance and his specialty is popping, break and ground techniques.
Popping
In its approach to hip hop, Michael uses the popping, waving and Robot as well as twitchy, dry stiff movements, or even the "breathing pop" method, giving a breathing sensation between pops or a slow motion sensation.
The waves, fluid and flowing movements, give the impression that the dancer is made of water, that a current passes through his body and creates an undulation. In his style, Mikaël sometimes gets inspiration from certain forms of Qi Gong or Kung Fu.
Ground techniques and break basics
Mikaël incorporates a variety of techniques, mainly breakdance, and also uses techniques from the "Floorwork" contemporary. He also includes strengthening exercises and other exercises to develop the fluidity, the ease of the body when in contact with the ground so that it becomes an extension of the body.
WXWS Break-Ballet
For other info contact : compagniewxws@gmail.com