Charles-Alexis Desgagnés is a multidisciplinary choreographer, creator, dancer and performer based in Montreal. Self-taught and curious, he evolves in the fields of dance, improvisation, cinema and teaching. A queer artist recognized for his embodied strength and sensitivity, he develops an artistic vision whose heart is human. His company, Les sans-papiers, whose name echoes his career away from the big schools and his desire to bring together and celebrate atypical careers, is defined by his gaze more focused on uniqueness and vulnerability.
A unifier, he collaborates with many stage and image artists; technicians and arts professionals who share a circular approach and whom he wishes to highlight just as much as the performers who participate in his creations. His journey led him to train between New York, Toronto, Quebec and Montreal, and to work with big names such as Harold Rheaume, tedd robinson, Riley Sims, Chantal Caron, Ismael Mouaraki, Kyra Jean Green, Samuel Tetreault or even Peter Jasko. He also collaborates with circus companies such as the Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize et The 7 Fingers.
Finalist of the Revolution show in 2018, Charles-Alexis sees this opportunity as a way to popularize contemporary dance to the general public. At the same time, he presents in a self-directed way the work Mue érable with 28 performers, which he transformed into a solo and presented at the Festival Quartiers Danses the following year. In 2022, his group piece J'ai pleuré ce matin dans le métro brings together 23 up-and-coming performers on the stage of the Maison de la culture in Verdun and brings to Charles-Alexis a new media recognition. Currently he is working on the short film project La Peau de l'autre with the director Vincent René-Lortie and develops a 60-minute solo work for the scene entitled Homo Deus. This piece will be presented byl'Agora de la danse in Montreal in October 2023.
Charles-Alexis Desgagnés is represented as an independent artist by Sheila Skaiem of the agency Avec Sheila as well as by Mickaël Spinnhirny of the'Agence Spinnhirny
Profile Regroupement québécois de la danse
Article in La Presse, September 2019: “Charles-Alexis Desgagnés, en mutation” by Samuel Larochelle
Article in La Presse, July 2022 : « Rassembler les sans-papiers » from Samuel Larochelle
Radio interview with Charles-Alexis at “ C’est ma tournée! on Radio-Canada about Les Sans-Papiers