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Created Costumes

Most of the costumes worn by Les Sortilèges have been made in their own workshops, thanks to a strong community involvement.

Among the Canadian costumes made for Expo 67, the women's Chicoutimi costume and the men's Sunday costume were the result of serious investigative work. These first costumes will remain a part of Les Sortilèges's wardrobe throughout their career, even though they were modified over the years. For better stage-effect, the flowers on the indienne fabric used for the women's dresses will be enlarged, since the original small flowers were perceived by the audience as polka dots.

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Sunday Costume (1st version)
1968
Gymnasium at Saint-Stanislas High School, Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

3

Sunday Costume (1st version)
1968
Auberge le Vieux Saint-Gabriel, Montréal(Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC
Thibaudeau, Jean-Guy, photographer

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Les Sortilèges - Sunday Costume (1st version)
1969
Auberge le Vieux Saint-Gabriel, Montréal(Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Les Sortilèges' Female Sunday Costume (1st version)
19th Century Inspiration, circa 1850
Chicoutimi (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Sunday Costume (2nd version) against a Jute Canvas Background
1981
Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Sunday Costume (2nd version)
1981
Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Two Dancers in Sunday Costume (2nd version)
20th century, circa 1980
Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Two Dancers in Sunday Costume (2nd version)
20th century, circa 1980
Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Les Sortilèges in Sunday Costume (2nd version)
Spring 1984
Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC
Lehmann, Henryka, photographer

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"On stage, paint replaced embroidery on petticoats. The visual effect was the same, while allowing us to match up with major professional dance companies. Such a modification was in no way altering the character of the costume, although it wasn't used when Les Sortilèges were expected to dance with the public. In such cases, the traditional costumes became necessary."
Monik Vincent, regular dancer with Les Sortilèges from 1981 to 1986 and until 1993 with other functions, such as teacher, coach and artistic assistant.

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Sunday Costume (3rd version)
4 September 1985
Théâtre Saint-Denis, Montréal (Québec), Canada

Credits:
MBDC

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Sunday Costume (3rd version)
25 July 1986
Canada Pavilion, World Exposition, Vancouver (British Colombia), Canada

Credits:
MBDC
Perspective 5

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Other Canadian costumes were created. Namely and in chronological order:
The linen peasant costume; the Metis costume ; the New France bourgeois and street costumes ; the costume for the opening of the Olympic Games ; the Charlevoix and Île d'Orléans costumes ; the Beauce costume ; the New France peasant costumes ; the "Bal du Mardi-Gras" costumes, the lumberjack costumes, the "Parc Sohmer" costumes ; the "Hockey Night" costume; the costume for "La Vaillante"; the Amerindian costume and those for "Le canot magique", "Soirée Québécoise" and "Bal du Gouverneur".

Excerpt from the manuscript "Les Sortilèges: La passion de la danse", by Jimmy Di Genova