Simon-Xavier first developed an interest in movement through his early encounters with martial arts. In his early twenties, while completing a bachelor’s degree in biology, his mind remained anchored in the rehearsal studio. Despite his love for science and the living world—and an insatiable curiosity that makes him fond even of city squirrels and pigeons—the growing passion for dance that had quietly taken hold of him began to take root.
He was just beginning a master’s degree in biology when a pivotal encounter with Daniel Léveillé led him to pivot fully toward dance. From his unofficial presence in classes at UQAM, he moved on to formally study at LADMMI (now EDCM), completing a year at the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. He was soon invited to join the creation process of Un peu de tendresse, bordel de merde by Dave St-Pierre.
Since then, he has collaborated with numerous artists, including Marie Béland, Andrew Turner, Anne Thériault, Virginie Brunelle, Sasha Kleinplatz, Estelle Clareton, Hélène Blackburn, Martin Messier, Milan Gervais, Frédérick Gravel, and Parts & Labour. He has also taken part in theatre productions, notably with Éric Jean, Mani Soleymanlou, and Jérémie Niel.
Today, Simon-Xavier works primarily behind the scenes—in production, project coordination, and especially cultural mediation. Though he occasionally appears in film shoots, his artistic focus has shifted to the wings and beyond the stage.
Related works: Les Précédents, Dieu ne t’a pas créé juste pour danser, BLEU – VERT – ROUGE, RAYON X : a true decoy story, Espace vert, Twis-manivelle
Photo : Christel Bourque