Pierre-Marc Ouellette

Since graduating from l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2005, Pierre-Marc Ouellette has worked as a performer and choreographer. After devoting himself entirely to these careers for more than 10 years, he chose to embark on a new project. In the fall of 2016, with the support of the DTRC, he began a bachelor’s degree in art history at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).“There was that aspect of intellectual work that I found lacked in my career as a dancer.”

Although Pierre-Marc’s interest in studying wasn’t new, he was able to return to a previous path that he had bypassed to pursue dance.

“The support of the DTRC allowed me to devote myself entirely to my studies.”

Less financially burdened, Pierre-Marc has been able to dedicate himself to his studies, winning the Professors’ Prize in Art History for his academic excellence. This was just the beginning: he has since obtained, among other honors, a merit scholarship upon entering the master’s program at Concordia University, and is the recipient of the SSHRC and FRQSC scholarships. Whether it’s a career as a performer or a return to school, “these are life choices, identity choices, that can be heartbreaking. […] I found a way to synthesize these two sides of myself.”

Pierre-Marc successfully combined many facets of his identity into his chosen field of study (researcher, creator, dancer), and is now completing a creative residency required to finalize his thesis and to obtain his master’s degree in the Individualized Program in Fine Arts from Concordia University.