Today we’d like to introduce you to Genot Picor.
Genot, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 1997, I joined a local Detroit dance theatre company that specialized in French court dancing, music and storytelling. In 2000, I went out on my own as an individual storyteller, specializing in Michigan and Great Lakes stories, songs and dances. Today, my individual program is known as Genot Picor-Storyteller, “Stories, Songs and Dances of the Voyageurs®.” I wanted to add more music and interactive country dancing to my program. This led to the formation of La Compagnie Musical Dance Troupe®. Today, we are a six (and sometimes seven) piece ensemble. Our seventh member demonstrates French Canadian, Celtic, and early Americana step dancing. As an ensemble, we recreate a French veillée, or social gathering. In early Michigan and Ontario history, a married couple would hire a performer or troupe to provide entertainment over a two-day period. The evening’s entertainment would include interactive stories, songs and community dances. The only excuse one could have for not dancing would be suffering from an affliction called “mal de raquette,” or “swelling of the feet from wearing snowshoes.” We perform “up close and personal” with our audiences. Our music spans over 400 years, beginning with some of the earliest French country/court dances to come to the Great Lakes. We also perform sing-alongs, ballads, Great Lakes sea chanties, and community dance numbers. I teach the community dances.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As a musical dance troupe, we hit the ground running. I can’t really think of any struggles we’ve incurred along the way outside of COVID. I set out to recruit the best and most versatile talent I could find. Of course, personality dynamics are important, and I’m proud to say I have never worked with a more dedicated, light-hearted and supportive “cast of characters.” In the country French tradition, everyone is invited to share our “joie de vie.” This explains our longevity and why our audiences love to see us perform. Because we’re multi-instrumentalists, having enough room for our instruments might be the only obstacle we consistently encounter. These instruments include upright bass, acoustic bass, concert flute, pennywhistles, two violins, banjo, guitars, mandolin, bodhran and one or two clogging boards. In French Canada, the dancer’s feet were regarded as instruments.
We have created interactive musical, and dance-theatre programs for the anniversary of the founding of Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace, Michigan, the Grosse Pointe Historical Society, Ste. Anne Basilica’s French Heritage Days, The Lorenzo Cultural Art Center’s “Michigan’s Fresh-Water Seas: Powering Progress,” the Alpena Maritime Festival, Bay City Tall Ships Festival, the Detroit Institute of Arts and The River Raisin National Battlefield. Performing on Mackinac Island was a real treat! La C has also enjoyed radio air play. We are found in the touring membership directory of the Michigan Arts and Humanities Council.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are most proud of the relationship we share with our audiences and how thoroughly we research and develop our performances. We individually design each program for our hosting agency or venue. Of all that we do, I think this dynamic sets us apart from other ensembles for a group of our size. In 2015, I received a master’s degree in Theatre Arts/Interpretive Performance Studies from Eastern Michigan University. This invaluable course of study taught me to how conduct archival and qualitative research, and to appreciate the human stories behind the music and dance. In 2024, we completed an anthology of songs and tunes that span 400 years entitled “A Health to La Compagnie.” All the songs/tunes have some relevance to the Great Lakes and Michigan. We included four top-notch session musicians (three vocalists and a multi-instrumentalist) to expand the depth and breadth of the musical-dance pieces on specific numbers. The percussive sound of Appalachian and French-Canadian step-dancing was included in the production. For example, “A Health to La Compagnie” includes a segment of Appalachian/Southern music. Few people realize that southerners brought their musical-dance culture with them when the auto industries beckoned them northward. They followed the American dream up US-23, which is also known as “The Hillbilly Highway.” Look it up! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillbilly_Highway or https://modeldmedia.com/hillbilly-highway-110716/
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk taking? Full speed ahead is our modus operandi. Our first CD (“Vive La Compagnie”) was, by comparison to “A Health to La Compagnie,” a small production, more for fun than anything else. I fully funded our second CD, “A Health to La Compagnie,” with the intention of leaving a legacy. My father and a close family friend instilled that value in me from a young age. Your work is your signature. Leave something of value for which you will be remembered. “A Health to La Compagnie” is an artistic and academic legacy created by La Compagnie Musical Dance Troupe® and Friends. Music, dance and stories are timeless expressions of the human experience. We also produce music videos just for fun! The videos, along with how to purchase or download music and contact information can be found on our website at www.lacompagniemdt.com
Pricing:
- $850-$2100 depending on the venue and number of musicians
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lacompagniemdt.com and www.genotpicor.com,
- Email: genotpicor@yahoo.com
- Facebook: La Compagnie Musical Dance Troupe®, Genot Picor-Storyteller, LLC
- Youtube: Access to Youtube videos are accessible on our website, www.lacompagniemdt.com
