Mamie Remix
Project presentation / Mentors / Mediators / Berceurs du temps / In the media / Video / Teams
illustration © Stéphanie St-Jean Aubre
In 2023-204, Mamie Remix sets the beat in Rivière-des-Prairies once again! Don’t miss the new videoclip of this 5th ‘ad hoc’ edition of the projet, now on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Following the success of its past editions, Mamie Remix is back in 2023 to multiply tender raps, renewing our collaboration with the Orchestre Métropolitain. This year, students from three participating high schools – École Sophie-Barat, Académie De Roberval and École Honoré-Mercier – drew their inspiration from texts submitted by residents of retirement homes – Les Jardins Millen residence, ORA residence and Robert Dobie residence. Their creations were released in June 2023 on YouYube, Instagram and Facebook. A second cohort from Jean-Grou high school also took up the Mamie Remix challenge in Rivière-des-Prairies last fall. Discover their newest rap inspired by the neighborhood elders’ poems, alongside the mini-documentary of their creative process!
At the time of the 2022 edition involving six participating schools – École Joseph-François-Perrault, École FACE, Collège Notre-Dame, École Sophie-Barat, Académie De Roberval and École Honoré-Mercier – paired with the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM), the Manoir Plaza residence, the Les Jardins Millen residence, the ORA residence and the CHSLD Yvon-Brunet, Mamie Remix receives the jury’s “Coup de cœur” award at the Semaine québécoise intergénérationnelle contest organized by Intergénérations Québec. Shortly after, 3 teams of the project were invited to present their songs on stage at the Grandes Oreilles family festival in Outremont, at Beaubien park, initiating an exciting yearly tradition. Thank you to our partners and participants of all ages for these great outcomes.
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Mamie Remix proposes an unexpected encounter between seniors and teenagers brought together by a rap song unlike any other. A poetic conversation between generations, this project is an invitation to demystify hip-hop in a playful and creative way. How do you turn an old love poem into a tender rap? The seniors’ favourite texts are shared with high school students who become authors, composers and performers for the occasion. Divided into small teams, young people from the participating schools compose and record their hip-hop inspired pieces intended to surprise the “grannies” living in retirement homes – and to be surprised in turn. Accompanied by their teachers, the budding artists work with Quebec rappers and OM musicians as mentors to blur the boundaries between genres and create unique proposals.
To complete this project, the teams meet over the span of 7 weeks throughout February, March and April. With the help of their respective mentors and the Berceurs du temps mediators, the students integrate texts shared by the seniors and familiarize themselves with the language of rap. A private conference with a guest expert gives them the final push leading up to the moment they are all waiting for: the day of recording in a professional studio. At this point, each team gets a chance to record their musical proposal. Their creation are then brought to life through a videoclip and a documentary serving to recollect the creative adventure experienced by all members of the project.
Ideation and concept : Ilya Krouglikov, co-artistic director of Berceurs du temps.
Concept, mediation and coordination: Sophie Levasseur, project manager and cultural mediator for Berceurs du temps. Sophie participates in the conception and oversees the realization of the first two editions of Mamie Remix. She carries the project by ensuring fluid communication between all parties.
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The first edition of Mamie Remix was made possible thanks to Retrouvailles créatives, a call for proposals launched by the Orchestre Métropolitain with the support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal. This initiative aims to support the presence of artists in Montreal’s neighbourhoods and to promote local artistic dissemination through cultural mediation.
The second and third editions of the project are supported by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, the Luc Maurice Foundation and the Grace Dart Foundation, while renewing the collaboration with the Orchestre Métropolitain and dedicated mentors.
The 2022 and 2023 editions of Mamie Remix in Rivière-des-Prairies are an initiative of the Rivière-des-Prairies Cultural Center as part of the Mouve-toi project funded by the Sports, Arts and Culture Delinquency Prevention Program (PPDSAC) of the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec.
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Mentors 2023
> Violinist, singer, rapper and boxer, Kayiri has conquered a wide audience here and abroad with the warmth of her voice and her collaborative projects K-Iri, Bad Nylon and Forró Brasa. Her dynamism and remarkable stage presence are reflected with power and zest in her four solo albums.
> Mantisse, member of the group LaF, winner of the Francouvertes in 2018. Passionate about literature, French language and visual arts. He is also a member of the rap collective Les Fourmis.
> Franky Fade, member of the group Original Gros Bonnet, winner of the Francouvertes in 2019. Rapper, composer and pianist. He has been evolving on the Montreal music scene since 2017 and was one of the 5 rappers to watch in 2020 according to SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada).
> In 2021, Jam Khalil was proclaimed winner of the show “La fin des faibles” by the judges and renowned rappers Sarahmée, Souldia and Koriass. He has just finished the production of his new album “Au Coeur du royaume”, of which he signs both the lyrics and the music.
Guest expert : Jenny Salgado (alias J. Kyll) is a Quebec singer-songwriter of Haitian origin. Very active in her community, she entered the music business in 1996 by founding the French hip hop group Muzion, which quickly made a name for itself and built a solid reputation. Respected by audiences and critics alike, Jenny shines on stage thanks to her authenticity, her cutting edge lyrics, her social engagement and her great sensitivity. She is the first female rapper and beatmaker to make a place for herself in the world of Quebec francophone hip hop.
> Originally from New Brunswick, Cara Roy is a professional dance performer involved in various communities through teaching and cultural mediation. Since graduating from the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2016, Cara has collaborated with choreographers Sylvain Émard, Hélène Remoué, Sarah Dell’ava, Maria Papathanasiou, Ariane Boulet and Martin Messier. At the same time, she completes a training in cultural actions at UQAM and lead mediation activities with the festival Quartiers Danses, Berceurs du temps, PPS Danse and Le Radeau.
> Charlotte Beaussier is a cultural worker passionate about words, dance and music. She loves to see ambitious ideas come to life and considers cultural mediation as a way to weave links and build bridges. Charlotte helps organizations and artists realize their projects by accompanying them in various ways and has been enjoying hip-hop in her ears since the age of 10.
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Mentors 2022
> Mantisse, member of the group LaF, winner of the Francouvertes in 2018. Passionate about literature, French language and visual arts. He is also a member of the rap collective Les Fourmis.
> Meryem Saci, member of the multilingual group Nomadic Massive, singer, lyricist and MC. Her powerful voice shines on stage with high-energy Afro-Arabic rhythms and a fusion of sounds ranging from R&B to hip-hop, soul/jazz and reggae. She also has written two solo albums: “On My Way” (2017) and “All in” (2020).
> Franky Fade, member of the group Original Gros Bonnet, winner of the Francouvertes in 2019. Rapper, composer and pianist. He has been evolving on the Montreal music scene since 2017 and was one of the 5 rappers to watch in 2020 according to SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada).
> Pioneer of the Canadian krump scene and recipient of numerous prestigious dance awards, Vladimir Laurore aka 7Starr is very involved in his community. He founded Bzerk Squad, the first krump collective in Canada, as well as Gutta Zone Fest, the largest krump festival in the country. 7Starr launched his rap career in 2021 with the krump album “Diff Diff”.
> Made in Haïti, born in Brooklyn and raised in Montreal, Shah Frank brings a new breath to the Montreal R&B scene with her first project Stellaria Story resonatint in Quebec and internationally. Since then, Shah Frank has been working on a second EP while cumulating media coverage, invitations to various festivals and opening for artists like Niska and Demarco.
> In 2021, Jam Khalil was proclaimed winner of the show “La fin des faibles” by the judges and renowned rappers Sarahmée, Souldia and Koriass. He has just finished the production of his new album “Au Coeur du royaume”, of which he signs both the lyrics and the music.
Guest expert : Jenny Salgado (alias J. Kyll) is a Quebec singer-songwriter of Haitian origin. Very active in her community, she entered the music business in 1996 by founding the French hip hop group Muzion, which quickly made a name for itself and built a solid reputation. Respected by audiences and critics alike, Jenny shines on stage thanks to her authenticity, her cutting edge lyrics, her social engagement and her great sensitivity. She is the first female rapper and beatmaker to make a place for herself in the world of Quebec francophone hip hop.
Guest expert : Pianist, keyboardist, composer and producer, Nicolas Dupuis aka Anomalie has channeled his musical education and stage talents into two EPs, Metropole and Metropole II, a collaboration with Chromeo Bend the Rules, and his debut album “Galerie”. In early 2020, Metropole took him around the world with two North American tours, as well as performances in Europe and Asia. On social media, his fans count by millions. Rooted in jazz, his music is strongly influenced by electronic music, hip-hop and funk. In addition to his live performances, Anomalie shares his knowledge through masterclasses, often held online.
Mediators 2022
> Dance artist, teacher, cultural mediator and research assistant, Sophie Levasseur aligns these diverse practices around her interest in co-creation and her curiosity about protean encounters. She has been supporting the development and organization of Mamie Remix since the project’s creation in 2021.
> Jasmine Allan-Côté believes in the magic that happens when art and people meet. She shares her love of movement by leading dance workshops and creation labs with dancers and non-dancers of all ages. She also collaborates in the development of several cultural mediation activities, namely with Culture pour tous, La danse sur les routes du Québec and Place des Arts. At the same time, Jasmine explores through an interdisciplinary artistic practice the collaborative and inclusive processes that put the citizen at the heart of creation.
> Sarah Khilaji is a slam artist, cultural mediator and psychosocial worker passionate about words and speech when it comes to using them to denounce, raise awareness and exorcise. After several years of work in community settings, she reoriented herself towards cultural mediation to become involved in various art projects combining poetry with other practices through intercultural and intergenerational encounters. Sarah also gives writing workshops to encourage others to dare writing and to bringing out words that we don’t always know are there.
> Originally from New Brunswick, Cara Roy is a professional dance performer involved in various communities through teaching and cultural mediation. Since graduating from the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2016, Cara has collaborated with choreographers Sylvain Émard, Hélène Remoué, Sarah Dell’ava, Maria Papathanasiou, Ariane Boulet and Martin Messier. At the same time, she completes a training in cultural actions at UQAM and lead mediation activities with the festival Quartiers Danses, Berceurs du temps, PPS Danse and Le Radeau.
> Charlotte Beaussier is a cultural worker passionate about words, dance and music. She loves to see ambitious ideas come to life and considers cultural mediation as a way to weave links and build bridges. Charlotte helps organizations and artists realize their projects by accompanying them in various ways and has been enjoying hip-hop in her ears since the age of 10.
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Mentors 2021
> Mantisse, member of the group LaF, winner of the Francouvertes in 2018. Passionate about literature, French language and visual arts. He is also a member of the rap collective Les Fourmis.
> Meryem Saci, member of the multilingual group Nomadic Massive, singer, lyricist and MC. Her powerful voice shines on stage with high-energy Afro-Arabic rhythms and a fusion of sounds ranging from R&B to hip-hop, soul/jazz and reggae. She also has written two solo albums: “On My Way” (2017) and “All in” (2020).
> Franky Fade, member of the group Original Gros Bonnet, winner of the Francouvertes in 2019. Rapper, composer and pianist. He has been evolving on the Montreal music scene since 2017 and was one of the 5 rappers to watch in 2020 according to SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada).
Guest experte : Jenny Salgado (alias J. Kyll) is a Quebec singer-songwriter of Haitian origin. Very active in her community, she entered the music business in 1996 by founding the French hip hop group Muzion, which quickly made a name for itself and built a solid reputation. Respected by audiences and critics alike, Jenny shines on stage thanks to her authenticity, her cutting edge lyrics, her social engagement and her great sensitivity. She is the first female rapper and beatmaker to make a place for herself in the world of Quebec francophone hip hop.
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Creating poetic spaces that reflect community challenges in contemporary society, BERCEURS DU TEMPS mix artistic mediums – dance, theatre, performance, sound and visual arts – around the idea of voice as a relationship vector. Founded in 2016 by choreographer Sarah Dell’Ava and dramaturg Ilya Krouglikov, the company aims to bring art to people in unpredictable and diverted ways, taming slowness to revisit our relationship to time and discover the beauty of the world. Participatory, intergenerational and inclusive, its projects aspire to fulfill the creative potential of each and everyone in a dynamic of openness to oneself, to others and to the environment. In the footsteps of the Bercer le temps / Lulling Time installation, which continues touring after more than a hundred performances, they value sharing, heritage and transmission.
In the spring of 2021, keeping up with its community involvement mission, the BERCEURS started Mamie Remix, a cocreation project that invites high school students to make tender rap based on poems chosen by elders. The same year, the company presented O2, a durational performance for 30 dancers presented outdoors at the Festival TransAmériques. Cultural mediation workshops around the work led to its revival in an expanded version for the Journées de la culture in September.
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“Du rap pour combler le fossé générationnel”,
an interview with the rapper Franky Fade at Lève-tôt program on Radio-Canada on May 22, 2021 [FR]
ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/leve-tot/episodes/534427/rattrapage-du-samedi-22-mai-2021/3
“Le rap pour combler l’écart générationnel”,
an article published in La Presse by Clara Gepner on July 5, 2021 [FR]
www.lapresse.ca/arts/musique/2021-07-05/le-rap-pour-combler-l-ecart-generationnel.php
“Mamie Remix: des jeunes rappent sur des textes d’aînés”,
an article published in Métro Rivière-des-Prairies by David Beauchamp on October 26, 2022 [FR]
journalmetro.com/actualites/2934658/mamie-remix-des-jeunes-rappent-sur-des-textes-daines
“RDP rap project seeks to bridge intergenerational gap”,
an interview on CBC News Montreal with Debra Arbec on December 16, 2022
cbc.ca/player/play/2148612675997
An interview on Daybreak Montreal with Sean Henry on CBC Radio on December 22, 2022
cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-15/clip/15956603
“Mamie Remix: discours intergénérationnel sur la violence urbaine”,
an article published in Métro Rivière-des-Prairies by Alexis Drapeau-Bordage on January 27, 2023 [FR]
journalmetro.com/local/riviere-des-prairies/2992224/mamie-remix-riviere-des-prairies-discours-intergenerationnel-sur-la-violence-urbaine
Behind the scenes of Mamie Remix in Rivière-des-Prairies [in French only]
A mini-documentary presenting the creative process of Mamie Remix 2023 in Rivière-des-Prairies.
[ video © Ayuka Kawamoto-Gariépy ]
Behind the scenes of Mamie Remix 2023 [in French only]
A making-of presenting the creative process of Mamie Remix 2023.
[ video © Jamal Jackson ]
Behind the scenes of Mamie Remix 2021 [in French only]
A mini-documentary presenting traces of the creative process of Mamie Remix 2021.
[ video © Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette ]
To celebrate Quebec Intergenerational Week, we would like to highlight the exchanges that have created ties between the older and younger participants of the Mamie Remix adventure. On the day of the recording, the seniors were able to follow the teams at Planet Studios thanks to the magic of the screens, in virtual mode. Here is a first glimpse of this meeting, when the clash of generations becomes an engine of creation, an opening on the world of the other.
Discover the activities of the Semaine québécoise intergénérationnelle on https://intergenerationsquebec.org/programmation-2021
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> Rivière-des-Prairies team paired with Rivière-des-Prairies Women Center and Lionel-Bourdon residence
+ Wynodia Antus, Babacar Ba, Ruby Emevande Bruno, Kester Milhomme and Florent “Snow” Nigaud-Roy + Chantal Bergeron, Rina Colanino, Michel Dachy, Inés Espasandin, Margarita Lebron Martinez, Béatrice Maurose and Hélène Robidas Herrera (elder poets)
+ Kayiri (mentor), Cara Roy (mediator), Sara Shukur (filmmaker and producer), Charles-Philippe Dyachkov (guest beatmaker)
> École Honoré-Mercier paired with Robert Dobie residence
+ Jacob Bédard, Maria Buzoianu, Nelly Esmeralda Garcia B, Rayane Hilmi, Emily Lukyamuzi and Pierre-Junior Nlungu + Maureen Aubertin, Noëlla Denis, Christiane Hébert, Hélène Hébert and Clare Romandini (elder poets)
+ Franky Fade (mentor), Charlotte Beaussier (mediator), Pierre-Michel “Afternoon” Jean-Louis (choreographer), Élisabeth Bergeron (mediator), Lise Bouchard (guest trumpetist), Charles-Phillipe Dyachkov (guest beatmaker)
> Académie de Roberval paired with ORA residence from Groupe Maurice
+ Adem Boughelit, Malaïka Cloutier-Lessard, Charlotte Ferland, Alexis Larouche, Élodie Trudel and Jessica Vo + Louise Massoud and Reine Perreault
+ Jam Khalil (mentor), Charlotte Beaussier (mediator), Julien Siino (guest cellist), Charles-Phillipe Dyachkov (guest beatmaker)
> École Sophie-Barat paired with Les Jardins Millen residence from Groupe Maurice
+ Etienne Erika N, Mizuki Kawamoto-Gariépy, Christian Richard Loiseau and Bénédicte Seke + François Barcelo, Gaetanne Dussault Bertrand, Nicole Saint-Jean, Ghislaine Séguin and Pauline Viger (elder poets)
+ Mantisse (mentor), Cara Roy (mediator), Kerwin Barrington (choreographer) and Lise Bouchard (guest trumpetist), Henri Langevin (guest beatmaker)
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Teams 2022
> Rivière-des-Prairies team paired with the Rivière-des-Prairies Women Center and the Lionel-Bourdon residence
+ Wilkenson Charles, Etoa Cruz, Jephty Exuma, Shane Jamal Legros, Nicolas James Legros, Kester Milhomme, Dahlia Monestime and Hélène Robidas Herrera (elder poet)
+ Franky Fade (mentor) and Charlotte Beaussier (mediator)
> Honoré-Mercier School paired with the CHSLD Yvon-Brunet
+ Basel ElRayes, Maxim Kim, Samuel Lantin and Doreen Yzabel Reyes
+ Meryem Saci (mentor), Jasmine Alla-Côté (mediator), Lise Bouchard (guest trumpetist)
> Sophie-Barat School paired with Les Jardins Millen residence from Groupe Maurice
+ Nathan Gamache, Ayuka Kawamoto-Gariépy and Christian Richard Loiseau + Mrs Bélisle, Mrs Seguin and Mrs Viger (elder poets)
+ 7Starr (mentor), Cara Roy (mediator), Jocelyne Roy (guest flutist), Henri Langevin (guest producer, alumnus of Mamie Remix 2021)
> FACE School paired with the Manoir Plaza residence from Résidences Soleil
+ Élie Allard, Maxence Guindon, Maxime Puisegur and Cedric Ryder +
+ Mantisse (mentor), Sophie Levasseur (mediator), Jocelyne Roy (guest flutist)
> Collège Notre-Dame paired with the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM) – Pavillon Alfred-Desrochers
+ Odile Chartrand-Fleury, Alex Colsell, Alice Démontagne (student of JFP school) and Louis Lagueux
+ Franky Fade (mentor), Sarah Khilaji (mediator), Louis-Philippe Marsolais (guest hornist)
+ Choreography by Ford Mckeown Larose with Flavie Bergeron, Nathalie Bird, Delphine Bolduc, Elizabeth Marcheterre Rehel and Paul Rivera accompanied by Cara Roy (mediator)
> Académie de Roberval paired with ORA residence from Groupe Maurice
+ Sarah Ait Siselmi, Henri Courchesne, Charles-Philippe Dyachkov, Aya Merini and Mathias Valente + Louise Massoud (elder poet)
+ Jam Khalil (mentor), Sarah Khilaji (mediator), Lise Bouchard (guest trumpetist)
+ Choreography by 7Starr with Rose Didier Sidorov, Lena Leffondré and Arthur Méthot-Boudreau (FACE school)
> École Joseph-François-Perrault paired with the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM) – Pavillon Alfred-Desrochers
+ Loïc Dumais, Helia Fortin Caron, Gabrielle Lacerte, Florent Lengue Diboti, Théo Machado and Léonard Panaccio
+ Shah Frank (mentor), Sophie Levasseur (mediator), Simon Aldrich (guest clarinet player)
+ Choreography by Ford Mckeown Larose with Annouk Bélanger, Helia Fortin Caron, Françoise Poirier and Marine Marécal (FACE school) accompanied by Sophie Levasseur (mediator)
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Teams 2021
> FACE School paired with the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM) – Pavillon Alfred-Desrochers
+ Zéphyr Bielinski, Marius Fortier, Marine Marécal, Alexandre Mikaelian and Maxime Puisegur
+ Mantisse (mentor), Sophie Levasseur (mediator)
photo © Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette
> Joseph-François-Perrault School paired with the CHSLD Joseph-François-Perrault & the Centre d’hébergement Jean-de-La-Lande
+ Kenny Clervéus, Henri Langevin, Yann Stüssi and Sébastien Vilus.
+ Mantisse (mentor), Sophie Levasseur (mediator), Jocelyne Roy (guest flute player)
photo © Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette
> Collège Notre-Dame paired with the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM)
+ Tomas Bélisle, Jean-Sébastien Bérard, Gabriel Chartrand and Theresa Pauline Diwa
+ Meryem Saci (mentor), Sophie Levasseur (mediator), Simon Aldrich (guest clarinet player)
photo © Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette
