Thank you.
I will speak in French and a little in English. I don't have a lot of time, just eight minutes.
I would like to sincerely thank the very honourable members of the committee. I feel privileged to have been invited to appear. I have learned that today is the committee's last meeting, so we will try to mention the things that count.
For me, being here is a bit of a pilgrimage because this is Canadian Heritage. Twelve years ago, in 2003, we created a training program at Nyata Nyata. The main purpose was to feature what I call the company's credo: people, arts and know-how. These three basic aspects are part of an approach that I have used since the company was founded in 1987. It's something that seems absolutely essential, despite all efforts to tell me that I was going to a place that was very, very difficult to defend. This idea of advocating for the training of a person by defending the art has always been fundamental to me.
It's exactly the same thing that we are advocating now. Over these 12 years, we have tested this experience. I didn't really think that 12 years later, I myself would be able to talk about the success and, above all, the results that we have achieved through this program which, fundamentally brings about what I call cultural knowledge transfer, which would not have happened otherwise without the artistic work to compel them, by testifying and testing them.
That's what we did by addressing this from a philosophic and technical perspective, in that we had to put forward a technique for movement that could operate these transfers. Today, there are trained individuals who are working and who choose, while continuing their artistic career, to seek professional development in the arts of health, reflection, and arts management, and other fields.
In this respect, it's a success. That's obviously what I intend to advocate, this approach of art through diversity, and diversity that is truly in action, diversity that mobilizes individuals on site, locally. This program aims to highlight the dynamic aspect of the local area to encourage being open to the world. This program encourages a kind of basic integration of these two aspects.
I provided a document that lists in eight points the importance of dance and its fundamental aspect. I won't go over these points because you can consult the document.
This year, I went to Senegal and England, where I was invited for almost the same reason. It seems that the same concerns are shared internationally. I was asked to talk about the fundamental importance of dance at the heart societies that are changing, transforming. It seems that this committee is on the right path, and I congratulate you. You are trying to renew reflection about dance and encourage more than ever its development and sustainability. It's important to consolidate what already exists, but also to allow the emergence of anyone to intervene and be used.
That is about all I have to say. I don't know if you have any questions.