THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 1

THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 1

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In the wonderful week ahead, Montreal’s creative community is out in full force with their wares and artistic offerings in theatre, dance, music, yoga and miscellaneous (there’s always a lot of miscellaneous creative action in Montreal, which is part of why we love it so)…

(hot and cool moves) Captivating Indian dancer-choreographer Shantala Shivalingappa follows up her traditional show with brilliantly rendered contemporary pieces by Pina Bausch and others in Namasya, to November 26, at Place des Arts. A Quebec favourite, Compagnie Marie Chouinard brings off-beat vision and sense of humour to The Golden Mean, also at Place des Arts, to November 26. And Studio 303 presents dance from WantsNeeds, Thierry Huard and more as well as the interactive art of choreographer Emma Waltraud Howes – wherein people will tell their stories of accidents – November 26-27.

(indie shop ‘til you drop) When gift shopping this weekend at one of Montreal’s many independent fairs, it’s important to think about the people you need to buy gifts for – what would they appreciate? Of course, getting into that zone might mean warming up with some gifts for yourself. Expozine has a lot of both, especially for book and comic lovers, at Église Saint-Enfant Jésus, November 26–27. Pop Montreal offshoot Puces Pop opens a Pop-up boutique, November 30 to December 4 at 5145 St-Laurent, with clothes, jewellery, crafts and more from local artists. Find traditional art and crafts at Montreal’s Tibetan bazaar, November 26–27, at Santa Cruz Church Hall. And the Fair Trade Boutique Commerce Equitable event in downtown Montreal features food, clothing, jewellery and more, at 1444 Union Avenue, December 1–3, with all proceeds going to artisans around the world supported by Dix Mille Villages.

(high-drama warm-up) Feel the heat in Ana, a visually stunning play born from the creative pairing of Scottish and Quebecois, English and French, with the emotional and social struggles of women at its core, at Espace Go, to December 10. Go back in time to the 1960s in Cabaret Gainsbourg, a music-and-marionettes show about the quirky, sensual Serge Gainsbourg, at Place des Arts, December 1–10. Teesri Duniya Theatre delves into the personal side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Philippe Ducros’ The Poster, at Bain St-Michel, to December 4. And two-person improvised relationship drama, It’s Not You, It’s Me (An Improvised Tragedy), is at the Montreal Improv Theatre, to November 26.

(truck stop) For all the art and creative energy that abounds in Montreal, sometimes we just have to let loose with some good old-fashioned engine revving and car crushing. The Monster Spectacular, November 26 at Olympic Stadium, is a day of just that – giant trucks named Bounty Hunter, Avenger, Spike and more, made purely for speed and destruction. Also see snowmobiles, dirt bikes and human canon ball Dave Smith fly 75 feet through the air.

(stretch and release) For those missing their usual yoga classes, Montreal has more than enough to choose from – but if you’re looking for something a little different, look no further than Yoga Jam Mtl. On November 30 at 7 p.m., Yoga Jam Mtl teams up with after-hours club Stereo, known for its killer sound system and coolness. The 90-minute multi-media, multi-sensoral yoga class – aimed at all levels of yoga practitioner – features breathing techniques, asana series, trance dance, and a blissful cool down.

(art and the modern world) Photographer Edward Burtynsky takes us on a mind-expanding world-wide tour via the 56 images in stunning (in beauty and in disturbing message) exhibition Oil, from the Alberta Oil Sands to Los Angeles highways to salvage yards in Bangladesh, at the McCord Museum – while you’re browsing, set the kids loose in the McCord’s Toys 2 exhibition. Other contemporary issues, such as multi-tasking and information overload, are the subject of artist Vincent Charlebois’s exhibition Dancing Windows, a humourous, low-fi, interactive look at social media, at artist-run centre Eastern Bloc, November 30, 7 p.m., free.

(southern chimes) So it’s getting a little cold here in Montreal, but, as experts at cold, we know how to deal with it. The Orchestre Métropolitain taps into the lively rhythm and spirit of Latin America, from Buenos Aires to Mexico City, with their Tango-Phonic concert on November 27 at the Maison symphonique de Montréal – hear a mix of classical, tango and dance music, with guests The Quartango Ensemble, conductor Alain Trudel and dancers Roxana Callegari and Fabian Belmonte. Meanwhile, the 5th Montreal Brazil Film Festival turns the heat up on screen at Cinema du Parc, November 25 to December 1, celebrating the diverse and rich culture of Brazil, with a focus on the eclectic Afro-Brazilian culture of Bahia.

(music and dancing) Friday night starts off with the heavy sounds of digitally inclined Bassnectar at Metropolis, the unique sound of Delhi 2 Dublin, combining Celtic fiddling and bhangra beats at Club Lambi, plus none other than Roch Voisine at the Bell Centre. On November 26, John Mayall is at Metropolis, and Newfoundland’s Hey Rosetta! brings their down-home party to the Corona Theatre. Also on Saturday night, dance it up as multi-media experts Moment Factory throw a Super Party at Espace Griffintown, or go to Le Belmont for DJ Vadim and Poirier at Karnival v.15. On November 27, get down with Ghostface Killah at Club Soda. And on November 29, James Blunt does his thing at the Bell Center. On November 30, German electronic duo Digitalism bring the distorted bass to the SAT while Tandoori Knights and Crystal Stilts creatively rock at Il Motore. And the Piano Men return to Montreal for a tribute concert to everyone from Ray Charles to Billy Joel, at the Corona Theatre.