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Gilles' first stage performance, at 5 years of age, was at the Central
Canadian Exhibition Talent Show where he placed second. He began his formal dance training at age ten with the legendary Ottawa
Valley stepdancer, Donnie Gilchrist, and continued his lessons until he was sixteen years old. Soon thereafter, Gilles' goal
was to create a stepdancing style that would reflect our "traditional" Canadian culture. He travelled throughout Quebec, Gaspe,
Cape Breton and Ireland to see the stepdancing techniques and hear the music of these regions. For over three years, Gilles
spent countless hours creating his own style of stepdancing which reflected the Celtic, French-Canadian and Irish dance styles.
He called it "Traditional Canadian Stepdancing" - FROM OUR ROOTS.
* 3-time International stepdance champion *
* Inducted into Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame -
Oct. 1, 2000 *
* "Dubbed" as "Ambassador of Traditional Canadian Stepdancing"
by Canadian External Affairs – 1976 *
International Tours - Germany, Greece, Turkey, France, Italy, South
Africa, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Venezuela, England, Cyprus with Tommy Hunter, Gordie Tapp, Graham Townsend, Carol Kennedy
and Al Cherny.
Canadian Tours - with Don Messer (9), Tommy Hunter, Faron
Young, Les Danceurs Quebecois, Mac Wiseman, Grampa Jones, Ward Allan, Graham Townsend, Jean Carignan, and Philippe Bruneau
American Tours - Vermont, Massachusetts, Georgia, Washington D.C.,
Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Montana, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maine
T.V. Shows - Juliet, Don Messer (14), Tommy Hunter (7), Country
Hoedown, John Allan Cameron, Hee Haw (3), Sing Along Jubilee, Du Cote de Quebec, Good Morning America, CMT
Other Entertainers Gilles has worked with – Jean Carignan,
Philippe Bruneau, Edith Butler, Winston (Scotty) Fitzgerald, Wilf Carter, Tex Ritter, Sylvia Tyson, Anne Murray, Jeanne d'Arc
Charlebois
Stepdance Instructor for "Leahy" and "The Stepping Ambassadors"
Gilles avait pour but de créer un style de gigue qui refleterait la tradition culturelle
canadienne. Il a voyagé partout au Quebec, au Cap Breton et en Irlande. Durant ces voyages, il en
a procité pour observer les differentes techniques de gigue ainsi que la musique dans les différentes regions. Gilles a consacré
beaucoup de temps à créer un style unique de gigue dans lequel vous pouvez trouver le style celtic, le style canadien-français
et le style irlandais. Le style porte maintenant le nom de "Gigue Traditionnelle Canadienne" -- reflètant nos origines.
*Champion internationale de gigue – 1963 - 1965 *
*Admis au sein du Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame – le 1 oct, 2000*
* "Ambassadeur de gigue Traditionnelles Canadiennes" par les affaires extérieures de
Canada - 1976 *
Tourneé internationale - Allemagne, Grèce, Indes, Turquie, France, Italie, Afrique du
sud, Pakistan, Brasil, Venezuela, Angleterre, Greenland avec Tommy Hunter, Gordie Tapp, Graham Townsend, Al Cherny, Danielle
Dorice
Tourneé canadienne avec Don Messer, Al Cherny, Tommy Hunter, Faron Young, Jean Carignan,
Philippe Bruneau, Edith Butler, Grampa Jones, Jeanne d'Arc Charlebois, Graham Townsend, La Turlataine
Tourneé americaine - Vermont, Massachusetts, Georgia, Washington, Virginia, Michigan,
Illinois, Montana, Caroline du nord, New York, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maine, Alabama
Spectacles de télévision - Hee Haw, Don Messer, Tommy Hunter, du Cote de Quebec, CMT Country
avec "Leahy" et "Les Stepping Ambassadors", John Allan Cameron, Good Morning Boston
Instructeur de danse pour "Leahy" et "Les Ambassadeurs de la Gigue".
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