Margaret Dragu (born 1953) is a celebrated Canadian artist recognized for innovation in many disciplines including performance art, contemporary dance, social practice art, video art, installation art, independent publishing, radio, and interactive platforms like social media. Her work has been performed, screened, exhibited, and published in many countries. In 1998 her European tour was supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (now Global Affairs Canada) with the German Hessiche Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst and the Cultural Department of the Netherlands. She has been awarded numerous funding awards from the Canada Council for the Arts as well as other arts funding agencies in Canada and Europe. In 2002 she was the first artist to be honoured in the Canadian Performance Art Legends book series with La Dragu: The Living Art of Margaret Dragu (Paul Couillard, editor), by Fado Performance Inc. In 2012 Margaret Dragu was the recipient of the Governor General's Award for Visual and Media Arts. In the same year Dragu was designated Éminence Grise by 7A*11D International Festival of Performance Art. In 2024 she delivered the International Women’s Day Address at Contemporary Art Conversations, Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University.
Early life and career Margaret Dragu was born in Regina, SK in 1953. Her family moved to Calgary in 1963 where from 1969 to 1971 she studied dance under Yone Kvietys Young, a Calgary-based instructor of contemporary dance. Kvietys Young ran two dance companies that Dragu was part of, Calgary Creative Dancers (for children) and Contemporary Dance Calgary (for adults). Under Kvietys Young, Dragu was introduced to German Expressionism, Dada influences, choreography by chance, and card play from John Cage and Merce Cunningham. From Calgary, Dragu moved to New York in 1971, where she trained at the Alwin Nikolais -Murray Louis Dance School. She also studied choreography and musical composition with Laura Foreman and John Watts at the New School for Social Research. Dance studies at Louis-Nikolas Dance School were influenced by German-based modern dance including the pioneer dance artist Hanya Holm. In New York she became acquainted with the Judson Church, and participated in “happenings” The use of everyday and ordinary movement as a score for artistic work, which was prevalent in the New York scene at that time, had a formative and lasting impact on her approach to performance and art. Both dance mentors Yone Kvetys-Young and Laura Foreman demonstrated for Dragu an ease in working with visual artists and with situating their work in art galleries, and this affinity to art stayed with her throughout her practice.
In 1973 with a bursary from the Alberta government Dragu moved to Montreal to continue to study dance with Eva von Genscy and Eddy Toussaint at Les Ballets Jazz de Montréa l. During that time she met Tom Dean and performed with him in Un Petit Spectacle at Véhicule Art. At Véhicule Art, she also worked with experimental filmmakers including Bozo Moyle from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) who introduced her to the videotape Portapak, which was popular with contemporary artists in the 1970s. In 1974 Dragu contributed choreography in an art event created by Tom Dean for the exhibition Périphéries at Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC). Périphéries was produced in part with Véhicule Art and marked MAC's first collaboration with an artist-run centre.
In addition to teaching dance classes in a community art school called Art Dump Workshop and developing her contemporary art and dance practice during her time in Montreal she also began a career as a burlesque performer (striptease) artist. As a sought-after stripper Dragu performed in numerous venues (“strip clubs” and bars) in Montreal, Quebec City, Chicoutimi, Trois Rivieres and Chibougamau. As an artist and burlesque performer, she honed skills in vaudeville and theatre, and developed cross-overs between art and burlesque. In her words, “I wanted to cross-pollinate popular culture and fine art by inverting the sacred art gallery and the profane striptease club.” She also developed feminist perspectives on burlesque and sex work which she later researched and documented with co-author A. S. A. Harrison for the book Revelations: Essays on Striptease and Sexuality. With Heather Wells and Janet Walczeweski (director) she created an NFB-supported film on the subject, Theatre for Strangers (1978). Dragu was an organizer for strippers' rights with the help of the Canadian Labour Congress and the Association of Canadian Radio and Television Artists. The short-lived strippers’ union was called the Canadian Association for Burlesque Entertainers.
An insurance fraud-related fire that destroyed her residence in Montreal precipitated Dragu's move to Toronto in 1974. There she became affiliated with artist-run centres including A Space gallery and 15 Dance Lab. She taught dance and movement at Ontario College of Art and classes in contemporary dance, tap dance,and burlesque at A Space. In Toronto Dragu met Granada Gazelle, members of General Idea, A. S. A. Harrison, Elke Town, Rodney Werden, Judy Holm, and the artists at Coach House Press. She met Kate Craig, Eric Metcalfe, and Hank Bull from the Western Front in Vancouver when they visited A Space. When describing her time in Toronto, Dragu declared, “I was a passionate collaborator, pair-ing and trio-ing with painters, sculptors, photographers, theatre artists, writers, sound designers, scenographers, fashion designers, film makers, video artists, and activists.” She made the video Back Up in collaboration with Kate Craig at the Western Front in Vancouver on 1978. While performing in Toronto Dragu was sexually assaulted by an audience member during a performance. The incident caused Dragu to retreat from performances in Toronto for a while, and then only resume in solo works, with police or paid security officers available.
A move to the Vancouver region in 1986 took place after Margaret Dragu performed X’s and O’s for the Canada Pavillion at Expo 86. During the Expo 86 commission she met Jim Stewart Munro. They lived together at Finn Slough, an historic fishing village at the mouth of the Fraser River in the southern reaches of Richmond, BC from 1987 to 2011. Their daughter Aretha Dragu Munro was born in 1988. Margaret Dragu was an active community member during her time in Richmond, BC. In addition to community-engaged creative projects she worked as a fitness instructor and personal trainer for the South Arm Community Centre.
Early Performance Art and Theater Productions (Toronto) While living in Toronto (1975 to 1986), Margaret Dragu produced and performed in numerous theatrical and experimental dance and art performances that took place in theatre venues, artist-run organizations, national galleries, university theatres, and site-specific venues like botanical gardens, back alleys, and car parkades. Her works garnered critical attention and were recognized for their energy and intensity (Stephen Godfrey, The Globe and Mail, March 1979). One reviewer noted her as a “choreographer-actress” of cult status (Selma Landen Odom, Dancemagazine, January 1982). Her performance in Angel City (Sam Shepard) was recognized for displaying her versatility as a theatre performer, while recognizing her notoriety for erotic dance choreography and performance (McKenzie Porter, The Toronto Sun, May 25, 1979). Her work in Toronto took on audience participation, reflecting the performativity of parades, movement classes, and erotic dancing. Dragu's first international production, Her Majesty/sa majesté (with Tom Dean) was performed at Le Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels, Belgium) in 1981. She was featured on the covers of Toronto weekly's Now in 1982 and Broadcast Week Magazine in 1985.
1972
Un petit spectacle (choreography and dance), at Véhicule Art (Montreal). (Performance) in the 1st World Festival of W.O.R.K.S. (Clive Robertson and Paul Woodrow), Year of the Rat 4670 in Calgary.
1974
(Choreography) for Tom Dean, Musée d’Art contemporarian
1975
Queen of the Silver Blades, in collaboration with Susan Swan, Gretchen Haywire, and Mary Canary at St. Paul's Theatre (Toronto), and with Marcella Lustig at Cinema Lumiere (Toronto). Try Leather, with Michael Hayden, Marcella Lustig, artists from Toronto Arts Community, at Fifteen Dance Lab (Toronto). Kresges & Woolyworths, at Fifteen Dance Lab. Canadian Folk Dance, at A Space. Choreography for General Idea’s Going Through the Motions, at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
1976
Pick Up, at TWP Theatre (Toronto). Oh True Oh Real Oh Helpless Love, in collaboration with Redlight Theater at Bathurst Theatre (Toronto). Si Vite Si Vite Fondues Les Nieges D’Antan / So Fast So Fast Melt the Snows of Yesterday, at Cinema Lumiere (Toronto).
1977
Canajan Burgers, in collaboration with Enrico Campana at Centre for Experimental Art and Communication (CEAC). This production traveled to Eye Level Gallery (Halifax), Arton's (Calgary), Manitoba Theatre Centre (Winnipeg), Regina Modern Dance Works (Regina), Paula Ross Studio (Vancouver), and Espace Tournesol (Edmonton). Performed the role of God in Charlie Leed's Tillie’s Punctured Romance, at Cafe SoHo (Toronto).
1978
Sunset Strippers, with Marie-Hélène Fontaine, Kathy Marielle, Elizabeth Chitty, Arnie Achtman, and David Clement at The Funnel (Toronto). The Photographer's Ball, in collaboration with Susan Stewart at Arton's (Calgary). Performed in Michel Tremblay’s St. Carmen de la Main, at Tarragon Theatre (Toronto).
1979
Beauty and the Beast Thing, with Enrico Campana and Terry Crack at the Factory Theatre Lab. This work was also produced again with Sunset Strippers as part of a Dragu production called 33 ⅓ Double Live. It later was produced at TWP Theatre and The Funnel (Toronto). TV Hertz 1, with Enrico Campana at the Art Gallery of Ontario and Musée des Beaux-Art in Montréal. Margaret Dragu acted in Angel City by Sam Shepard at the Toronto Free Theatre.
1980 and 1981
The A.M. Show, with Guy Allen and Arnie Achtman at Artspace (Peterborough, ON), Véhicule Art (Montreal), University of Ottawa Theatre (Ottawa, ON) in 1980, and in 1981 at Simon Fraser University Theatre (Burnaby, BC), Erindale Theatre (University of Toronto), and again at Artspace. Canada Day Concert, with Ricardo Arbreut and Shelly Oliver in an alley near Peter Pan Restaurant and an artist's studio belonging to Rick Fischer in 1980. Her Majesty/sa majesté with Tom Dean at Art Gallery of Ontario and Le Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels, Belgium) in 1980. Unfit For Paradise with Elizabeth Chitty and Jane Ellison at Western Front (Vancouver) in 1981. Margaret Dragu performed the role of Spencer's Mom in Spencer’s Mom by Jim Garrard at the Salon Theatre (Toronto) in 1981. Margaret Dragu performed in Picnic in the Drift by Tanya Mass and Rina Fraticelli at the Ice House Theatre (Toronto) in 1981. Airport Dance (choreography) for Susan Macpherson, Jacki Burroughs, and Ricardo Arbreut at the YPT Theatre (Toronto) in 1981.
1982 and 1983
(No Nonsense Black and White and Colour at Le Groupe de las Place Royale (Ottawa). I’m already Changing My Mind with Colin Campbell at Harbourfront Studio Theater (Toronto). Fear of Blue/angst vor blau with Tom Dean at London Art Gallery (London, ON) and Artspace in 1982, and in 1983 at Akademie der Kunst (Berlin, 1983). Unfit for Paradise was performed at The Rivoli (Toronto) in 1983. (In Burlington, ON) X’s and O’s on the Longest Day of the Year and X’s and O’s on the Shortest Day of the Year at the Burlington Botanical Gardens, Art Gallery of Hamilton (both in 1983). X’s and O’s, Off Centre (Calgary) in 1983. My Wireless is Running, with Colin Campbell, Toronto Dance Theatre in 1983. (In Montreal) Joy of Multidiscipline at Articule (Montreal) in 1983.