Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 19, 2012
• Invested on: September 12, 2014

For raising the profile of Canadian contemporary dance on the world stage, as a dancer, choreographer, educator and artistic director.


Paul-André Fortier is a pioneer in modern dance. He is renowned for his innovative works as a choreographer, as well as for his unflinching desire to defy convention and for his qualities as a dancer. Artistic director of his own company for the past three decades, he believes in the poetry of the aging body, and continues to create and perform around the world. An active member of the dance community, he has long been involved in training young artists here in Canada and abroad. Many up-and-coming dancers consider him a role model and mentor.