Shérane Figaro – ESANS-waving from the center
19 ⇾ Oct. 23 2026 (Monday – Friday)
09:30 to 16:00
Weekly rate:$95
Drop-in:$28
French, English
#Technique
© Valérie Gassien
Objective
This workshop is rooted in the belief that undulation is a physical practice that can be learned, developed, and deepened over time and with dedicated attention. Haitian Yanvalou offers us a concrete framework for exploring it—a tradition that has long codified this bodily intelligence.
The question guiding the workshop: How does the body learn to let things flow without interruption? Participants will develop a concrete awareness of the spine as an axis of propagation, an ability to initiate and sustain undulation in various movement contexts, and an attunement to rhythm that does not interrupt internal continuity.
At the end of these five days, everyone will leave with practical tools—a way of inhabiting movement that continues to work long after the workshop is over.
Content
Guided exploration, improvisation, and group work — the approach is creative, and enjoyment is an integral part of the learning process. Each day incorporates breathing, meditation, stretching, and spinal activation as entry points into movement. We experience states of flow, play with polyrhythms, and embrace moments of silence as much as moments of intensity.
Recorded percussive music is present from day one — a carefully curated selection of varied sounds that accompanies and nourishes the work. At the end of each session, a space for reflection opens up: a talking circle, writing, or simply listening.
Workshop Rhythm
Accessibility Features
Biography
Shérane Figaro is a dance artist, choreographer, and performer who teaches in Laval and Montreal. Her practice revolves around two complementary areas: the creation of choreographic works and the transmission of traditional Haitian dances. In 2021, she was nominated for the CALQ Award of the Year (Laval region).
Her approach draws on the principles and symbols of ancestral Haitian dances, integrated into a contemporary choreographic style. Since 2016, she has been developing ESANS, a pedagogical approach rooted in her practice and research. Within the Oredans Company, ESANS serves as both a working philosophy and a framework for reflection.
Sharing this ancestral knowledge with communities of dancers opens up new perspectives on contemporary dance while fostering social connections. Shérane explores unifying themes related to rites of passage and the memory of places.
“It allowed me to get a new perspective on the creative process. The method ESANS gave me tools to go deeper into my own practice of traditional Haitian dance and the ways I can bring it to contemporary practice.”
— Abigail
Partners
This workshop is supported by the Conseil de la formation continue arts et culture de Montréal (CFC) in collaboration with Studio 303. The CFC’s continuing education activities are supported by the Intervention-Compétences program, thanks to the financial participation of the Quebec government.
