Montreal is a city with a rich dance performance scene. Before you leap into the creation and presentation of your own work, it can be helpful to have a sense of what is already happening here. In this section, you will find an overview of creators, presenters, and other local resources.
Creators
Dance in Montreal is created on a variety of scales, by both dance companies and independent choreographers.
There are a handful of large, internationally touring companies in Montreal, including Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Les Ballets Jazz Montréal, and Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montréal. These companies hire dancers as full-time salaried employees, have a significant administrative staff, and operate with annual budgets that can run into the millions.
Montreal is also host to a growing number of mid-sized companies that are more than 10 years old. These include, amongst others, Daniel Léveillé Danse, Flak (José Navas), Nyata Nyata (Zab Maboungou),Sinha Danse (Roger Sinha), Carré des Lombes (Danièle Desnoyers), MAYDAY (Mélanie Demers), and RUBBERBANDance Group. Cas Public (Hélène Blackburn) and Bouge de là (Hélène Langevin) are two well known companies which focus on performance for young audiences. Many mid-sized companies have some full or part time administrative staff. However the dancers that work with these companies are self-employed, and work on a contract-to-contract basis.
Dance companies in Montreal are incorporated as non-profit organizations (OBNL) with a Board of Directors. Choreographers who do not have a company structure are considered “independent”. Almost all emerging choreographers begin as independents, and many mid-career and established artists choose to remain independent. Examples include Hanako Hoshimi-Caines, George Stamos, or Benoît Lachambre. While incorporating as a company gives a choreographer access to certain funding opportunities, it also involves a lot of extra administrative work. Most emerging choreographers do not need to incorporate, and some artists never feel the need to.
Recently, some companies have begun to integrate independent artists under their name, providing these artists with administrative and production support. Examples include Claudia Chan Tak et Brice Noeser, who have recently joined Lorganisme, or Jossua Satinée and Stacey Désilier who are now with Parbleux. Alternatively, certain independent choreographers have joined together to share one company structure as with Le Radeau (Ariane Boulet, Dorian Nuskind-Oder and Nate Yaffe). These new models have developed predominantly out of a desire for mentorship, peer-to-peer support, and the pooling of administrative resources.
Tip: To get to know the names and faces of Montreal dance artists, the RQD memberships directory available on the RQD website is a good place to start.
Presenters
Presenters can be divided into two general categories: those offering a regular season (usually September- May) and festivals (recurring annually).
Among the season-based dance-focused presenters, Danse Danse offers a program of national and international productions in venues such as Théâtre Maisonneuve and Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts. Just across the street, the Wilder Building houses two presenters: Agora de la danse, which primarily presents mid-sized companies and local choreographers, while Tangente is an important presenter of emerging artists (notably through its flagship events Danses Buissonnières and LABdiff). Danse-Cité offers a smaller programming, often in collaboration with other presenters. L’Usine C, Théâtre La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines, and MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) are among the multidisciplinary presenters that include dance in their programming. L’Usine C is a venue that presents many artists from Europe. La Chapelle is a laboratory where emerging artists and established creators come to present experimental performances. The MAI is a presenter dedicated to the development of intercultural, intergenerational, interdisciplinary arts.
The Maisons de la culture network is a unique aspect of Montreal’s cultural scene. These theatres can be found in most boroughs. They present a diverse range of performances free of charge. La Maison de la culture Plateau Mont-Royal, la Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto, la Maison de la culture Claude Leveillé and the Centre Culturel Notre-Dame-de-Gâce present a significant number of dance works.
The FTA – Festival TransAmériques happens every year for two weeks (end of May/begining of June), has an international reach, and programs dance and theatre works. The OFFTA, held at the same time, offers a programming of dance, theatre and interdisciplinary performance. Other festivals like Festival Quartiers Danses, Vue sur la Relève and Festival Phénomena can also serve as springboards for emerging artists. In street dance, 100lux organizes the annual 100lux Festival, which features a week of battles, stage performances, and parties that showcase artists from the worlds of street dance, club dance, and hip-hop culture. There is also JOAT (Jack Of All Trades) International Street Dance Festival, co-produced with Danse Danse, that is held in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles annually. In contemporary jig, BIGICO organizes the annual OFF BIGICO, where several short contemporary jig pieces are presented at La Chapelle.
There are also DIY presenters who organize one-off projects and recurring events. Many present a range of artists of different experience levels and disciplines. Festival Lots of Love (LOL), the Biennale des erreurs, Short & Sweet and So You Think That Was Dance? are all alternative, DIY events that are rarely funded but serve as a major platform for experimental artists. Their programming is sometimes shared through open calls and applications, but most often through word of mouth and social media. Montreal Fringe Festival is also another entry point for many young creators. The lineup is determined by a random drawing, and 100% of ticket sales go to the artists.
Tip: Both the RQD and La Danse sur les routes du Quebec maintain comprehensive calendars of Montreal’s dance performances.
Tip: Going to see performances is an important way to integrate into the Montreal dance world. It will help you to understand what kind of work is being made here, and you will run into many members of the dance community before and after shows. Check presenters’ websites for openings, or e-mail directly to inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Contact Events
Montreal is home to two major performing arts trade fairs, where presenters come together to shop for shows. CINARS is a massive international event that occurs biannually during even-numbered years. Parcours Danse is a similar event, with a greater focus on the local territory and community ties, that occurs biannually during odd-numbered years. For both of these events, artists must apply to present their work. CINARS and Parcours Danse also have an OFF festival, where there is no selection process, just a registration. In all cases, there is a participation fee (of at least 400$), and artists have to cover their production fees. These events have a real impact on touring opportunities, but they require regular participation and the ability to invest money and energy in them. Many independent artists form groups or partner with organizations (such as Studio 303, Parbleux, Circuit-Est, and Art Circulation) to make the experience viable.
Tip: CINARS and Parcours Danse both have calls for volunteers. Volunteering during these events provides free access and a chance to observe firsthand how these fairs work.
Service Organizations
There are many organizations in Montréal whose primary or secondary goal is to provide support services for dance artists. These organizations will be invaluable resources throughout your professional career in Montréal. There are professional associations, which have specific criteria for membership and generally charge an annual membership fee. For dance artists, the Regroupement québecois de la danse (RQD) offers a multitude of services, including training, mentoring, and specific funding (reimbursement for classes and professional development). The Dancer Transition Resource Centre (DTRC) exists to help dancers make necessary transitions into, within, and from professional performing careers. La Danse sur les routes du Québec (DSR) showcases the work of artists in Quebec, while helping to connect them to regional presenters. They offer professional development workshops, an online catalogue of works available for touring, and organize the biannual event Parcours Danse. For those whose artistic practice borders on other disciplines, there is the Repaire. The English Language Arts Network (ELAN) helps Quebec’s anglophone artists build professional connections and access services (workshops, grants, etc.).
Other organizations provide specialized administrative support services to dance artists for a fee. Diagramme Gestion culturelle, and Artopole – Maison d’entrepreneuriat artistique offer assistance to artists for an hourly fee. Services include grant preparation, bookkeeping, communications, and other types of administrative work. La Machinerie is a matchmaker between artists and experts (technical assistance, communications, administration etc.), and also provides an exhaustive tool box of templates, and organizational tools for various administrative tasks.
Finally there are service organizations that are not specifically arts focused, but can be useful to young artists. Youth Employment Services (YES) is a non-profit community organization that delivers English-language job search and self-employment services to Quebecers. Recognizing the large number of young artists in Montréal, the organization has developed a series of services for artists such as career counseling, business coaching and a start-up grant contest. The network Carrefours jeunesse-emploi (RCJEQ) offers similar services in French. Les offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec (LOJIQ) offers travel grants as well as internship opportunities abroad.
Training
Montréal is host to two university dance programs, as well as many other professional training programs. The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) offers an interdisciplinary PhD, a master’s degree, and a post-graduation diploma (DESS) in somatic education, as well as three bachelor’s degree concentrations: artistic practices (with a choice to specialize in performance, choreographic creation, or creative support), social practices, and teaching. Concordia University’s bachelor program emphasizes creative process and choreography, and their interdisciplinary MA may also be of interest to choreographers.
For non-university intensive training, the following schools have well reputed training programs: the Nyata Nyata Company offers a two-year professional training program on African rhythms and cultures. Collège Montmorency, Cégep St-Laurent, and Collège de Maisonneuve offer a two-year DEC program specializing in dance. The École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM) and the École supérieure de ballet du Québec (ESBQ) offer a college diploma (DEC or AEC) in contemporary dance and ballet.
Several dance spaces in the city regularly offer dance training and workshops for professionals. Circuit-Est and Studio 303 also offer a range of workshops covering various dance techniques and somatic practices, as well as creative process. Circuit-Est’s workshops focus more on technique and regularly feature instructors from Europe. Studio 303’s workshops focus more on artistic processes, featuring Montreal-based artists, many of whom are queer and BIPOC. Proto Studio, 100lux, Urban Element Zone, Danse à la carte, and Les Grands Ballets also offer classes for all levels in various dance disciplines.
Dance training during the summer months is less consistent, but there are still some options. The summer intensive programs of TransFormation Danse and the EDCMTL take place annually, while other companies (such as Lorganisme) and choreographers offer summer intensives more occasionally. Since 2014, the collective Nous Sommes L’Été offers classes, workshops, and space for research and creation during the summertime.
Tip: In addition to strengthening and expanding your skills, attending professional classes and workshops is a great way to meet other local dance artists.
Studio Space for Rent
There are many places where you can rent rehearsal studios in the city. Various schools, presenters, institutions (like Conseil des arts de Montréal), companies and artists offer their studios for rent, usually by the hour.
Check the RQD for a complete list. Prices typically range from $15 to $30 per hour.
Tip: You can find lists of studios for rent on the RQD website.
Residencies
Many organizations with studios offer residencies, either by invitation or through an open call. A residency typically offers free rehearsal space for a fixed amount of time for an artist to work on a specific project. Some residencies also offer additional support, like an artist stipend, access to technical equipment, or a budget to hire experts. Residencies are valuable for the space they provide and because they offer a way to build a relationship with an institution and provide visibility for the artist. Securing support in the form of residencies also helps with funding applications or during the outreach process with presenters.
The Réseau des Maisons de la Culture of Montreal offers creative residencies with or without technical support. Although they sometimes issue calls for projects, artists should take the initiative to write directly to the cultural center in their neighborhood or to other institutions in the network.
For graduates of training programs (such as UQAM, Concordia, and EDCM), it is possible to participate in creative residencies after graduation. All you need to do is contact the program coordinator during the eligible period, which varies from one institution to another.
Tip: Consult our directory for a list of residency opportunities.
The emergence of independent and artist-run spaces
Montreal’s dance community has always demonstrated creativity and grassroots initiatives. We are currently witnessing the emergence of several independent, self-managed spaces — that is, spaces run by and for artists, most of which currently receive no operating grants. ANTI-SPACE, run by Nien Tzu Weng, is a studio in Mile-End that hosts residencies, rentals, and events. Proto Studio, founded by Nicholas Bellefleur, Caroline Namts, and Cai Glover, operates along similar lines, featuring a common area for relaxing and regular public performances. Serving as both studios and community gathering places, these spaces place paramount importance on process, hybridity, and transformation.