About Danse Danse
Danse Danse, an associate presenter at Place des Arts, invites dance lovers to discover the best of contemporary dance from here and abroad in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles.
The non profit organization Danse Danse presents a program of some dozen productions each season in the Théâtre Maisonneuve, Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier and Cinquième Salle, proudly contributing to Montréal’s international reputation as a metropolis of movement.
Since 2022, Danse Danse has coproduced a uniquely unifying event as a season opener: the JOAT International Street Dance Festival. This week-long program of free events and activities on the Place des Arts Esplanade features more than 200 artists who immerse the public in the world of street dance.
Daring, Passion, Discovery
Danse Danse brings together the great names and new voices of dance in a program that constantly seeks to push the boundaries of the artistic experience to make it ever more unexpected, surprising, and rich in discovery. Celebrating dance in all its forms and diversity, Danse Danse opens the doors of choreographic art to a wide audience and forges special connections between artists and their audiences. Since 1998, 207 dance companies from 30 countries have shared the magic of dance with more than 694,000 spectators.
In addition to its performances, Danse Danse offers a wide range of ways to experience dance: off-site activities, encounters with artists, dance workshops for the general public, school programs, and much more. These are just a few of the ways Danse Danse invites audiences to experience dance directly, and to embark on a journey to contemporary realms full of emotion and inspiration.
So that dance may continue to capture the heart of the general public!
Artistic Director's Message
Dear audience,
Stepping into a performance hall is a choice to come together. It’s an invitation to be surprised, moved, shaken, transformed. Season after season, you make Danse Danse an essential destination—one where dance asserts itself in all its breadth and power.
Following the momentum of JOAT Festival international de street dance at summer’s end, the in-theatre programming of our 29th season takes flight: From Ireland to Brazil, Greece to Cuba, the United Kingdom to Germany, this edition expands horizons and brings an exceptional number of Montreal and Canadian premieres. Major international companies are featured alongside leading figures shaping Montréal’s artistic identity. A pivotal force in our choreographic landscape, Marie Chouinard presents a selection of emblematic works, while Ballets Jazz Montréal bring the cycle of Dance Me – Music by Leonard Cohen to a close after a decade of international touring, as we mark the tenth anniversary of the celebrated poet and singer’s passing.
We look forward to welcoming you this season to Place des Arts and Monument-National, as well as to Édifice Wilder – Espace danse for a performance copresented with the Agora de la danse. In the face of a fragmented era, we reaffirm the power of coming together—the vitality of largescale works and bold projects that rise to the level of true cultural events. It is for you—our loyal and curious audiences—and with you, that we continue to let dance shine in all its beauty, joy and intensity.
Thank you for being part of this journey
Pierre Des Marais
Artistic and Executive Director
Territorial acknowledgement
Danse Danse acknowledges that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’keha:ka Nation. We honour the continued presence of Indigenous peoples on the Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal) territory, which has long served as a meeting place for exchanges between nations. With respect for the links to the past, present and future, we thank the Indigenous peoples for reminding us of the importance of living in harmony with ourselves, with each other and with nature, and we are grateful for the opportunity to present works of living art at Tiohtiá:ke.
Danse Danse, much more than dance performances
The joy of dance can take many forms. Together with the season’s artists, Danse Danse offers you enriching experiences that are as unique as they are diverse. Through encounters with artists, talks, dance workshops, and sneak previews of works in progress, Danse Danse invites you to sample, learn about and love dance.
Meet the artists
After the Wednesday and Friday performances, you’re invited to stay in the theatre for an informal talkback session with the artistic team.
