Originally from northern Alberta, Montreal-based choreographer and performer Jake Poloz offers a deeply personal reflection on life after upheaval. How do we return to normalcy when everything is different? THE NEXT ACT explores the quiet solitude felt in the search for meaning, and the comfort found in shared experience. Through intimate movement and emotional nuance, the piece becomes a gentle reminder: at the very least, we are here for one another in this struggle.

Heavy, contradictory, at peace

de sève {of sap} is a solo performance in progress by Lamont, a contemporary dance artist from the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation. Through voice, movement and object manipulation, Lamont brings to life the character Fairy Boy, inspired by feminine archetypes from European folklore. As Fairy Boy moves through a liminal space between a magical garden, a stage and a living room, the piece explores the tension between gentleness and playfulness. It challenges traditional beliefs such as Eurocentric gender roles and notions of “happily ever after,” while delving into themes of liberation, surprise and the absurdity of human constructs. The result is a whimsical and nearly uncontrollable journey into enchantment.

liminal, charming, thought-provoking

In Like any Other, Morgane Guillou examines the violence of the gaze and its power over the individual. In a quest to transcend voyeuristic perception, she dives into the invisible—those often overlooked spaces where mental health struggles take shape: depression, anxiety, personality disorders, autism.

Through an intimate performance, she gives form to experiences shared by many, yet still widely stigmatized. This powerful solo seeks to move beyond the normative gaze, opening a space for the exploration of the intimate and the unspoken, of what too often remains hidden.

Performance, celebration, emotion

Liminal is a five-minute circus piece performed by Philippe Dupuis and Basile Pucek, graduates of the École nationale de cirque de Montréal. Staged in unconventional spaces—shop windows, alleyways—this work explores juggling, movement, and acrobatics through an experimental, interdisciplinary lens.

Inspired by the state of “mutual flow,” in which both performers become fully immersed in their shared action, Liminal draws on improvisation and a set of physical and psychological codes. Each performance is unique, yet the jugglers’ language remains constant. At its core, Liminal stems from a simple desire: to create dialogue.

Perception, meditative, dialogue

Influenced by the underground electronic music scene, choreographer and dancer choreographer and dancer Etienne Delorme from Grand Ballets Canadiens presents “Vif”, a short piece of dynamic contemporary ballet that explores themes of security VS vulnerability. A universe of contrasts and intense physicality.

Contrast, electronic, dynamic

With Il pleut, il plaint, il rage, Charles Brecard delivers a hard-hitting solo that won an award in Stuttgart in 2023. Carried by intense physicality and melancholy sensitivity, the show explores a muted rage born of our collective powerlessness. Between choreographic finesse and dramatic transformation, the performer swings from contemplation to fury, in a visceral crossing of modern chaos. A cry from the body that becomes catharsis.

Melancholic, physical, emotionnal

Indigeneity meets disco in A’nó:wara Dance Theatre’s bold new project, The Landback Waackers. This unique choreography blends powwow footwork with the expressive arm movements of waacking, weaving Indigenous dance traditions with a contemporary, club-inspired twist. The result is a powerful, evolutionary style that celebrates both community strength and individual freedom. A vibrant and electrifying performance, where the pulse of Indigenous culture meets the energy of the dancefloor.

Indigenous, dynamic, positive