Democratization has always been the guiding principle of Festival Quartiers Danses (FQD), which I founded in 2000 to better support local and international dance artists and choreographers, while offering access to contemporary creative dance to newcomers and connoisseurs alike. FQD has always held a firm conviction: dance is a universal language that belongs to everyone.
Above all, FQD is a showcase for Quebec dance. Since its inception, it has presented dance in urban contexts to demystify the art form and draw audiences into theaters.
Over the years, FQD has been a true pioneer in discovering and supporting a new generation of Quebec and Canadian choreographers. Many of them have been working for over 15 years and are recognized today for their unique signature and diverse choreographic styles. Among them are Kyra Jean Green, Morgane Le Tiec, Andrea Peña, Cai Glover, Elon Höglund, Tamara Barner, People Watching, Charles Brecard, Pauline Gervais, Nicholas Bellefleur, Véronique Giasson, Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo, Ivanie Aubin-Malo, Janelle Hacault, Béatrice Larrivée, Amara Barner, Dorotea Saykaly, Kristen Cere, Jason Martin, Jérémy Galdeano, and Vera Kvarcakova, to name just a few.
The festival has also helped highlight and bring attention to numerous major figures in Quebec and Canadian dance, including Françoise Sullivan, Jeanne Renaud, Jean-Pierre Perrault, Margie Gillis, Randy Glynn, Hélène Blackburn, Frédéric Gravel, Pierre-Paul Savoie, Jane Mappin, Louise Bédard, Louise Lecavalier, Ginette Laurin, Angélique Wilkie, Peter Jasko, Lucie Grégoire, Helen Simard, Manuel Roque, Dulcinée Langfelder, Paul-André Fortier, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Victor Quijada, Andrew Skeels, France Geoffroy, Chantal Caron, David Albert Toth, Jeffrey Hall, Charmaine Leblanc, Zab Maboungou, Marc Béland, Alix Dufresne, and Sophie Faucher (dance-theater and performance). This desire to foster intergenerational dialogue sits at the heart of FQD’s identity, which has always embraced emerging artists and established creators with equal passion.
To date, FQD has presented over 350 choreographers in Montreal (including more than 250 from Quebec, 15 from Canada, and 65 international artists) and over 1,800 performers across more than 90 indoor and outdoor venues, reaching over 150,000 spectators.
Its reach, however, extends far beyond Quebec’s borders. Over the years, FQD has introduced Montreal audiences to international artists across generations—from established icons to next-generation creators—building bridges between the Quebec, Canadian, and international scenes. Featured artists include Alex Neoral (Rio de Janeiro), Lève un peu les bras (Paris), Édouard Hue (Geneva), Nelisiwe Xaba (Johannesburg), Kukai Dantza (Errenteria), Marcos Morau, Sol Picó, Angel Duran, and La Intrusa (Barcelona), Angelin Preljocaj and Ballet Preljocaj (Aix-en-Provence), Thierry Malandain and Ballet Biarritz (Biarritz), William Forsythe (Frankfurt Ballet), Olof Ingolfsdottir (Reykjavik), Jacques Bana Yanga (Kinshasa), Lene Boel (Copenhagen), Benjamin Millepied (Los Angeles/Paris), Sarah Hopfinger (Glasgow), Toula Limnaos (Berlin), Dominique Duszynski (Liège), Małgorzata Dzierżoń and Wrocław Ballet (Wrocław), Janusz Orlik (Opole), and Agata Życzkowska (Warsaw), among many others.
This global openness extends beyond programming. FQD plays an active role in advancing and promoting artistic careers beyond Quebec. It is one of the few Canadian festivals to offer concrete support for international touring by Quebec and Canadian artists, notably through networking events between artists and presenters. These exchanges have led to collaborations and bilateral international tours with partners in Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Slovenia, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, Spain, Iceland, Brazil, Panama, and several other countries.
Since its inception, FQD has also placed strong emphasis on women’s choreographic creation, which represents a major portion of its programming. This commitment to diverse voices, backgrounds, and artistic practices reflects a broader vision to make the festival a space for meeting, dialogue, and representation.
Its cultural mediation department was founded in 2013 to bring dance to underserved audiences across social, community, healthcare, and educational centers. Through these initiatives, FQD has presented over 1,300 workshops to more than 17,000 participants.
Since 2005, FQD has provided professional development spaces for the dance community through artist residencies, panel discussions on key sector issues, masterclasses, and workshops led by local and international artists. These initiatives foster knowledge sharing, collective reflection, and meaningful exchanges across generations of artists and professionals.
Additionally, since 2007, FQD has presented a dance-film program dedicated to creative dance. Featuring mostly Quebec productions alongside international titles, this program showcases dance films globally, driven by the recognized strength of Montreal filmmakers. FQD also holds a collection of around 20 local film co-productions that continue to tour internationally year after year, elevating Quebec creation worldwide.
This year, the 24th edition of FQD features 50 choreographers in total—including 42 from Quebec, 3 from Canada, and 5 international artists—along with 100 performers, and includes an Asia Focus.
FQD will highlight numerous local artists, both established and next-generation, such as Margie Gillis, Lina Cruz, Louise Bédard, Sandy Silva, Hélène Blackburn, Kyra Jean Green, Morgane Le Tiec, Andrea Peña, Cai Glover, Tentacle Tribe, Pauline Gervais, Nicholas Bellefleur, Janelle Hacault, Béatrice Larrivée, Jason Martin, Jérémy Galdeano, and Shawn Hounsell. FQD will also present several flagship international artists, including Sonia Gomez (Barcelona), Liam Francis (London), Yasushi Kurotaki (Tokyo), Ji Jie, and KT-Yau Ka-Hei (Hong Kong).
FQD offers a “danced trajectory” across Montreal with indoor performances at venues such as La Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts, Usine C, the NFB (ONF), Centre SANAAQ, BAnQ, Salle Émile-Legault, and Le Monastère, as well as year-round programming at MAC, CCA, and PHI Centre. Outdoor venues include Jardins Gamelin, Place des Festivals, Sainte-Catherine Street in front of Esplanade Tranquille, Atwater Market, Place du Village, the Kondiaronk Belvedere on Mount Royal, and Place d’Armes.
Today, our world faces deep divides. Violence, insular identity movements, increasingly radical capitalism, and climate disruption test our shared humanity. In the face of these challenges, I remain convinced that art is more essential than ever.
Dance does not pretend to change the world on its own, but it invites us to look at it differently. It questions, unites, awakens, and reminds us that hope is a movement—an energy passed from one to another. Art and dance are messengers of hope for a better world.
This 24th edition carries a deeply personal meaning for me. I see it as the celebration of an extraordinary human and artistic adventure, as well as the culmination of a long journey dedicated to artists, dance, and audiences. None of this would have been possible without the trust of the artists, the loyalty of the public, the support of our partners, and the remarkable dedication of our team, the eight board members, the four co-governors, and our volunteers. I also wish to thank all three levels of government for their support. To each and every one of you, I extend my deepest gratitude.
I step down with a sense of accomplishment, knowing I have contributed to training and supporting a new generation ready to take the helm of the Festival and ensure its future.
Today is my way of celebrating the path we have traveled together, and above all, sharing it with you one last time. Thank you for dancing this path with us, for placing your trust in the artists, and for giving the Festival its reason for being, year after year.
From September 9 to 19, I invite you to experience FQD in theaters and iconic venues across Montreal, as well as outdoors in the heart of the city. Join us to share these moments of reflection, beauty, freedom, and emotion. Whether you are young or old, longtime attendees or first-time festivalgoers, let dance surprise, move, and dazzle you once again.
