Mix popular tradition and contemporary art. Combine highly festive line dancing with the fluidity and expressiveness of contemporary dance. When reputed Montreal-based choreographer Sylvain Émard accepted the challenge of this unlikely marriage, he had no idea of the enthusiastic audience response he would unleash or of how extremely popular it would become.
Since the first presentation of Le Grand Continental in 2009 during Montreal’s Festival TransAmériques, this galvanizing mélange of line dancing and contemporary dance has featured casts of 75 up to 375 local amateur dancers of all ages, background and ethnicities around the world. From North and South America to Oceania, Asia and Europe, some 3,000 dancers participated in one or more of its 21 distinct editions, which won over 120,000 spectators.
All driven by the pure pleasure of movement, these dance lovers will no doubt have your city swinging to their energetic vibes. The marriage of art and the village fête has indeed been consummated and the result is highly invigorating!
