October 16, 2026 — For a new edition of Presences in Dialogue / Site Specific Works, a collaboration between EDCM and Danse Danse, dancers from École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM) will animate the foyer and various spaces of Théâtre Maisonneuve during performances of Dance Me, set to the music of Leonard Cohen and performed by Ballets Jazz Montréal.

As part of their performance training, EDCM graduating students create and perform solos conceived specifically for a particular site.

Each performer responds to the unique characteristics of a specific space (whether a staircase, a glass wall, a threshold, a corner or a passageway) and develops a work in dialogue with its architecture, light, surfaces, acoustics, rhythm and proximity to the audience. Here, the site is more than a backdrop: it becomes a true creative partner.

Audiences will have the opportunity to discover the EDCM graduates’ solos on Saturday, November 28, 2026, before and after performances of Dance Me at Théâtre Maisonneuve.

The Site Specific Works project allows performers to draw on their training in performance and composition while developing their artistic agency. Students are encouraged to make clear artistic choices and cultivate new relationships with audiences. By creating outside the traditional stage, they explore how a site, its configuration and the movement of the audience can transform the experience of a work.

This experience is an integral part of the EDCM’s professional training, preparing emerging performers to work with creativity and adaptability across a range of creative and performance contexts.

Through this ongoing collaboration, Danse Danse and the EDCM offer graduating students a concrete opportunity to connect their training and artistic practice with the professional dance community.

Cover photo: Maxime Côté