Dance for Young Audiences

Press Release

For immediate release

Montreal, January 19, 2016 – The Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD) is proud to announce the publication of a new thematic issue of I-Mouvance focused on dance for young audiences. Prepared and written by communicator and cultural mediator Fabienne Cabado, it addresses dance artists and professionals, and all who are involved with children, including presenters, teachers, parents, educational consultants and students. Consisting of five chapters, with a foreword by Lorraine Hébert, Executive Director of RQD, this I-Mouvance offers readers a wealth of information and interview excerpts providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the collective efforts involved in bringing young audiences in contact with dance performances and artists.

Dance for young audiences is an artistic practice with its own requirements in terms of research, creation, performance and presentation. In addition to saluting its proud artists and pioneers, this I-Mouvance describes the advances, challenges and dreams associated with this flourishing practice. Spurred by their belief in the exceptional benefits that dance performances offer to young audiences, companies, presenters and teachers have shown an admirable level of commitment. However, youth dance companies do not have sufficient resources to fully reach their audiences. Nor do they have the artistic recognition and financial backing required to put in place a solid organizational structure. To find solutions, we need to mobilize all stakeholders from the dance and educational milieus, as well as funding agencies and governments, which are an essential part of the equation.

This thematic issue of I-Mouvance draws on the first Symposium on Dance for Young Audiences held in the fall of 2014 on the initiative of dance companies, in close collaboration with UQAM’s dance department. In the coming weeks, RQD will also share elements from a study on dance for young audiences conducted in collaboration with La danse sur les routes du Québec. These initiatives are among RQD’s efforts to report on advances made in the first five years of the Master Plan for Professional Dance in Quebec 2011–2021, and to plan for the next five years. For all who are truly interested in the future of our children and who believe in the emancipatory power of art, dance for young audiences is a cause to be championed.

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Source:

Judith Lessard-Bérubé, Communications Manager, 514 849-4003, ext. 225 | jlb@quebecdanse.org

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