Vertical Dance on Natural Rock Faces

Seven (7) spots available for dance performers from all regions of Québec*

* Please read the entire information sheet carefully. It contains important details and conditions that apply.

Are you a circus artist?

Please register through En Piste’s platform.

Registration Deadline

Sunday, August 16, at midnight.

Description

This intensive training activity offers participants the opportunity to explore and deepen their practice of vertical dance on natural rock faces through a variety of creative and choreographic approaches.

Delivered entirely outdoors, this 15-hour training program spread over three days invites participants to engage with different climbing surfaces while discovering the approach developed by the collective Mouvement Vertical —an approach that embraces not only technical skills, but also creativity and a close relationship with the natural environment.

Topics Covered

• Rigging and safety.
• Technical training.
• Choreographic training.
• Exploration and creation through various constraints, including solo work, rope-partner work, and partnerships combining ground-based and suspended movement.
• Choreographic composition exercises that may culminate in a short presentation for the group.

Schedule

• Day 1: Introduction to safety procedures and technical exploration in a natural environment.
• Day 2: Intermediate technical and choreographic work on rock surfaces.
• Day 3: Partner work and group choreographic exploration.

Objectives

This intensive workshop aims to develop participants’ technical skills and creative capacities in outdoor vertical dance while fostering a space for connection and exchange among artists passionate about the discipline. Participants will develop a shared artistic vocabulary and explore choreographic composition principles guided by the practices of the Mouvement Vertical collective.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Gain confidence moving on natural rock faces.
• Integrate technical skills into a creative context.
• Experiment with responsive improvisation in relation to their environment.
• Explore several climbing surfaces (two different sites, plus an additional one depending on participants’ levels).
• Move beyond the discovery of the wall itself to access their own artistic creativity within the discipline.

Who Is This Training For?

Artists working in dance, circus arts, and movement-based practices who have at least some prior experience in vertical dance or a related discipline.

Prerequisites

Participants must:

• Be familiar with personal protective equipment (harness and a belay device such as a Grigri or Rig) and know how to use it at a basic level;
• Maintain a regular physical practice;
• Have an affinity for site-specific practice;
• Be resilient and adaptable to changing weather conditions.

IMPORTANT: To complete your registration, you must fill out the prerequisite assessment form after payment. The instructors will review your submission and contact you if the requirements are not met. In such cases, you will receive a full refund.

Accommodation, Meals and Transportation

• Two nights of accommodation (September 14 and 15) are provided in shared yurts.
• Meals are not included; however, limited cooking facilities are available.
• A lunch break is scheduled each day from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Assistance will be provided to organize carpooling, and travel expenses will be reimbursed up to $67 per participant.

Instructors

Mouvement Vertical

Mouvement Vertical brings together artists Claire Jeannot, Mathilde Heuzé, and Natacha Viau through a shared practice of vertical and contemporary dance. Following several collaborations and training experiences together, they founded the collective in 2022 to pursue artistic research focused on verticality, suspended movement, and meaningful encounters with audiences.

Their creation Variation Verticale, first presented in 2023, reflects this approach by combining aerial acrobatics, visual poetry, and an exploration of human relationships. Committed to making the discipline more accessible, the collective also pursues extensive work in professional development and knowledge-sharing through workshops and international collaborations.

Claire Jeannot © Marie-Eve Dion Photo

Claire Jeannot

Dancer, choreographer, and co-founder of Mouvement Vertical, Claire Jeannot holds degrees from UQAM and Université Lille 3. Her artistic path has led her from contemporary dance to vertical dance, a discipline that now fuels her research into gravity, environment, and site-responsive movement.

In 2022, she co-directed Jardins Suspendus at Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacles and regularly collaborates as a performer in works involving suspension techniques. Her choreographic work has been presented in festivals and exhibitions across Canada and internationally. Her artistic language is distinguished by movement that is simultaneously aerial and deeply rooted in the surrounding landscape.

Mathilde Heuzé © Marie-Eve Dion Photo

Mathilde Heuzé

Originally from France and a former gymnast, Mathilde Heuzé is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in contemporary dance, circus arts, and vertical dance. A graduate of the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 2018, she divides her practice among performance, teaching, and creation.

Since 2019, she has pursued advanced training in various aerial disciplines, particularly harness suspension, and has created numerous works that combine movement, circus arts, and suspended performance. Her first vertical dance solo, New Aria, premiered in 2022 and was followed by several original creations. As a co-founder of Mouvement Vertical, she serves as choreographer, performer, and communications coordinator.

Natacha Viau © Emily Laflamme

Natacha Viau

A graduate of UQAM’s contemporary dance program, Natacha Viau has worked for many years as a performer and creator in both contemporary and vertical dance. She has participated in numerous projects presented at recognized venues and festivals, including Tangente, Zone Homa, and Festival Tournant.

She began training in vertical dance with the Bandaloop company in 2016 and subsequently developed several creations on natural and urban walls in collaboration with Julie Villeneuve. Her artistic experience, combined with strong technical expertise, informs her work as choreographer, performer, and technical director within Mouvement Vertical, a collective she has helped shape since 2022.

 

This training program, developed by En Piste, the national circus arts association, and the Mouvement Vertical collective, is offered in collaboration with the Regroupement québécois de la danse (RQD), Danse Laurentides, Culture Laurentides and the Municipality of Sainte-Émélie-de-l’Énergie. It is funded by the Government of Québec through the Intervention-Compétences program administered by Compétence Culture.