L’Agora de la danse: 35 Years in the Heart of the Action

Founded in the early 90s by a small group of visionary artists, l’Agora met an urgent need: there was no permanent home for contemporary dance, no true community hub. When Francine Bernier took charge, the slate was clean. “It was a real challenge to build a dance centre when the arts scene didn’t have anything like it,” she recalls. L’Agora’s first space was on Cherrier St., in the Latourelle building, thanks to an unprecedented alliance between the dance community and UQAM’s dance department. Tangente moved in, and Danse-Cité became a tenant as well. An ecosystem was taking root.

Everything had to be invented

“When I arrived, the Montreal scene didn’t have many choreographers,” Ms. Bernier recalls. “There were pioneers like Jean-Pierre Perreault and Paul-André Fortier, but we didn’t have the large group we have today.” Contemporary dance was still young in Quebec, and the second and third generations of artists emerged gradually. Sylvain Émard, Hélène Blackburn and Louise Bédard all had careers as dancers before pivoting to choreography.

L’Agora soon became the heart of the community. “And we still see l’Agora as essentially the national centre of Quebec dance,” she says, drawing a distinction between l’Agora’s mission and those of the relatively niche Tangente or Danse Danse, which is more focused on major international stages.  

Playing the long game

What really sets l’Agora apart is its relationship with time. From the very beginning, it transformed creative conditions. “When I started, choreographers rented the space. They’d come in on Monday and have their performance on Wednesday,” Ms. Bernier explains. L’Agora soon started hosting creative residencies and long working sessions in the performance space. “Like in theatre, except until then it just wasn’t done in dance.” That structural change would have a profound impact on the works—their precision, relationship with the space, lighting.

This attention to the process is at the heart of the director’s philosophy. “I don’t program shows,” she says. “I program artists.” L’Agora works with creators over the long term, building strong trust-based relationships. “It’s always: ‘what do you need? Can I help you? Am I leading the right organization for you?’”

Growing with the artists

Ms. Bernier cites two examples that illustrate, in different ways, the kind of patient work that defines l’Agora. “Early in her career, Hélène Blackburn wanted to do dance for young audiences,” she recalls. The director knew the pivot couldn’t be done in isolation and introduced the artist to some inspiring mentors.

The issue was different with Andréa Peña, but the logic was similar. L’Agora has worked with her for several years through a progressive rise—residencies, co-productions, opening of rehearsal spaces, meticulous lighting work. “She has a very clear picture of what she wants and doesn’t want,” Ms. Bernier notes. Gradually, the rooms got bigger, audiences followed, there were more and more collaborations, notably with Danse Danse. That’s l’Agora in a nutshell: long-term support and guidance.

Shapeshifting

Over the decades, Ms. Bernier has observed a profound transformation of aesthetics in contemporary dance. “When I started, it was all about the choreographer-king,” she says, recalling an era dominated by highly formalist approaches, often stripped down to the bone. Worlds like that of Daniel Léveillé Danse, where extreme precision and economy reign. The choreographer shows up with a clear vision, imposes it, and the dancers do as instructed.

Gradually, that relationship changed. The dancer became a collaborator, processes opened up, works fragmented. Artists like Dave St-Pierre and Virginie Brunelle moved boundaries, deconstructed forms, brought more voices and tensions into play—but they remained firmly committed to strong writing. “The obsession with purity is over, but we haven’t surrendered to chaos either,” Ms. Bernier says.

The same shift has led to increasingly sophisticated shows. “Productions are much more thoroughly realized now. The musical research is very strong. The lighting too.” She notes that dance sets are often minimalist, making sound and light crucial partners in the performance. There’s also growing influence from urban dance, leading to changing bodies, rhythms, on-stage dynamics. There’s a blurring of the lines between different aesthetics. “Signatures are multiplying,” Bernier concludes. “That’s what I find most interesting about today’s scene.”

A permanent home in the Wilder Building

In 2017, a new chapter began when l’Agora moved into l’Édifice Wilder – Espace danse, in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles. “It was unusual for dance to be based in the Quartier des Spectacles. Some of our international peers are envious of our central location!”

Above all, the location represents priceless stability for l’Agora. “L’Agora will thrive because it co-owns its downtown building. In an insecure world, that’s huge.” It’s an observation that resonates powerfully in this anniversary year.

This year, l’Agora isn’t just marking an important milestone. It’s celebrating a scene, a community and a patiently built vision: audacious, living dance with deep roots in the heart of the city.