JOAT Festival International de Street Dance Set For Next Month

Labor Day weekend will once again be vibrating to the effervescent rhythm of the JOAT festival. Co-produced by Danse Danse, the festival promises to bring excitement to the indoor and outdoor stages of the Quartier des spectacles from August 27 to September 2.

During this week, a multitude of activities for all ages will highlight the rich local and international street dance community with an ambitious line-up. The program includes : battles of different dance styles, beatmaking battles, a show at Théâtre Maisonneuve, free introductory street dance workshops, master classes, a conference, an exhibition, an art fair and much more to discover the world of street dance !

The 2024 edition will bring together over 250 artists in several emblematic locations in the Quartier des spectacles. The Esplanade de la Place des Arts, Théâtre Maisonneuve, Club Soda and Édifice 2-22 on rue Sainte-Catherine Est will be the scene of numerous activities.

Breaking, Hip Hop and Popping battles

Each year, the festival showcases three styles of street dance with its famous battles at Club Soda. The three battles - Breaking, Hip Hop and Popping - bring together dancers from around the world in a one-on-one format hosted by an MC. Artists will take turns improvising to music chosen live by the DJ. International judges will then select the winners in each category.

In addition to the battles, the festival will offer the SPOT Session, a free practice session hosted by 100Lux where street dance artists can gather to dance freely, interact or simply practice, on the Esplanade de la Place des Arts.

Krump Passion

Krump fans won’t be left out. In order to welcome new communities and subcultures, the festival renews its partnership with Montreal Krump Alliance, the country's first and largest Krump association, to present MKA Sessions, a gathering place and catalyst for krump performances. Local artists will compete against international guests. 

A dance concert at Théâtre Maisonneuve

This year, Théâtre Maisonneuve will be joining the party for an all-dance, all-music event. Groove, the 'dance concert' by Dutch companies The Ruggeds & Ghetto Funk Collective will bring audiences back to the era of James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye. The show will be presented on August 31 and September 1 at 7pm.

Plenty of free activities for everyone

The JOAT festival is open to all generations! One of the highlights is the JOAT KidzBattle, presented by the Urban-Element studio, featuring an All Styles dance battle for children and pre-teens.

Young and not-so-young alike can also take part in free introductory street dance workshops open to all skill levels. 

The windows of the 2-22 Building, at the corner of Sainte-Catherine Street East and Saint-Laurent Boulevard, will serve as a showcase for short, dynamic Locking performances, by Natasha Jean-Bart - Tribute to Don “Campbellock” Campbell. The shows will be accessible to the general public and will be sure to generate a lot of buzz on the sidewalks of Sainte-Catherine Street.

For music lovers 

To promote the richness of Montreal’s music scene, the festival offers a variety of musical activities, including concerts by THE SHED, Jo Dolo and MIMO. 

The Montreal Loves Dilla event will once again pay tribute to legendary Hip Hop music producer J Dilla. Presented by Artbeat Montreal on the Esplanade with a group of local DJs.

A new series of introductory workshops on beatmaking and freestyle rap invites the public to come and express themselves with flow and style, discovering the verbal creativity and rhythmic sense of rap.

Finally, Artbeat Montreal’s C’est quoi les DAWs presents a competition between Hip Hop music producers who will play works created along certain creative guidelines especially for the event. These beatmakers will do their best to convince not only the jury, but also the audience that they are the best!

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