ABOUT US

The Académie de danse de l’Outaouais very humbly marked its beginnings in September 1979. Sponsored by a group of parents concerned with the quality and well-being of the youths, the Académie was given the mandate of disseminating a teaching of quality and of developing dance in the Outaouais region.

Under the direction of Mr. André Laprise, a graduate of the École supérieure des Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Académie has earned an enviable reputation and recognition from different environments over the years.

July 1984 led to the creation of the Camp d’été qui danse, which very quickly attracted attention for its originality and the exceptional quality of its performances. This camp, combining dance and the outdoors, received several hundred students from Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and occasionally the United States. In July 2006, the relocation of summer activities to an urban setting made it possible to offer the Stage intensif and, in August 2007, the Troupe de danse estivale. Since 2012, the Galerie-danse and Danse en Danse camps are completing the program.

May 1986 brought the holding of the first Extravadanse gala, a formula that would be repeated in 1987 and 1988. Building on this experience, the Académie has been organizing an annual benefit evening since 1990, which is now aimed at a very large audience. Since 2000, there have been performances added for schoolchildren.

More than 1,000 spectators annually attend the various public events presented by the Académie. Since its inception, the Académie de danse de l’Outaouais has welcomed and trained more than 4,000 students.

MANDATE AND ORIENTATIONS

The Académie de danse de l’Outaouais has a mandate to promote the development of dance in the Outaouais region and to provide quality dance education. Its role as a dance training school based on a professional approach is to:

  • Promote a professional approach;
  • Transmit the tradition;
  • Stimulate and develop the interest of young people;
  • Participate in training the next generation in dance;
  • Develop the artistic potential of the milieu
  • Contribute to the education of the individual.

The Académie de danse de l’Outaouais intends to fulfill its main mandate as a dance training school:

  • By facilitating access to solid and complete training for young people who aspire to an artistic career;
  • By enriching its programs in order to provide students with training that responds to current trends in the artistic milieu;
  • By offering courses and educational workshops in dance that aim the awakening and cultural development of a greater number of followers;
  • By designing special programs (ex: disabled athletes…).

FEAUTURES

    • The reputation of the school for the quality of its training, its productions and the promotion of personal discipline.
    • A team of quality teachers chosen for their professional level.
    • An experienced artistic director active in the professional world.
    • The range of disciplines and programs offered, designed to respect the physiological development of the student.
    • The complementarity between the sector of commercial and cultural activities in the region.
    • The possibility of participating in a choreographic workshop.
    • The opportunity to perform on stage in a professional context during special events (Extravadanse, Benefit Show, Anniversary Gala, etc.).
    • The holding of the Camp d’été qui danse, a unique artistic experience in an urban environment with Danse en danse, the Stage intensif, the Galerie danse, and the Troupe de danse estivale
    • Recognition of the quality of its teaching and its interventions in the community by the Ministry of Culture and Communications and by the City of Gatineau.
    • The relationship it has maintained since its beginnings with the École supérieure de ballet du Québec.
    • A partnership established with the Commission scolaire des Draveurs sanctioned by a memorandum of understanding.

STATUS

  • Non-profit organization
  • Training School
  • Community organization