“Thank you very much for this opportunity, we truly appreciated it! It's extraordinary not only that ballet is accessible, but also that you reach out to people with a handicap. It was just beautiful.”
Participant
The National Centre for Dance Therapy and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens have offered for the second consecutive year a relaxed performance, presenting Mauro Bigonzetti’s creation on the music of The Four Seasons.
A relaxed performance is a show offered in an environment adapted to the needs of people with varying abilities. This initiative aims at democratizing ballet, by making dance more accessible to the most vulnerable organizations.
On Friday, September 23, at the Place des Arts, 23 organizations from the community, school and health sector have attended the show for free, with several hundreds of people welcomed in. In order to attend to the sensory needs of some of our participants, the lights in the theatre were lowered but not turned off, Vivaldi music was adjusted, some calm areas were set up just outside the venue and guests were encouraged to move and express themselves during the show. Moreover, our Artistic Director, Ivan Cavallari, together with our Principal Dancers Maude Sabourin and Raphaël Bouchard, has introduced the choreography and has welcomed the public before the show.
Have a look at some of the photos of the day below!
This presentation of the relaxed performance of The Four Seasons is offered by the National Centre for Dance Therapy, with the support of the Ville de Montréal.
