MONTREAL, April 11, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Tourisme Montréal is pleased to welcome the 2012 Regional Dance America (RDA) National Festival to be held from May 1 to 5. This edition, known as the Festival de Danse, will unite over 2,000 dancers, 250 directors and teachers, and 90 dance companies for five days of classes and performances. Festival activities will take place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal (Montréal Convention Centre) and at Place des Arts and will generate $5.6 million in economic spinoffs.
The event marks only the third time in RDA history that members will be congregating on a national level. "We are excited to reach out to the rich and dynamic Canadian dance community. We look forward to our membership learning more about dance in Canada. We truly hope to make lasting friendships and could not imagine a more perfect location than Montréal - a community with a thriving and very diverse dance population," said Gretchen Vogelzang, Executive Director of Regional Dance America.
The purpose of the festival is to provide educational and performing opportunities for students with a serious commitment to their dance education and to create networking opportunities for directors and teachers from across North America.
"What better city than Montréal, alive with culture and home to enthusiastic patrons of the arts, to hold such an important event that not only showcases young, up-and-coming talent, but also fosters a spirit of camaraderie between companies and professionals from across the continent? We hope that all participants get a chance to experience Montréal's legendary hospitality and contagious joie de vivre," stated the Honourable Charles Lapointe, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tourisme Montréal.
"The Palais team is pleased to welcome the RDA members to its multifunctional spaces and to contribute to their experience in Montréal. The only North American convention centre among the finalists for the 2010 APEX Award for the World's Best Congress Centre, the Palais is ideally located for this event, as it is just a stone's throw from the city's arts and entertainment district", added Marc Tremblay, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
Meanwhile, Place des Arts will be hosting five shows for Regional Dance America, Festival de Danse, at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. "As the leading presenter of dance in Québec, with more than one hundred performances of contemporary, classical, and folk dance every year, Place des Arts provides ongoing support to choreographers and dancers by providing residencies and workshops that promote public interaction in the spirit of accessibility to and awareness of the arts, "says President and CEO of Place des Arts, Marc Blondeau.
For more information or tickets reservation, visit pda.qc.ca
About Regional Dance America
For over 50 years, the National Association for Regional Ballet and now Regional Dance America (RDA) have dedicated themselves to advancing and fostering the growth and education of dancers, choreographers, directors, and dance companies in every community across the United States and Canada. RDA is a national association comprised of 88 professional and pre-professional dance companies. Over 300 companies, including nationally recognized professional groups such as the Boston Ballet, the Sacramento Ballet, the DCDC, Atlanta Ballet and the Washington Ballet, all began as member companies. For more information, please visit www.regional-dance-america.org.
About the Palais des congrès de Montréal
The mission of the Palais des congrès de Montréal is to attract and host conventions, exhibitions, consumer/trade shows, conferences, meetings and other events. A public institution with a commercial vocation, the Palais generates important economic spin-offs for Québec and has proudly contributed, for 27 years, to knowledge sharing and enhancing Montréal's international reputation as a first-class destination. For more information, please visit http://www.congresmtl.com/en/.
About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position the destination on leisure and business travel markets. It is also responsible for developing Montréal's tourism product in accordance with the ever-changing conditions of the market. For more information, please visit www.tourisme-montreal.org.
Source: Tourisme Montréal
Information:
Alexandra Graveline
Manager - Corporate Public Relations
Tourisme Montréal
514 844-3558
[email protected]
Gretchen Vogelzang
Executive Director
Regional Dance America
703 956-6429
[email protected]
Amélie Asselin
Advisor, Communications and Public Affairs
Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal
514 871-5897
[email protected]
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