The 34th Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur program unveiled

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Saint-Sauveur, May 6^th, 2025. For its 34^th season, from July 23^rd to August 3^rd, FASS, now the largest regional dance presenter in the country, unveils its international-calibre program in terms of the number of large-scale shows it offers and its record attendance. Performances under the big top kick off this year on Wednesday, July 23^rd at 8 p.m. with a triple bill from BalletX featuring Loughlan Prior’s Macaroni, Takehiro Ueyama’s Heroes and Justin Peck’s Becomes a Mountain. This vibrant contemporary ballet company from Philadelphia, hailed as “one of America’s best” (The New York Times), will kick off the 2025 Festival with flair. Regularly gracing major theatres and festivals, BalletX boldly ventures beyond the boundaries of classical ballet with a rich repertoire of more than 80 works, blending athleticism, emotion, and grace. Audiences will delight in discovering them through a captivating and entertaining triple bill featuring works by Loughlan Prior, Takehiro Ueyama, and Justin Peck (resident choreographer at New York City Ballet), showcasing the extraordinary versatility of its 16 outstanding dancers. An open door to the creativity of today’s ballet.

The Soirée des étoiles will be held the following day, Thursday, July 24^th, and the day after, Friday, July 25^th, at 8 p.m. each evening. A flagship event of the Festival, the Soirée des Étoiles is a dazzling showcase of virtuosity and talent. It brings together exceptional artists from around the world, whether independent or hailing from prestigious companies and schools. In addition to classical dance, Flamenco will be on stage this year. Confirmed artists include Babatunji Johnson (Alonzo King LINES Ballet), Emma Portner, David Coria, Isidora O’Ryan (independent artists), Dawn Atkins, Stanislav Olshanskyi (Miami City Ballet) Enrique Bejetano Vidal, Maïlène Katoch (Birmingham Royal Ballet), Esnel Ramos, Rachele Buriassi (Les Grands Ballets Canadiens) and l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal. such as Miami City Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal.

Under the Big Top in Saint-Sauveur, the music shines every summer. The Orchestre Métropolitain‘s appearance at the festival is a well-established tradition that we are delighted to continue on Saturday, July 26^th at 8:00 p.m. Under the baton of its eminent conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Orchestra offers us a concentration of excellence and passion! The program features Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, entitled “The Italian”, inspired by the composer’s romantic landscapes and emotions during a trip to Italy – one of his most brilliant achievements. The OM will also be performing Igor Stravinsky’s gleaming Firebird, Louise Ferenc’s Overture No. 2 and Augusta Holmes’s interlude L’amour et la nuit.

In Saint-Sauveur for one night only, on Sunday, July 27th at 8:00 p.m. as part of a North American tour, the Bulareyaung Dance Company invites the public on a dazzling journey into a rich and vibrant culture. Inspired by nature and traditional songs, this company creates dance deeply rooted in the Indigenous cultures of Taiwan. With LUNA, they present a striking work born from an extended stay among the Bunun people in the island’s mountains. The piece interweaves ancestral songs and rituals, infusing the dance with its profound strength and beauty. Powered by the raw energy of 11 male performers, LUNA boldly traces a path between living tradition and contemporary creation.

A major event in Saint-Sauveur on Wednesday, July 30^th and Thursday, July 31^st at 8:00 p.m., MOMIX returns in full force for the third time, and it’s undeniably a highlight. For nearly 45 years, this unclassifiable company of dancer-athlete-illusionists has been captivating audiences around the world. Their incomparable performances skillfully blend dance, lighting effects, visual and musical elements, costumes, and video projections. A true master of illusion, Artistic Director Moses Pendleton unleashes boundless imagination. Viva MOMIX is a brilliant showcase: fifteen dazzling scenes drawn from the company’s most iconic works unfold in a whirlwind of ingenuity and fantasy. A dreamlike world emerges, filled with surprising poetry and playful virtuosity.

On Friday, August 1^st at 8:00 p.m., driven by the vibrant passion of his ancestors, Travis Knights has rhythm and swing to spare! Tap dance, a source of wonder and infinite possibilities, is etched into his heart. Trained from the age of 10 by none other than Montreal’s queen of tap dancing, Ethel Bruneau, he made his debut in 2000 as a principal dancer in the biopic Bojangles, performing alongside two tap legends, Gregory Hines and Savion Glover. Since then, Travis Knights’ tap shoes have taken him on an incredible journey through a variety of eclectic collaborations. Accompanied by his band, he delivers an electrifying performance — a perfect fusion of tap and live jazz.

Les jolies choses, this pivotal production showcased on Saturday, August 2^nd at 8:00 p.m. and which earned her the prestigious Grand Prix de la danse de Montréal in 2022 and unanimously captivated European audiences, Montreal choreographer Catherine Gaudet puts five bodies to the test. Subjected to the relentless rhythm of a metronome, their mechanical gestures unfold in sequences demanding absolute rigor and synchronization. The tempo, initially slow and contained, imperceptibly accelerates, driven by the minimalist and hypnotic music of Antoine Berthiaume. Could constraint paradoxically open up a space for liberation? A striking dramatic intensity fills the stage, electrifying the bodies and the audience in an irresistible crescendo. A tour de force where the energy never wanes, gripping from start to finish.

To close the festival on Sunday, August 3^rd at 8:00 p.m., Ballets Jazz Montréal presents the world premiere of a thrilling new work by Jo Strømgren. This major figure in the international performing arts scene is renowned for his abundant creativity and his skillful blending of humor, poetry, and depth. Carried by the dynamic energy of Ballets Jazz’s performers, JOIE DE VIVRE reveals the beauty of fleeting moments, and the emotions buried beneath the weight of daily routine. In their final moments, a character unravels the thread of their life, exposing hidden shadows. Through eloquent and expressive movement, the dance explores the contradictions of the human condition, while celebrating those flashes of grace that give life its meaning.

Back in 2025, FASS Forward is a digital event promoting short dance films by filmmakers worldwide and recognizing the innovation and creativity that comes from combining the camera and dance. FASS Forward invites all creators who use digital art to enhance dance to submit their work. All dance styles are welcome. Selected projects will be presented live at Val-Morin’s Théâtre du Marais on May 28^th at 7:30 p.m., then broadcast online on the festival website.

FASS thanks all its partners for their invaluable contribution to this 34^th festival: Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des Lettres du Québec, Tourisme Québec, Ville de Saint-Sauveur, MRC des Pays-d’en-Haut, MRC des Laurentides, Ville de Sainte-Adèle, Sonia Bélanger, Minister responsible for Seniors, Fondation Roasters, Kevric, Sommet Saint-Sauveur, Canderel, Banque Nationale, Hydro-Québec, Desjardins, Shawbridge, RBC Banque Royale and Première Zone. Thanks also to our media partners: Télé-Québec, La Presse, CIME FM, Journal Accès, Le Nord, La Presse Touristique, Mainstreet, Journal Le Citoyen, Tremblant Express and Flèche Laurentides, and our service partners: Tourisme Laurentides, La Danse sur les routes du Québec, Groupe Servicas BFL CPA, Manoir Saint-Sauveur, Galerie ROD, Au Coin du Jardin, Chambre de commerce et de tourisme de la Vallée Saint-Sauveur, Planning Media, BMW Ste-Agathe and Saint-Sau Pub Gourmand.

About FASS:

Founded in 1992 as the Festival des Arts Hiawatha, the Festival was renamed the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur in 1997. In 2000, FASS received a special mention from the jury as “Cultural Event of the Laurentians” at the Grands Prix du Tourisme des Laurentides. In 2007, 2008 and 2014, it won the Grand Prix du Tourisme, and in 2009, it received the Prix Ambassadeur culturel des Laurentides in the “Festivals and cultural events” category. In 2020, FASS won the Prix Opus in the “Specialized Broadcaster of the Year” category. In 2022, it won the Ambassador Award at the Grands Prix de la culture des Laurentides.