Montreal is known for being a city with a great cultural and artistic diversity. Unfortunately, the Blues is becoming less and less known and heard throughout the city.
Where can we listen and dance to Blues in Montreal today? Some places allow dancers to move to the sound of a Blues DJ, but little allow live bands to interpret Blues on stage.
Our goal is to promote the talent of these artists too often hidden in the shadows. Organize an increasing number of evenings featuring different Blues performers that aim to satisfy both the music lovers and Blues dancing public.
We also offer dance lessons called street blues in order to let all the curious people discover the authentic and vintage sides of this amazing dance that is Blues dancing.
Blues music is a legacy to the African-American populations of the southern United States. These Rhythms have seen the light of day in the Delta region of Mississippi where the cotton fields’ workers expressed their suffering during a hard day’s work. At that time it was mainly singing accompanied by very rudimental instruments. After the Second World War, the availability of new instruments such as electric guitar and harmonica led to a new style of Blues such as “Chicago Blues.” This powerful sound was a great influence for the creation of Rock n Roll. The Blues is and has always been a style where singers and musicians express their sadness (hence the term “having the blues”). This emotional music, created by African Americans, became popular in the 1960s and has influenced new musical styles such as Soul and R&B.
The Blues dance comes from the same origin as its music. Intimate evenings were often held after work where many people would gather around to move to the rhythms of the melancholic sounds of the Blues. A Blues dancer is inspired by the sensations the music gives him to express himself through movement. It may come from sensuality, strength, relaxation, stress, emotions, but the most important is to be deeply connected with the music. Nowadays, Blues dancing is qualified as a social dance. It greatly integrates the concepts of connection between partners, technique, weight transfer, body dynamics and musicality. Despite this more modern approach, it is important for us to teach this dance while respecting its origin at the base, that is to say, the interpretation of the music through emotions.
Feel free to email us to provide some feedback, give us suggestions for new blues events, or to just say hello! Blues Dancing is location in Montreal, Quebec, Canada