









Intensive training program in Montreal
Professional development in contemporary dance and creative residency
BIG BANG is a 4-month intensive training program in contemporary dance. As a PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, the program supports artists as they solidify their technical toolkit in dance and exposes them to various artistic, cultural and interdisciplinary approaches. Additionally, it provides the students with the opportunity to open their individual practice with a CREATIVE RESIDENCY, which gives personalized support to each student throughout their research and the creation of their work. Artists are given the opportunity to perform their work in a public showcase at the end of each session. BIG BANG is training open to artists from Canada and artists from abroad.
Who should apply ?
This training is suited for artists age 18 and over. Rooted in its transdisciplinary curriculum, it is offered to dancers, performance artists, circus performers, actors or any other individual with a physical and artistic practice. Whether you are self-taught or have previously completed a training program, only artists with a solid and developed technical approach to dance, or a mature physicality and an evident ease and understanding of movement will be admitted into the program. BIG BANG is a dance training program open to foreign students.
Choregraphic laboratories & "work-in-progress" solos
An important part of the BIG BANG is devoted to research and choreographic laboratories. The goal of these laboratories is to support each artist in order to help them to develop research work on their artistic and choreographic authenticity.
At the end of each program, the artists will perform (in front of an audience), a “work-in-progress” version of their solo. A video captation will allow the artists to have quality video support so that they can share it with companies, funding organizations, etc.
What are the educational objectives?
The BIG BANG team focuses on supporting artists in acquiring a solid technical toolkit in dance, opening up and learning a valuable artistic, cultural and interdisciplinary approaches around the body in motion. Throughout the duration of the program, artists will confront their personal technical and physical challenges. Seeing these challenges through will allow the artist to progressively and naturally let go, and enable them to be fully connected with their body, the sensations and the emotions that arise throughout the process. This element of authenticity will allow artists to listen to their instincts and recognize the creative freedom and trust in their process. Through questioning, exchanges, and personalized accompaniment, the artist will develop artistic maturity and their own signature body language.
What is the content of the training?
The BIG BANG curriculum includes technical dance classes (contemporary dance, contemporary ballet barre and urban dance), partnering workshops, floor work, improvisation, choreographic exploration, contact-improvisation, choreographic creation, research and writing labs, workshops in anatomy and functional body movement analysis, discussion panels and workshops addressing various subjects in the dance world.
What is the schedule?
The program involves 357 hours during the span of 17 weeks. Each week of training consists of 20 hours of classes and workshops, Mondays thru Friday from 9 am to 5 pm split in 3 days. The course schedule is structured to allow artists to manage their other responsibilities and jobs, all while taking part in an extended program that is both personalized and demanding. The days of training of the first group are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The training days of the second group are Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
What are the dates of the next programs?
PROGRAMME #10 - WINTER
AUGUST 29 TO DECEMBER 16, 2022
PROGRAM #11 - AUTUMN
JANUARY 23 TO MAY 19, 2023
Where is the training held?
All classes and workshops are held at ESPACE OUVERT in Montréal. The space is 2000 square feet and includes a dressing room, a kitchenette, a study room, a bathroom, a relaxation space/mezzanine and a dancefloor of 1300 feet covered with an Harlequin dance floor.
What are the prices?
FEE FOR PROGRAM #11
- 2 520$ tx. incl.
PAYMENT TERMS
Option 1 : 200$ before 01/12/22and 2320$ before 23/01/22
Option 2 : 200$ before 01/12/22, 630$ before 23/01, 630$ before 20/02, 630$ before 20/03 and 430$ before le 17/04.
NOTE :Stéphanie Decourteille Danse is a recognized educational institution. Students who complete the training may be eligible for a tax credit for tuition fees they have paid.

VIDEO - AUDITION
To attend BIG BANG program 11
January 23 to May 12, 2023
A video-audition process is possible.
Send your resume, along with a letter of intent, a video of a dance improvisation (less than 2 minutes long) and a video of choreographic creation that is less than 5 minutes long
to info@stephaniedecourteille.com
before October 2nd, 2022
Team of teachers and guests speakers #7
Pedagogical Director and Contemporarary dance: Stéphanie Decourteille (+)
Partner: Stéphanie Decourteille (+)
Directed improvisation: Stéphanie Decourteille (+) and Neil Sochasky (+)
Ateliers multidisciplinaires: Maria Borello
Choreographic workshops: Stéphanie Decourteille et Louise Michelle Jackson
Ballet: Stéphanie Decourteille (+)
Capoeira Angola: Fabrice Kioffi
Corps philosophique: Lauranne Faubert-Guay
Danse contemporaine: Charles Alexis Dégagné
Échauffement et prévention: Liliane Moussa (+)
Essentric : Maude Desjardins (+)
FloorWork: Vincent Jutra, Neil Sochasky (+) & Victoria Mackenzie (+)
Gaga: Laura Thomas
Hip Hop FreeStyle: Jaleesa Coligny
House: Dominique Sophie
Interprétation théâtre: Agathe Foucault
Krump: Vlad Laurore (7Star) and Valérie Chartier
Jeux clownesque: La Nab
Jumpstyle: Mathieu Douay
Laboratoire de recherche et de création: Stéphanie Decourteille (+)
Mouvement authentique: Sarah Dell Ava
Nutrition et performance: Alexia De Macar
Pilates: Mathilde Gesseaume Rioux
Acrobatics: Gisle Henriet (+) et Jérémie Robert (+)
Voguing: Brian Mendez
Wushu: Phi Nguyen (+)
Waacking: Marie-Reine Kabasha
Yoga: Sarah Buono Fredette
Research and creation: Stéphanie Decourteille (+)
Workout : Valérie Chartier (+)
Team of teachers and guests speakers
(PREVIOUS PROGRAMS)
Accompagnement de classes / musique Guillaume Biron
Accompagnement de classes / violon : Marie-Pierre Lippens
Ateliers d'improvisation-dirigée : Neil Sochasky
Ateliers d'échanges et discussions : Maud Mazo-Rothenbuhler
Analyse du mouvement : Maud Mazo-Rothenbuhler
Atelier méthode Dalcroze: Françoise Lombard
Boxe chinoise: Phi Nguyen
Breakdance: Sovan Rochon-Prom Tep
Butō : Yesenia Fuentes
Danse contemporaine : Alexia Martel
Dramaturgie / clown / voix : Jean Daniel Senesi
Flexibilité : Itzel Viruega
FreeStyle : P.A.X
Popping / FunkStyle : Venom, Handy Yacinthe
Hip-Hop : Mélanie Kurlz IKG
Interprétation : Gilles Plouffe et Neil Sochasky
Pilates : Noemie Plante
Hip-Hop : Alexandra Spicey Landé, Céline Richard-Robichon
Respiration, voix et mouvement : Be Heintzman Hope
Technique d’équilibre : Marie-Eve Dicaire
Théâtre physique : Jon Lachlan Stewart
Théâtre : Serge Mandeville
Waacking: Black Kat, Lady Deva, Martine Cherry Bruneau

"I was already feeling an intense need to surpass myself physically and push my technique, but after my first experiences with Stephanie and her approach, at the summer workshops, that convinced me to do it. The formula was exactly what I needed, both in terms of physical intensity and diversity. Also, there is the very human side of Stephanie which immediately makes us feel in our place and which supports us. Throughout the training I felt that my body was unlocking and developing new paths through the movements and that my technique in general had come into being in a significant way. I also had the pleasure of noticing that I had developed my physical strength and progressed in areas I would not have believed, such as acrobatics. I recommend the training to any artist who hopes to do that for themselves."
Camille Mougenot
BIG BANG graduate - Program 6
Testimonies
Graduates program #8
2021/08/23 to 2021/12/17
Catherine Jeannotte
Châtelaine Côté-Rioux
Claire Cherriere
Estelle Wecking
Eva André
Fanny B. Poulin
Jacinthe Desjardins
Johanna Simon
Lola Thirard
Marie-Éve Quenneville
Nicole Jacobs
Soléne Laurin-Laliberté
Sarah Lafortune
Rachelle Alexandra Fleury
Graduates program #7
2021/01/25 to 2021/05/21
Antonin Desmarais
Audrey Sargent
Cachou Trudel-Langevin
Laura Borello Bellemare
Samuel Terzis
Sarah Lafortune (+)
Anna-Maude Lamontagne
Camille Mougenot
Camille Scully
Laurie Gaudichon
Jeanne Théroux-Laplante
Marianne Mercier-Dulac
Samuel Terzis
Shania Leblanc
Graduates program #6
2020/08/24 to 2020/12/18
Florine Gall
Samuel Terzis
Sarah Lafortune
Thibault Ayrinhacz
Laura Perron
Samuel Terzis
Graduates program #4
2019/08/26 to 2019/12/19
Graduates program #3
2019/01/14 to 2019/05/09
Graduates program #2
2018/08/28 to 2018/12/16
Aram Dermenjian
Sophia El Iraki
Thaïna Rosinvil
Etienne-St Pierre
Rameez Karim
Sophia El Iraki
Gabriela Jovian-Mazon
Camélia Letendre
Etienne-St Pierre
Pénélope Quevillon
Graduates program #1
16/01 au 04/05/2018
Be Heintzman-Hope
Chanel Cheiban
Chelsea Chen
Shanyca Eli-Leconte
Thaïna Rosinvil
Pénélope Quevillon