In 2023, Cat’s Corner has become a Non Profit Organization

Many of you have told us that our values can be felt when you walk through the door, and many of you have encouraged us to tell our story so that others can hear us, and appreciate what is actually going on behind the scene. 
So first of all, thank you from the bottom of our heart to those who support us tirelessly and give meaning to everything we do.
Here is the story of our last 4 years.

Continue reading “In 2023, Cat’s Corner has become a Non Profit Organization”

Our social enterprise and circular economy project

These two years have been full intense reflections that have allowed us to make some radical decisions. These choices sometimes seem counter intuitive to the needs of a business: to generate revenue, to meet demand, to be equipped with every possible promotional strategy to sell registrations and fill dance classes.

The biggest decision we made last year was to move to the southwest, to Pointe St. Charles, to a community organization.
This choice was driven by a vision:

Continue reading “Our social enterprise and circular economy project”

Swing l’Été is Back this summer 2022!

On August 20th and September 17th, Swing l’Été is back by popular demand! Same summery atmosphere, by the water, picnic on the grass and dancing all afternoon.
We will start with an all level swing dance class (beginners welcome) at 1pm and end the dance about 5pm.

Practical information can be found on the website: www.swinglete.ca

FREE admission. Swing dancing for all.
When: 1PM – 5PM
Where: Serres de Verdun
Toilets on site

Register on Facebook to receive useful information shared before and during the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1211926222954093/

Dance class for kids

TAP PROGRAM FOR KIDS (from September to June)

If you’re interested in having dance classes in your organization/school, a one-time workshop or an after-school program, we’d be happy to discuss it with you. Email us!

We are a social economy NPO. Accessibility is a priority for us. Full-fare tickets enable us to finance reduced fares. Please refer to our pricing policies: https://www.catscorner.ca/en/prices-and-policies/

Where: Classes take place at our venue, 1956 rue Frontenac (in front of Frontenac metro)

When: We plan to reopen kids dance classes in September 2024. We’ll offer charleston, lindy hop and tap classes! Open house in September and January. Write to us to express your interest at info@catscorner.ca!

It is highly recommended to register to the whole year for the best progression and training.

Children with learning challenges are welcome in our classes, with a limit of 2 children per class.

End of year SHOW: Everyone will learn a choreography to perform at the end of session shows in December and June. A buffet of healthy snacks will be offered. Guests are welcome.

Class descriptions here

Pricing:

You will have the option of paying the whole session at once or through instalments.
A 10% discount is offered for each additional sibling.

KIDS (45-60min)
– Creative dance 3-4 yo
– Tap Beg 5-7 yo
– Tap Beg 8-12 yo
– Tap Interm 8-12 yo
– Tap Adv 9-15 yo
$210/$250/$315 for a commitment per season. Instalment offered.

For families in need, you can refer to our sliding scale offers.
For any questions or requests, contact us at info@catscorner.ca / 514-874-9846

About the program:

Since 2019, with our Cat’s Corner families growing up, the school has started offering tap and swing dance classes for our younger ones, from age 3 to 14yo.

The program is currently led by Majiza Philip, tap dancer and choreographer with more than 15 years of experience teaching kids of all ages. More about her below.

MAJIZA PHILIP

Grand child of legendary dancer Ethel Bruneau, Montreal Queen of Tap from Harlem, NY, Majiza has started training with her grand mother at the age of 3, and later with actor Don Jordan.
Among her many accomplishments, she and her sister were selected to dance at the Governor General’s Awards. She danced on the stage of Jazz Fest in 1998 with the Big Band Vic Vogel, following which she got a role at Nathalie Simard’s Décibel show. Between 2009 and 2013, she was a choreographer at Segal Centre for performing arts.

Majiza excels in the art of teaching like a second nature. She’s shared her love for tap in numerous schools: the Segal Center “Broadway Kids” after school program, the Cameron dance school, the Sport-Study program at Massey-Vanier high school in Cowansville, at the Académie de danse de Montréal and various elementary schools on the Island of Montreal. We feel extremely lucky to have her among us at Cat’s Corner Swing Dance School.

Majiza is able to connect with each of her students, kids and adults, and see every ones’ own qualities and personalities. She guides her classes with the awareness of each student’s specific needs while creating a very friendly and supportive atmosphere. She manages to bring together a sense of rigour with kindness and real fun! She’s truly a gem of a teacher!

In the summer 2021: in person classes and a new space

In June, we start our outdoor programming. Our weekly meetups in the Lafontaine Parc were very popular last year. So we’re back at it!
Thursday Jazz Dance (solo) and Saturday Lindy Hop & co (partnered). Those evenings often ended with a spontaneous picnic. You are warmly invited. We can’t wait to see you all!

Starting June 15th, it is also the beginning of a long awaited partnership with a well loved community organization in Pointe St Charles (métro Charlevoix) : Share the Warmth. We are very excited to start building solid relationships in this community and we invite you to join us in this process.
We will be dancing in their gorgeous space on Tuesdays for 2 dance classes/week.

It’s also time to enjoy our last month at our beloved studio on the 3rd floor of 3451 bld St Laurent.
Come visit us in June to say hi, say bye, practice, take a private lesson with Majiza, rent our space one last time. The garage sale is still going. Come buy a couch. We’ll give you a good price! 🙂
Email us at info@catscorner.ca

Everything is in our latest newsletter. Sign up to keep up with all the news !

December session

December online session is flexible and varied. From Dec 1st to 19th, 3 weeks until the holidays, come warm up your body and soul to the best big band jazz and meet the nicest people to swing with you!

  • Choose 1 class, 1 day 1 time.
  • Choose 1 session, same day same time for 3 continuous weeks!
  • Don’t choose and take it ALL to extend the fun for as much as you can jazz.

The calendar is full of dancers who can’t wait to share their love and curiosity for jazz with you.
Our friend Amilia, the registration platform, is ready to bring you in. Come along and let’s dance!

To access our last newsletter, click below:

Cat’s Corner studios reopening, October 2020

A new session of classes will begin indoors the week of October 5th. Registrations are open! Treat yourself! Dance is not a luxury, it’s a human need.

It seems crucial that dance, music, culture be present in our lives. It’s important to us, it’s important to you. If you feel the swing, then we’d be honoured to feel all the feels of it along with you.

We’ve published the revised guidelines and policies for the context of the pandemic we are facing together. We are putting everything we can in place to offer an environment that is both rational and safe. We will continue to learn and adapt our practices to be at your best service.

Welcome back!

Online classes

Starting today, you will be able to take your dance classes again! Join us on our YouTube Channel and follow us on Facebook to stay updated on all our activities during this time of social isolation.
The details of the participation are available HERE.

We are still allowed to dance. Dance is even quite essential to help us lift our spirits, to stay connected with our communities and keep our bodies in movement. We will be with you in your living room, on your balcony, strutting with you on your daily walk around the block. You are not alone. We will keep on dancing, all together!