Special Events
FOOTNOTES – Jazz & Tap Fest
May 22-24, 2026
Footnotes highlights the legacy of Lindy Hop and Tap Elders while celebrating jazz dance and Black diasporic cultures. Organized around National Tap Day and World Lindy Hop Day, our event brings together practitioners, community members, and audiences to learn, share, and connect through swinging jazz music and dance, fostering a welcoming space rooted in cultural appreciation and social engagement.
THURSDAY, MAY 21
Join our free hangout with special guest Pr. Lisa Bar (McGill University) to celebrate National Tap Day and World Lindy Hop Day: using historical and contemporary examples, we will explore the relationship between jazz music and tap dance.
FRIDAY, MAY 22
Our Downtown Stomp party will bring together swing and tap dancers from across North America for an evening of social dancing to live music, as well as presentations from our community's performance projects and a fun competition. Start the evening by joining one of our four class options (Intro to Tap or Classic Jazz Routine, followed by Intro to Swing or Open Lindy Hop). We will have the pleasure of hosting the Taylor Donaldson Orchestra, who will perform three sets of live music inspired by jazz big bands of the 1930s. Enjoy a great night of social dancing inspired by the "Home of Happy Feet," and experience Cat's Corner's welcoming atmosphere.
SATURDAY, MAY 23
Saturday afternoon is devoted to workshops for all levels. Our guests, Alyssa Beard and Brandon Barker, Majiza Philip and Travis Knights, Bethany Powell and Stefan Durham will teach all day and share the inspirations and key concepts that spark their dancing. The afternoon will conclude with a tap improvisation session in honor of Ethel Bruneau's craft and legacy. In the great tradition of jazz cabarets, the evening will be dedicated to entertainment, featuring a special show by community members. Stick around for our late night social dancing!
SUNDAY, MAY 24
The festival will close on Sunday with a documentary screening, a discussion panel, playful activities, and a community barbecue. A couple of advanced classes will also be offered by our guests. Families are more than welcome, as we're planning surprises for everyone – stay tuned!
CCX: CAT’S CORNER EXCHANGE
October 30–November 1, 2026
Celebrate our birthday with us at Halloween! A good old fashioned social dance exchange, highlighting the best bands Montreal has to offer on two big beautiful dance floors. Hours and hours of dancing for all levels from Friday evening to late Sunday afternoon. Late nights, bagels, brunches, video clips, stories, costumes, and you!
MORE INFO TO COME SOON ABOUT OUR 2026 EDITION!
Where music is the way to connect
CCX promotes the best of all dance exchanges: the social gathering of dancers from across the continent, the celebration of local gems, snacks and good food, cultural talks, dancing all day and all night long. We have this extra je ne sais quoi, thanks to the magic of Halloween and the Jedi M&M Shenanigans.
Over the past few years, CCX has evolved to become something truly special: our local bands have stepped up to the point where we can now produce a full-on MUSIC FESTIVAL for dancers. Thanks to the set-up of our venue, you can go from one room to the next, with bands playing simultaneously. Want Big Band Swing? Blues? Trad Jazz? Caribbean Jazz? Soul? You name it, we have it ready for you.
Welcome to the world of Cat’s Corner Exchange!
The 9 CCX orchestras
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Jennifer Bell & Streetnix
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Otis Ali Blues Band
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Michael Johancsik Rhythm n Blues
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Michaël Srey Legacy Sextet
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Taylor Donaldson Orchestra
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Michaël Srey Carribean/Latin Legacy Band
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Edith Hazel & That Old Feeling Orchestra (Trad Jazz)
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Michaël Srey Soul Legacy Band
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Michaël Srey Legacy Quartet
Full program CCX 2025
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FRIDAY
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SATURDAY
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SUNDAY
VERNACULAR SPECTACULAR
April 25-27, 2025 (on hold in 2026)
with Chester Whitmore, Marie N’Diaye, Sarah Elola and Raoul Wilke!
Vernacular Spectacular is all about centreing the Blackness of Jazz Dances. The guest artists are part of a wider cultural context of Black diasporic cultures, rich in multiple experiences and deep cultural memory. Vernacular Spectacular aims to create an opportunity for immersion through movement and music, and to give us a chance to transform our collective experience of jazz dance.
Three days of training, education and parties with more than 12 hours of classes, two discussion panels, and two evenings of dancing with the Michaël Srey Legacy Band, swing, soul, funk, Latin-Caribbean music, Saturday late night, and midnight buffet. Check out the 2024 booklet for reference.
