Turn your passion
for dance into a career

Upcoming auditions at ESBQ, a leading dance school for aspiring professionals

December 17, 2025 • Advertorial

A dance studio, music playing… In the centre of the room, young dancers focus on their ballet, hip-hop or contemporary exercises. In just a few minutes, a jury can spot potential, curiosity, a unique way of embodying the music. For many dance artists, it all begins there: with an audition.

The École supérieure de ballet du Québec is a gateway to a world where dance passion blends with rigour and expert guidance.

For families in Westmount and Montreal who wish to offer their children high-level dance training, the 2026 auditions of the École supérieure de ballet du Québec are a privileged gateway into an exceptional environment, where a passion for dance goes hand-in-hand with rigour and strong educational support.

École supérieure de ballet du Québec: 60 years of excellence in 2026

A leading institution located in the heart of the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood (Laurier metro station), the École supérieure de ballet du Québec (ESBQ) is the only French-language institution in North America to offer ballet training of international calibre. It was founded in 1966 by pioneer Ludmilla Chiriaeff, who also founded Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

From the outset, the École supérieure was conceived as a true professional springboard: a place where young artists can develop both their technique and artistic sensitivity, while benefiting from rigorous pedagogical guidance.

In 2026, the École supérieure will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Over six decades, hundreds of graduates have gone on to shine on primary stages here and abroad, notably with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the sister company with which ESBQ maintains a historic affiliation.

For families that place great importance on education, culture and their children’s overall health, the school offers a highly structured environment where passion, rigour and well-being go hand-in-hand.

Auditions: the first step in a demanding and inspiring journey

Auditioning is a key step in being admitted to the professional performance program. It allows the jury to meet candidates, observe their technique, musicality and coordination, and assess their capacity to commit to a high-level dance-study program.

Two excellent pathways are available:

• the Classical Dance Program, for elementary, high school and college students;
• the Multidance Program, for high school students (Secondary I to V).

In both cases, it is a deeply human and artistic journey, supported by a network of partner schools that provide strong academic support: Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie and Cégep du Vieux Montréal. Together, they enable young people to reconcile an intensive dance schedule with a full academic path.

Classical Dance Program
Tutus, pirouettes and breathtaking feats

The Classical Dance Program is intended for elementary, high school and college students who show strong potential in ballet. From age 10 to 20, students progress through four learning cycles, from Junior to Superior levels, leading to a college diploma (DEC) in classical dance performance.

Teaching focuses on:

• building a solid technical foundation in ballet;
• musicality and artistic quality;
• preparing students for a career in classical or contemporary dance.

Guided by an experienced teaching team and accompanied by specialized pianists, students also benefit from complementary services in nutrition, health and well-being. The goal is to support their physical and mental development over the long term and help them meet the demands of professional training with healthy, sustainable reference points.

Every year, the renowned company Les Grands Ballets Canadiens hires graduates from this program. In fact, more than a third of the company’s dancers received their training at ESBQ. For Westmount families, this program is a long-term investment: it offers their children an environment where the discipline of ballet is combined with reflection on life balance, injury prevention and the building of a strong artistic identity.

Classical Dance audition: Sunday, January 25, 2026
Learn more

Multidance Program: versatility, creativity, fun and pushing your limits

Since 2025, ESBQ has expanded its offering by integrating a Multidance Program directly into its professional training. Designed for high school students (Secondary I to V), this dance-study pathway explores a wide range of styles: contemporary dance, hip hop, commercial dance, ballet, flamenco, breakdance, improvisation, and more. The goal? To train versatile artists who can move with ease between different choreographic worlds while consolidating solid technique and a strong artistic identity.

For young people who are passionate about dance but torn between several styles, the Multidance Program provides a tailored answer: it allows them to explore, gradually specialize, and consider not only careers in performance, but also further studies in creation, teaching, cultural mediation or other performing arts professions.

The program combines:

• Rigour: a number of dance hours comparable to the classical program, a clear structure and high expectations;
• Creativity: creation projects, improvisation, collaborations and openness to current aesthetics;
• Innovation: constant dialogue with the realities of contemporary performance, urban dances and hybrid practices;
• Health and well-being: coaching and specialized workshops (nutrition, mental performance, etc.).

Multidance audition: Sunday, February 1, 2026
Learn more

The Nutcracker: over 100 students on stage with Les Grands Ballets

For many families, The Nutcracker immediately evokes the magic of the holiday season. Thanks to its affiliation with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the École supérieure offers its students a rare opportunity: to perform in the company’s iconic production presented every year at Place des Arts and, for specific roles, at the Grand Théâtre de Québec or at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

Each fall, auditions are held at ESBQ to assign children’s and teenagers’ roles. In total, more than 100 students from the École supérieure take part in this flagship production, whether they are enrolled in the Classical Dance Program, the Multidance Program or the recreational program.
Educationally and personally, the experience is truly formative:

• immersion in a professional environment;
• a privileged relationship with the stage, costumes, lighting and orchestra;
• a shared sense of pride for families, who see their children grow through
  a major production of the classical repertoire.

For parents, The Nutcracker offers a concrete illustration of what it means to commit to the École supérieure: it is not simply about taking dance classes, but about joining a complete artistic ecosystem, where daily training is closely linked to major stage experiences.

A pivotal choice for a young person’s future

Choosing a professional dance school is an important decision that involves the entire family. At the École supérieure de ballet du Québec, dance is not seen as an isolated activity, but as a comprehensive educational project: artistic development, academic success, physical and mental health, healthy lifestyle habits, as well as openness to the world and to contemporary issues.

For 60 years, ESBQ has been proud to train talented dancers who are committed, curious and capable of innovation. In its studios, students above all cultivate rigour, perseverance and motivation—qualities that will serve them well, whatever career path they choose.

For parents whose children’s faces light up the moment they start to dance, the 2026 auditions may well be the beginning of a journey that transforms this passion into a true horizon for the future.

And for children who are not yet ready to commit to a professional program, ESBQ also offers an extensive recreational program (ballet, K-Pop, etc.) and a creative summer day camp. These activities allow them to discover dance in a warm, structured environment, while enjoying the same inspiring setting as students in the professional programs.

École supérieure de ballet du Québec

Maison de la danse du Québec Ludmilla-Chiriaeff
4816 Rivard
Montreal (Quebec) H2J 2N6

www.esbq.ca

Images : Sasha Onyshchenko

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École supérieure de ballet du Québec (ESDQ) fosters versatility, creativity, and the courage to move beyond boundaries. Its diverse teaching methods allow every student to receive training that nurtures their unique talent and future aspirations.