Vernacular Jazz dancing
comes to Montreal

Jazz Happening brings the Africanness of jazz to the forefront

By Byron Toben

April 4, 2024

Just as Jazz music is largely improvisational, so is Jazz dancing, which originated from many styles developed by unknown members of the public, hence, Vernacular, over the years. Its roots are in the enslaved West African slaves, themselves from different traditions – the Asante, Iglo, Mossi and Yoruba tribes – but having similarities in uninhibited dance assembling in a ring and then solo or duets with arm, pelvic and hand movement as opposed to the European-influenced “street jazz” which was more puritanical. Wikipedia lists some thirty influences going into the Vernacular, which I knew or had heard of, such as the Lindy Hop, the Charleston and the Cake Walk.

In Canada, the Vernacular jazz dance events were popularized in Toronto by Holla Jazz and its production Floor’d in 2018. Now in Montreal, Jazz Happening (an ode to Vernacular Jazz) took place on March 22, 23 and 24. Organized by Alice Bourgasser, a choreographer and Lindy Hop champion, its purpose was “to bring the Africanness of jazz to the forefront for the general public.”

I attended the March 24 event held at the Plaza Theatre on St-Hubert. The first half was a demonstration by some famous performers. The second half had the estimated 800 attendees remove their portable orchestra seats and participate in what might be called a mass rave dance.

Seated on the balcony, I was in an excellent position to view the many talented dancers. I recognized some hip-hop and Latin influences in addition to the aforementioned influences.

The on-stage experts included: Remy Kouakou Kouame of France, DJ and co-organizer of the World Swing championships in his first Quebec visit; Rémy Saminadin of Quebec, a jazz drummer trained in France; Miche Love of Quebec, a singer with her band of blues and soul music; Eyal Vilner of the United States who plays saxophone, clarinet and flute; and Jean-Sebastien Leblanc of Quebec, a clarinetist and leader of the Early Jazz Band for the evening.

The first half was a demonstration by some famous performers. The second half had the estimated 800 attendees remove their portable orchestra seats and participate in what might be called a mass rave dance.

All in all, a lively and enjoyable evening. I was tempted to join in the dancing despite my present cane but settled for watching from above.

Notice to future visitors to Plaza Theatre: there is no direct entrance to the ground-level orchestra floor. Viewers must first mount three flights of stairs up with limited guard rails to the balcony and then down again to the orchestra floor. I would love to see the Vernacular Jazz Ensemble again, but hesitate to navigate the Plaza Theatre once more.

So, check out the Vernacular Spectacular at various times from April 11 to 14 at catscorner.ca

Images: Phil Latour

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Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated websites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner, and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.