Nick Jonczak

In 2012, the annual Fringe Festival was kicked off with a large scale performance unlike anything Philadelphia had seen before. One hundred and fifty residents of all ages and dance backgrounds assembled at the foot of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps, donned in the outfits of their choice, twirling into a rhythmic human kaleidoscope. Le Grand Continental® was a joyous and intoxicating dance spectacle, one that united people from across Philadelphia’s diverse communities and was praised by The Inquirer as “fantastic, a festive opening ceremony” for the Festival.

Celebrated for the elegance and finesse of his choreography, Montreal’s Sylvain Émard is the mastermind behind this acclaimed work. Since its first hometown production in 2009 it has travelled across the globe, gathering together hundreds of dance enthusiasts to perform its sensational choreography, combining festive line dancing with the fluidity and expressiveness of contemporary dance.

In 2018, the Fringe Festival will be ushered in once again with Émard’s unifying work, but with one key difference. As the title Le Super Grand Continental suggests, this time around Émard and his team are doing it bigger and are looking to gather 200 dancers to realize this remarkable performance.