Journees de la culture

Les Journees de la culture happen every year in QC...so I'm not quite sure why this year is the first year that I've gone since I've moved here. I think last year it showed up on my radar, but the even had already passed. So I bookmarked it and put it in my calendar for this year. Definitely at the top of my list for the event was to go to the Cirque du Soleil headquarters. I've always liked Cirque and have seen many of their shows. There's a show coming to the city at the end of the year, so if I'm around, I'll definitely get tickets.
There are so many events offered as part of Les Journees. When I filtered the list to ones in my area, the list was still super long. There were a couple open dance rehearsals that I thought might be interesting. As were workshops offered by the École de joaillerie et de métaux d’art de Montréal and the Centre des métiers du cuir de Montréal. With some other commitments that weekend, I ended up only having the Saturday to take in the festivities so I focused on the Cirque. I went to the headquarters as I'd always wanted to and it was awesome. I sat in on some open rehearsals of performers learning acts of touring shows, walked through the costume departments, and even tried my hand at plate spinning (success!!!) and the diabolo (not as much). On the Cirque property was a massive garden (kale, brussels sprouts, eggplants, squash...) and some apple trees. Strangely, that was the most impressive part of my visit.
Just across the street was the École nationale de cirque, which also opened its doors for the weekend. There, I got to watch some of the senior students put on performances that were in the works for their final end of the year show. I try to go to the end of the year shows every year. The productions always good, and the prices so affordable as compared to shows put on by professional companies. Anyway, many of the performances seemed to include a contemporary dance vibe to it. I wonder if that's a current trend in the field or maybe it's coincidental that the performers all have that component in their work. Maybe it's strategic to show that they are a multifaceted performer for when they hit the job market. Already impressive, I wondered what differences there were compared to the professionals already hired by Cirque.
Anyway, it was nice to get out in to the city and have an extra opportunity to appreciate the arts. Hopefully it will be a regular event in my calendar each year.