Founded in 1972 by Geneviève Salbaing, Eva von Gencsy and Eddy Toussaint, the company has pursued its own unique path over the decades. Very contemporary in its current approach, BJM performances are sexy, explosive, original and accessible, and its superb dancers are widely acclaimed. The term “jazz” in the name refers more to a “jazzing up” of classical ballet rather than a musical or dance style.

Since 1998, BJM has been under the masterly command of Artistic Director Louis Robitaille. His unerring flair for attracting talented choreographers and presenting high calibre dance pieces keeps raising the bar for his team of performers and stage professionals. Mr. Robitaille has presented works by internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Trey McIntyre, Patrick Delcroix, Rodrigo Pederneiras, Mauro Bigonzetti, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Cayetano Soto and Barak Marshall. He is particularly interested in supporting and encouraging Canadian choreographers, composers and designers. The work of celebrated Canadian choreographers such as Dominic Dumais, Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton and more recently of Wen Wei Wang have enriched the BJM repertoire.

BJM is one of Canada’s most popular dance companies. It has presented more than 2,000 performances in 65 countries to more than 2 million spectators, and is a veritable ambassador of Quebec and Canadian culture worldwide.

Beginning its 43^rd season, BJM has achieved a level of maturity and organizational stability while remaining open to the ever-evolving form that is contemporary dance. Its pieces are marked by dynamic physicality, virtuosity and the strong personalities of its performers, all of which contribute to the company’s unique signature. BJM has the remarkable ability to speak clearly to audiences through energetic presentations of strong, expressive and demanding dance. 

Through its performances and educational activities, BJM reaches out to spectators in Canada and abroad, encouraging discovery, stimulating the imagination, making dance accessible and sharing its passion for the art form. The success of BJM is due to the particular alchemy that allows each new work to become the fruit of a memorable encounter between the choreography, the dancers and the audience.