The Kairos Festival is an annual street dance event organized by the Forward Movements company since 2019. Mainly focused on creativity and authenticity, the Kairos Festival brings together artists from here and elsewhere, around conferences, workshops and Hip Hop and Popping & Boogaloo dance battles. It takes place in the Saint-Michel district of Montreal.
WHAT DOES KAIROS MEAN?
In philosophy, Kairos refers to the opportune moment. This is a concept from ancient Greece which, along with Aion (cyclic time) and Chronos (linear time) defines the notion of time. To benefit from kairos is to know how to seize this moment when our desires and the course of things coincide.
BEFORE KAIROS FESTIVAL…
History : The Battle Chaos Unleashed was a legendary event in the popping scene in Montreal and internationally (from 2010 to 2018). It was first organized by Ford Mckeown Larose and then taken over by the Forward Movements company. In 2018, after 9 editions, we decided to close this chapter to devote ourselves to other projects including the Kairos Festival.
2022 EDITION
This edition brought together local and international artists around discussions, workshops, dance sessions and a Hip Hop and Boogaloo/Popping dance battle ! We also had the pleasure of welcoming the French company Art-Track to present the very first Canadian edition of the HIP HOP GAMES: an international event bridging the gap between research, battle and performance. Dancers shared the stage in a participatory creation at the crossroads of disciplines (DJ, Beat Box, Rap, Video).
We would like to thank for their support: le Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, le Conseil des arts du Canada, le Conseil des arts de Montréal, la Ville de Montréal, la TOHU, Patrimoine Canada, la compagnie Art-Track (Hip Hop Games), l’Institut Français ,le M-A-I, le Théâtre La Chapelle, Circuit-Est, Studio Ed, la Caisse Desjardins du Centre-est de la Métropole, Battle BAD, The Choice is YourZ, N’terludes, l’arrondissement Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension, VSMS, Charlebois and Mange dans mon Hood (La Belle Tonki)
Thank you to all the artists, the judges and the public for your presence and your energy!
2021 EDITION
The third edition of the Kairos Festival took place from June 30th to July 4th, 2021. This year’s theme was music, a central element of street dance. Whether it’d be through beatmaking (with local artists), live music or freestyle, dancers had to use their ears to express themselves in the best way possible.
Forward Movements would like to thank le Conseil des arts de Montréal for its financial support, as well as la Ville de Montréal. A huge thank you also to Centre Lasallien St-Michel,La Belle Tonki and Librairie Racines !
2020 EDITION
For the second edition of the Kairos Festival, in compliance with local and provincial sanitary measures, the Forward Movements team offered an event 100% online, 100% free and 100% focused on knowledge and sharing! Five conferences took place from November 5th to December 3rd, 2020.
Thank you to the hosts and panellists: Rashaad Hasani Pearson, Buddha Stretch, Kosi Eze, Vladimir “7Starr” Laurore, Pierre “P-Boogie” Ivan Arreola, Anaïs “Rise” Chloé Gilles, Yannice “Vilain” Ouellet aka Jr Taminator, Samantha Shayla Hinds, Krystina Dejean, Bruce Ykanji et Alexandra “Spicey” Landé.
2019 EDITION
The first edition of the Kairos Festival took place from October 23rd to 27th, 2019 in the heart of Montreal’s Saint-Michel district and offered:
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A conference on creativity in Hip Hop and Popping & Boogaloo, with Buddha Stretch, Djidawi, Cintia and Rashaad, at the Maison d’Haïti.
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Hip Hop and Popping & Boogaloo dance workshops, with MT POP, Cintia, Rashaad, Djidawi, Kosi and Buddha Stretch, at the Maison d’Haïti.
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Hip Hop dance battles and Popping & Boogaloo, at the Perle Retrouvée.
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A creative battle “Creative Interactions” at the Maison d’Haïti.