Cas Public

What Cas Public does

Cas Public is a Montréal-based non-profit contemporary dance company founded in 1989 by choreographer Hélène Blackburn. The company produces and tours original contemporary dance works for both young audiences and general adult audiences, with approximately half of its 30+ choreographic productions oriented toward youth. Its repertoire includes landmark works such as Symphonie dramatique (2014), 9 (2016, re-created as 9.2 in 2024), Not Quite Midnight (2018), The Monsters (2019), Love Me Tender (2020), Project Pinocchio (2023), and MIKRO / BARTÓK (2025). Cas Public is recognized internationally as a leader in dance works for children and youth, distinguished by its integration of contemporary dance with classical music and opera, sign language, and spoken word, including collaborations with Deaf artist Cai Glover.

The company's core products are its touring dance productions, supported by complementary service offerings including cultural outreach (school workshops, masterclasses, open classes), an annual choreographic laboratory residency for emerging Quebec choreographers, and studio rental services. Performances are typically 45-55 minutes in duration, scale to 5-9 dancers on salary, and tour internationally. Core technology is not applicable; the company's value lies in its artistic IP, choreographic research, and a 30+ year performance catalog.

Cas Public's business model combines three revenue streams: (1) government arts council funding from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Conseil des arts de Montréal as core operating support; (2) performance revenue from touring at school matinees, evening public shows, and weekend family performances, with the company performing 100+ shows annually across two to three productions active simultaneously; and (3) co-production partnerships with opera houses, theatres, and festivals in France, Belgium, and Canada. International booking is handled exclusively by MAISON VERSO (Canada and global markets) and AGENCE WOERPOOL (Germany and Austria), positioning Cas Public as a touring export-driven arts organization with a calendar of bookings extending into 2027.

Name

Cas Public

Legal name

Cas Public

Website

https://caspublic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cas Public is a Montréal-based non-profit contemporary dance company founded in 1989 that creates and tours original choreographic productions for young and adult audiences internationally, with core funding from Canadian government arts councils and a 100+ performance annual touring calendar across 25+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Dance / Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Training, Workshops & Certification Events (MPAGAGAJ)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance productions
• Youth dance performances
• Choreographic repertoire
• International dance touring
• Cultural outreach workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Cultural Funding: Cas Public receives financial support from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Canada Council for the Arts, and Conseil des arts de Montréal as core operating funding.
2. Performance Revenue: Revenue generated from touring performances internationally, including school matinees, evening performances, and weekend family audience shows at various venues.
3. Co-production Partnerships: Joint production arrangements with venues and festivals including Opéra de Reims, Théâtre du Bic, Opéra de Saint-Étienne, Maison des arts de Créteil, Festival Méli Môme, Kopergietery, and Place des Arts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cas Public creates and tours original contemporary dance productions, with a particular emphasis on works for young audiences. The company develops a repertoire of more than 30 choreographic works performed live at international presenting venues, festivals, and schools, complemented by cultural outreach programs such as masterclasses, school workshops, and an annual choreographic laboratory residency. Revenue is generated through performance fees, co-production partnerships, and recurring Canadian government arts council funding.

Product overview

Cas Public is a Montreal-based contemporary dance company founded in 1989 by choreographer Hélène Blackburn. The company creates works for both young and adult audiences, with approximately half of its 30+ productions oriented toward youth. The portfolio includes touring productions such as MIKRO/BARTÓK (2025), 9.2 (2024 re-creation), Project Pinocchio (2023), Love Me Tender (2020), The Monsters (2019), and Not Quite Midnight (2018), alongside the core repertoire of works dating back to 1986. Complementary activities include studio rentals through PROTO STUDIO, cultural outreach programs (masterclasses, open classes, school workshops), and an annual choreographic laboratory residency program supporting emerging choreographers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MIKRO / BARTÓK A contemporary dance production exploring learning and self-building through the themes of childhood games, language acquisition, and music inspired by Béla Bartók's Mikrokosmos. Created by Hélène Blackburn and Cai Glover, blending movement, speech, and sign language. For international presenters and festival programmers.
• 9.2 A re-creation of the landmark work 9 exploring perception, language, and difference through the lens of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the experience of Deaf dancer Cai Glover. For international presenters and festival programmers.
• Project Pinocchio A family-oriented dance production revisiting the Pinocchio fairy tale through the prism of metamorphosis and transformation. For six dancers with music by Vincent Legault. For international presenters, festivals, and family programming.
• Love Me Tender An in situ contemporary dance work featuring multiple versions for outdoors or indoors, day or night. A hymn to resilience with urban setting and low-tech lighting, featuring music by Martin Tétreault, Dear Criminals, and Alexandre Désilets. For international presenters and festivals.
• The Monsters / Suites Ténébreuses A contemporary dance production in semidarkness exploring childhood imagination and the monsters that inhabit it. First artistic collaboration between Hélène Blackburn and lighting designer Lucie Bazzo. Music by Dear Criminals. For international presenters and family audiences.
• Not Quite Midnight / Cendrillon A contemporary interpretation of the Cinderella fairy tale focusing on resistance and resilience rather than victimhood. Features six dancers with choreography by Hélène Blackburn. For international presenters and general audiences.
• 9 A landmark contemporary dance work exploring Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and themes of perception, language, and inclusion through the experience of Deaf dancer Cai Glover. For international presenters and inclusive programming.
• Suites curieuses A quartet inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, alternating between shadow and light. For audiences aged 4 and up, featuring 45 minutes of dance with puppets and animations. For international presenters and family programming.
• Symphonie dramatique A contemporary adaptation of Romeo and Juliet for eight dancers, exploring seduction, desire, and passion through the music of Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. For audiences aged 10 and up. For international presenters and adult programming.
• GOLD A production inspired by Bach's Goldberg Variations (Glenn Gould version) for five dancers and all audiences aged 4 and up. Duration: 45 minutes. For international presenters and family programming.
• Variations S A production revisiting the Ballets Russes universe, exploring works by Nijinsky, Stravinsky, and Prokofiev. For audiences aged 10 and up. For international presenters and adult programming.
• Studio Rental / PROTO STUDIO Studio space rental services for other dance companies and artists, now operated through PROTO STUDIO led by Nicholas Bellefleur, Cai Glover, and Caroline Namts. Cas Public remains a key partner. For Quebec dance companies and independent choreographers.
• Cultural Outreach Activities Cultural outreach programming including masterclasses, open classes for professional dancers, and school workshops. Both on tour and in Montreal, providing intensive classes and workshops tailored to different groups. For schools, professional dancers, and educational institutions.
• Choreographic Laboratories Seasonal choreographic laboratory residency program inviting emerging choreographers and dance companies from Quebec to support dance research and creation. Includes annual calls for projects. For emerging choreographers and Quebec dance companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ performances annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Opéra de ReimsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Symphonie dramatique (2014) and other productions. Major French opera house in the co-production network.
• Opéra de Saint-ÉtienneflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Symphonie dramatique (2014). Major French opera house in the co-production network.
• Place des Arts de MontréalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Montreal cultural venue and coproduction partner for multiple works including Suites curieuses, 9, and Project Pinocchio.
• KopergieteryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerforming arts centre in Ghent, Belgium. Coproduction partner for '9' (2016), exploring themes of hearing impairment and inclusion.
• Fondation des Sourds du QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on '9' production exploring themes of Deaf culture and hearing impairment.
• Institut Raymond-DewarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided additional support for sign language learning in Suites curieuses production.
• Agora de la danseflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontreal contemporary dance presenter and coproduction partner for multiple works including Not Quite Midnight, Love Me Tender, Project Pinocchio, and MIKRO/BARTÓK. Provides creative residencies.
• Dear CriminalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontreal music trio providing atmospheric music for productions including The Monsters and Love Me Tender.
• Helen Simard / We All Fall Down Interdisciplinary CreationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtistic associate collaboration 2021-2022/2022-2023. Project 'Quand je ferme mes yeux' developed through choreographic laboratory residency.
• Nicholas BellefleurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtistic associate collaboration 2022-2023. Project 'A SAFE(R) SPACE' developed through choreographic laboratory residency.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kidd Pivot: Vancouver-based contemporary dance company founded by Crystal Pite, touring internationally to major venues and festivals. Comparable to Cas Public as a Canadian mid-size contemporary dance company with strong international touring and award-winning repertoire.
• Hofesh Shechter Company: UK-based contemporary dance company known for evening-length touring productions at major venues. Comparable mid-size international touring company with similar performance economics and venue profile.
• Akram Khan Company: UK-based contemporary dance company of choreographer Akram Khan, internationally touring mid-scale productions. Comparable in international touring scale, presenter relationships, and signature works with strong brand recognition.
• Rubberband Dance Group: Montreal-based contemporary dance company under Victor Quijada, performing at major international venues. Direct local and stylistic peer to Cas Public, with similar company size, Montreal base, and international touring footprint.
• Ballet Preljocaj: French contemporary dance company led by Angelin Preljocaj, with large international touring presence. Comparable in touring across major opera houses and family/youth programming direction.
• Compagnie Käfig: French contemporary dance company founded by Mourad Merzouki, blending hip-hop and contemporary dance with international touring. Comparable family/youth-accessible contemporary dance positioning with strong European touring.
• Compagnie Maguy Marin: French contemporary dance company led by Maguy Marin, internationally touring with a sizeable repertoire. Comparable mid-size French-language contemporary dance company with similar touring model and co-production structure.
• Ballets Jazz Montréal: Montreal contemporary dance company with international touring and family/youth programming. Strong local peer with comparable company scale, Montreal base, and cross-discipline contemporary dance approach.

Broad incumbents

• Batsheva Dance Company: Israel's flagship contemporary dance company, much larger in scale. Relevant as a reference point for the upper bound of internationally touring contemporary dance companies with similar artistic depth.

Regional players

• Fondation Jean-Pierre Perreault: Montreal-based contemporary dance heritage company where Hélène Blackburn trained as a dancer before founding Cas Public. Historical and stylistic reference peer rooted in Quebec contemporary dance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/caspublic
• Instagraminstagram.com/caspublic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cas-public

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cas Public