FONDATION DE DANSE MARGIE GILLIS

What FONDATION DE DANSE MARGIE GILLIS does

Fondation de Danse Margie Gillis is a Canadian non-profit organization founded in 1981 to support, preserve, and transmit the choreographic work of dancer and choreographer Margie Gillis. The foundation maintains a catalog of more than 150 original works, a subset of which is integrated into the Canada Council for the Arts' "DANCE" collection, and operates an active legacy and transmission program — the Legacy Project — engaging 19 international dancers to carry forward Gillis's methodology. The foundation pursues its mission through performances, artist residencies, workshops, classes, and international touring, with a documented presence at venues and festivals including Tanz im August (Berlin), Festival d'Automne (Paris), and the Venice Biennale. Programming is delivered from two locations: the Montreal headquarters and an Acton Vale residency site.

The foundation's revenue model combines earned and contributed income: individual donations, ticket sales from live performances, merchandise, workshop and class fees, and grants from Canadian public arts funders including the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) and the Canada Council for the Arts. Margie Gillis herself remains the central artistic asset, recognized at the highest levels of Canadian distinction (Order of Canada, Knight of the Ordre national du Québec, Governor General's Performing Arts Award). Operations are supported by a small core team of approximately seven staff. The foundation functions as a hybrid arts production and heritage institution, with the additional strategic objective of preserving the founder's artistic legacy for future generations of dancers and audiences.

Name

FONDATION DE DANSE MARGIE GILLIS

Legal name

Fondation de danse Margie Gillis

Website

https://margiegillis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fondation de Danse Margie Gillis is a Canadian non-profit founded in 1981 that preserves, performs, and transmits the choreographic work of Margie Gillis through residencies, touring, and a Legacy Project, serving audiences, dancers, and arts institutions in Canada and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Contemporary Dance

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance performances
• Dance workshops
• Artistic residencies
• Choreographic repertoire
• Performing arts foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising campaigns supporting the foundation's operations, artistic residencies, and touring productions. Tax receipts issued for donations of $20 or more.
2. Performance Tickets: Revenue from touring performances, including The Soul of the Poet, Literature of the Body, and OLD, presented at venues across Quebec and internationally.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of MGDF tote bags, books, and other merchandise through the foundation's shop, with proceeds supporting creative initiatives.
4. Workshop Fees: Registration fees for workshops including Dancing from the Inside Out, Murmuration, and guided movement meditation sessions, offered at various venues including Hollyhock.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The foundation produces, tours, and presents contemporary dance choreography by Margie Gillis via live performances, houses and transmits the Legacy Project repertoire, and offers movement workshops, artistic residencies, and dance films. It also distributes related merchandise (tote bags) and an artist's book to support its creative mission.

Product overview

The Margie Gillis Dance Foundation (Fondation de danse Margie Gillis) is a nonprofit dance organization founded in 1981 by choreographer and dancer Margie Gillis. The organization operates as a single unified artistic entity offering live contemporary dance performances (touring productions), educational workshops (Dancing from the Inside Out, Murmuration), artistic residencies in Acton Vale, film productions, and published works. The core offerings include touring performances featuring works by Margie Gillis such as L'âme du poète (2025), Âgée (2023), and Littérature du corps (2022); the Legacy Project (Projet Héritage) dedicated to transmitting her creative repertoire to new generations; workshops teaching her movement methodology; artistic residencies supporting choreographic development; film productions created with filmmaker Louis-Martin Charest; and merchandise through the MGDF Shop. The organization is based in Montreal, Quebec.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Projet Héritage / Legacy Project: An initiative dedicated to transmitting Margie Gillis's creative history, repertoire, and humanist vision to a new generation of dance artists.
• Projet St. Mark
• MGDF Shop

Products and services

• L'âme du poète (The Soul of the Poet) A 2025 evening-length contemporary dance production paying tribute to poet Gilles Vigneault, performed by nine dancers featuring Margie Gillis's choreography combined with Vigneault's songs and poetry. Presented at cultural venues across Quebec.
• ÂGÉ (OLD) A 2023 solo performance by Margie Gillis exploring aging through movement, set to music by Sebastian Zawadzki, Rhiannon, Jacques Brel, and others.
• Littérature du corps (Literature of the Body) A 2022 double-bill production examining vulnerability, forced social change, and the joy of life, comprising two group works including one inspired by James Joyce's Ulysses.
• Touring Performances Live contemporary dance performances presented at venues across Quebec, Canada, and internationally, featuring works by Margie Gillis and Legacy Project dancers.
• Dance Films Cinematic works including Covivide, Un temps irrégulier, Circular Labyrinth, When Dreaming Molly, L'essence qui reste, and Crow, created in collaboration with filmmaker Louis-Martin Charest.
• Legacy Project (Projet Héritage) A program dedicated to transmitting Margie Gillis's creative repertoire and humanist vision to a new generation of dance artists, uniting an international cohort of 19 performers committed to active transmission of her work.
• Dancing from the Inside Out Workshops Movement workshops exploring the connection between thought, feeling, spirit, and body, adapted for students, professionals, and general public in durations from 2 hours to 2 weeks. Offered at Hollyhock retreat center and other venues.
• Murmuration Workshop A collaborative workshop bringing together dancers and singers to explore collective human expression through voice and movement improvisation, taught with musician Rhiannon at Hollyhock and the International Body Music Festival.
• Master Classes Professional-level workshops lasting 1-2 hours offering dancers techniques to rediscover body wisdom and encourage experimentation and reflection.
• Conference-Demonstrations Presentations featuring short excerpts from Margie Gillis's repertoire with explanations of inspiration and creative process on chosen themes.
• Artistic Residencies in Acton Vale Choreographic and interdisciplinary development residencies held at St. Mark's Church in Acton Vale, including public presentations (6 to 7 performances) and community outreach activities. The 2025 summer residency program welcomed over 350 guests.
• Mentorship Artistic development support for emerging dance artists, including mentorship of choreographers such as Kyle Abraham, Adam Barruch, Chelsea Bonosky, Kate Hilliard, Troy Ogilvie, and Susan Paulson.
• Nature it is - Artist's Book An artist's book written by Kate Hilliard offering an intimate look into Margie Gillis's inspiration and creative process, exploring how nature's forces shape her dance art.
• MGDF Merchandise (Tote Bags) MGDF tote bags in Big (12 oz./yd² heavy cotton canvas, 3 colors) and Small (6 oz./yd² 100% cotton, 2 colors) variants, screen-printed in Quebec by Elektrek Clothing, with proceeds supporting the foundation's creative mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 350 attendees at 2025 summer residency program in Acton Vale
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hollyhock Retreat CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Dancing from the Inside Out and Murmuration workshops. Located on Cortes Island, BC, Hollyhock provides an immersive learning environment and supports accessibility through its scholarship program.
• CAPAScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBooking agent for Quebec region, handling performance bookings and venue relationships for touring productions.
• Les MalchausséesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducing partner for the International Body Music Festival 2026 in Quebec City, collaborating on programming.
• PLAYGROUNDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner for the International Body Music Festival 2026 in Quebec City.
• LA TRESSEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner and artistic collaborator. The collective LA TRESSE, co-founded by Geneviève Boulet, works on joint projects including L'âme du poète.
• Festival Quartiers DansesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual festival partner presenting performances and new works. The foundation regularly participates in this Montreal-based contemporary dance festival.
• Transformation DanseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Montreal dance festival hosting workshops and performances. Margie Gillis teaches Dancing from the Inside Out at this festival.
• Montreal Fringe FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFestival partner supporting the foundation's visibility and community engagement in Montreal.
• RhiannoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing artistic collaborator on the Murmuration project, bringing together dancers and singers to explore collective human expression through voice and movement improvisation. Collaboration spans from Montreal to Hawaii.
• Louis-Martin CharestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilmmaker and artistic collaborator who has created numerous dance films with Margie Gillis including Covivide, Un temps irrégulier, Circular Labyrinth, When Dreaming Molly, L'essence qui reste, and Crow.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Batsheva Dance Company: Internationally renowned contemporary dance company with a distinctive choreographic methodology (Gaga) and educational transmission programs. Comparable as a founder-driven institution that has institutionalized its artistic language into teaching and repertory.
• Compagnie Marie Chouinard: Montreal-based contemporary dance company led by a single iconic choreographer. Directly comparable as a founder-driven contemporary dance organization producing touring works, workshops, and residencies in the same Quebec ecosystem.
• Ballet Jazz Montréal: Montreal contemporary dance company with a touring repertoire and educational outreach programs. Comparable as a Quebec-based dance company balancing performance, touring, and community programming.
• Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: German dance-theater company continuing to perform and transmit the choreographic legacy of Pina Bausch. Directly comparable as an institution managing artistic transmission of a founder's singular methodology after the founder's passing.
• O Vertigo: Montreal contemporary dance company with a strong choreographic identity and touring repertoire. Directly comparable as a Quebec-rooted contemporary dance ensemble producing original works for international audiences.
• La La La Human Steps: Iconic Montreal-based contemporary dance company known for choreographic innovation and international touring. Comparable as a founder-led Quebec contemporary dance brand with international recognition.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Iconic American modern dance company with a founder-driven legacy, extensive repertoire, educational programming (Ailey School), and nationwide/international touring. Highly comparable as a dance institution built around a single legendary choreographer's vision.
• Les Grands Ballets Canadiens: Montreal's largest dance company with broader repertoire spanning classical and contemporary works. Comparable as a major Quebec dance institution but operates at significantly larger scale and with different artistic scope.
• Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT): Major international contemporary dance company with extensive repertoire, touring, and educational programming. Comparable as an internationally touring contemporary dance institution with a deep choreographic library.

Emerging players

• DV8 Physical Theatre: UK-based contemporary dance-theater company with strong touring and educational programming. Comparable as a contemporary dance company producing touring works and engaging with educational and workshop programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-de-danse-margie-gillis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 FONDATION DE DANSE MARGIE GILLIS