JOAT Festival Returns to Montreal for 10th Edition of Street Dance

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The festival will feature battles at Club Soda with judges Mr Wiggles and Acky in the Quartier des Spectacles.

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Following the success of the 2025 edition, JOAT Festival international de street dance will return September 1 to 7, 2026, in co-production with Danse Danse. The program includes: Breaking, Hip Hop and Popping battles, Music Composer battles, free introductory street dance workshops, master classes, conferences, an art market and much more to discover the world of street dance. As always, the event takes place in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, for all ages, and includes tons of free outdoor activities. Through its diverse programming, the festival's artistic director Handy Yacinthe highlights the street dance community, presenting local and internationally acclaimed performers.

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In a one-on-one format, artists will take turns improvising to music chosen live by the DJ, with an MC leading the way. International judges will then select the winners in each category. Among the distinguished judges is Mr Wiggles, a renowned Breaking star from the Bronx and member of one of the oldest breaking collectives, MASS, three-time champion of the Red Bull BC One Canada national finals and a two-time winner of the JOAT Breaking Finale, and Acky, a world champion and one of the most influential figures in popping. DJ FLEG, whom we saw as the breaking DJ at the 2024 Olympics, will be back this year.

More than 250 dancers are expected to compete in the Prelims, which will take place during the day on the Esplanade de la Place des Arts. On the basis of a solo improvisation, 16 finalists will be selected to participate in the final battle at Club Soda. All finalists will receive a cash prize, a festival feature that's uncommon in the world of battles.

Since its beginnings, the Festival has opened its doors to all generations with the JOAT KidzBattle, an All Styles dance battle for kids and pre-teens with Urban-Element Zone. For a second year, the KidzBattles will be held in the same format as the adults: the finals will take place at Club Soda in the presence of international judges. In order to give everyone the chance to participate, the contestants will not be chosen in advance, but will have to go through the selection process at Place des Arts' Espace Culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme.

This year, JOAT Festival's media partner Stance welcomes global phenomenon and street dance prodigy MIYU as a special battle guest. Originally from Indonesia with over 1 million fans on Instagram, at only 12 years old she has rapidly risen on the international stage, captivating audiences with her exceptional mastery of movement and magnetic energy.

The JOAT Festival will begin on September 1 with CHÔRA, a performance by artist PAX, presented in collaboration with the Société des arts technologiques (SAT), a first for the festival. With a background in street dance, PAX is a choreographer and performer who has developed a multidisciplinary practice that blends improvisation, visual arts, video, film, and new technologies.

As always, audiences are invited to gather and take part in all of the free activities at the Esplanade at Place des Arts. Young and not-so-young alike can also take part in introductory street dance workshops open to all skill levels.

The Festival will shine a spotlight on two partner dances with distinct influences and rhythms. Audiences will discover konpa, a dance originating from Haïti presented for the very first time at JOAT, and hustle in a vibrant and festive initiation workshop.

At the same time, master classes will be given by battle judges and international guests, offering a unique opportunity for dance enthusiasts and novices alike. The festival will also feature the SPOT Session, a free practice area for all street dance lovers, hosted by 100lux. This edition will see the return of the MKA Sessions krump battle-performances, and confrontations between music composers with C'est quoi les DAWs presented in collaboration with the Centre des Mémoires Montréalaises (MEM).

Finally, the Festival will present a conference by Désirée Rochat, a community educator and transdisciplinary researcher. Guided by an integrative approach linking historical research, community archive preservation, and education, her work seeks to document, theorize, and pass on the history — and the stories — of Black community activism.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/JOAT-FESTIVAL-International-de-Street-Dance-to-Return-for-10th-Edition-in-Montreal-20260520)._