The vibrant rhythms of Mumbai met the cultural mosaic of Montreal this weekend as the annual Bollywood Dance Festival transformed Place des Arts into a celebration of colour, movement, and heritage. The festival, now in its seventh year, has evolved from a modest community gathering into one of the city’s most anticipated multicultural events.
“We started with just 200 people in a community center back in 2017,” explains Priya Sharma, festival founder and artistic director. “Now we’re welcoming over 3,000 attendees from across Quebec and Ontario.” Sharma, who immigrated to Montreal from New Delhi fifteen years ago, created the festival to maintain connections to her cultural roots while introducing Bollywood’s artistic expressions to wider Montreal audiences.
Walking through the festival grounds yesterday afternoon, I was immediately struck by the sensory richness that defines this celebration. The air was perfumed with cardamom and saffron from food vendors lining the perimeter, while elaborate costumes in jewel tones created a kaleidoscope effect against Montreal’s urban backdrop.
The main stage featured performances ranging from classical Kathak dance to contemporary Bollywood fusion, showcasing over 120 dancers from 14 different schools across the province. What particularly caught my attention was the demographic diversity among both performers and attendees – a powerful reminder of Montreal’s evolving cultural identity.
“Bollywood is no longer just for the South Asian community,” notes cultural anthropologist Dr. Sophie Tremblay from Université de Montréal. “It has become part of Montreal’s broader cultural vocabulary, particularly among younger generations seeking connection to global artistic traditions.”
This cross-cultural exchange was evident during the festival’s most popular workshop, where I observed Montrealers of various backgrounds learning intricate hand gestures and footwork. The patience of instructors, combined with the enthusiastic participation of newcomers, created a uniquely Montreal moment of cultural bridging.
Festival organizers have worked closely with Tourism Montreal to position the event as a cultural tourism draw. According to their data, approximately 35% of this year’s attendees traveled specifically to Montreal for the festival, generating an estimated $1.2 million in economic impact for local businesses.
Beyond entertainment, the festival served as a platform for deeper cultural understanding. The “Heritage Corner” featured interactive exhibitions on Indian classical dance forms, textile traditions, and the historical evolution of Bollywood cinema. Volunteers offered contextual explanations that transformed passive observation into meaningful cultural learning.
“In a time when differences are sometimes emphasized, events like this remind us of the joy in sharing cultural expressions,” remarked Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante during her brief address at the festival opening. “This is Montreal at its best – curious, celebratory, and connected to global traditions.”
The festival also provided exhibition space for fifteen local South Asian businesses, from jewelry designers to culinary entrepreneurs. For Anita Patel, owner of Spice Route Treasures, the festival represents her busiest weekend of the year. “People come with open minds and leave with a piece of our culture, whether it’s a handcrafted item or a new appreciation for our traditions,” she told me while arranging her display of hand-embroidered shawls.
What distinguishes this festival from similar cultural celebrations is its intentional educational component. Between performances, presenters offered context about regional differences in Indian dance, the symbolism behind specific movements, and the contemporary evolution of Bollywood as a global cultural force.
As Montreal continues navigating questions of cultural identity and inclusion, events like the Bollywood Dance Festival offer a template for meaningful cultural exchange. Rather than superficial appreciation, the festival creates spaces for genuine learning and community building across cultural boundaries.
The evening concluded with a spectacular group performance featuring dancers of all ages moving in synchronized harmony to a medley of classic and contemporary Bollywood hits. As the music faded and performers took their final bows, the sustained applause from the diverse audience seemed to affirm something essential about our city – that Montreal’s cultural identity is constantly enriched through these moments of shared celebration.
The Bollywood Dance Festival continues today with family-focused programming and will conclude Sunday evening with a gala performance featuring guest artists from India. For those who haven’t experienced this cultural celebration, there’s still time to witness how seamlessly the artistic traditions of South Asia have become interwoven with Montreal’s cultural fabric.
