Initiated in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute, International Dance Day falls on April 29 of every year, commemorating the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, a distinguished choreographer that brought about significant reforms in ballet production. Every year, an international message authored by a well-known dance personality is circulated around the world as part of International Dance Day celebrations.

International Dance Day Actions & Celebrations

“Hi, my name is Cindy Belotte. I’m a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director of Mapou Ginen. For me, what dance represents is life. It’s the truth for me, it’s the revealing of yourself. It’s also about connection. It’s about connecting with anything or anybody that is different than you, that comes from different backgrounds, whether it be religious, spiritual, from different countries or traditions, but we always have one common ground, one common point, which is life. With this being said, I invite you to celebrate International Dance Day in all its beauty, in all its love, and all its manifestation, and all its movement. Bring on a friend, bring on a family member, but please celebrate and pass the dance. Happy International Dance Day! “

Born in Montreal and of Haitian origin, Cindy Belotte was introduced to traditional Haitian dance at the age of eight. She began her career with the MAPOU GINEN dance company, which has been in existence for almost fifty years in Canada. She has been an artistic director, dancer, choreographer and teacher for over ten years. In 2019, she co-founded Espas YOUN.

Cindy’s creative process is influenced by her mastery of the history of traditional Haitian dance where body movement flows from the sound of percussion and drums while leaving room for her choreographic instincts.

In 2021, Cindy made her first creative collaboration with two emerging artists from Montreal’s cultural diversity at the Phénomena Festival, under the direction of curator Claudia Chan Tak. In 2022, Cindy was awarded a dance residency by the Maison d’Haiti. Cindy is currently working on her creation TRAS, inspired by the theme Living Memories proposed by this organization.