CBC report | Lack of public funding threatens the future of the ESBQ
The CBC report “North America's only French ballet school says funding gap threatens its future” highlights a major issue facing the ESBQ: public funding that has changed very little in over 30 years, despite profound changes in dance training and the constant increase in costs associated with specialized coaching.
As Alix Laurent, Executive Director, and Anik Bissonnette, Artistic Director, point out, the ESBQ needs resources to remain one of the best classical ballet training institutions in Canada and around the world. Today, training high-level dancers requires support in physical preparation and injury prevention, specialized services tailored to the realities of young athletes, and rigorous educational supervision.
The voices of our students Léo Lussier, Héloïse Léveillé, and Victoria Villegas Azuaje accurately reflect what the École supérieure represents: an environment of excellence, a second home, a place where artistic futures are built.
Preserving expertise that is unique in Quebec means ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to train here, in French, in an environment that meets the demands of professional dance.
The report was broadcast by CBC News on television, online, and on YouTube.