UGA Presents announced on Apr. 17 that Ballets Jazz Montréal will perform “Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen” on April 21 at 7:30 p.m. at The Classic Center Theatre.
The event is part of the UGA Presents 2025-26 season and offers audiences a contemporary dance production inspired by the life and legacy of Montréal poet, artist, and songwriter Leonard Cohen. Approved by Cohen during his lifetime, the show pays tribute to his music and writings through movement, sound, and visuals.
“Dance Me” is structured as a poetic journey through distinct yet interconnected “seasons,” drawing from a wide range of Cohen’s catalog. The program features songs such as “Hallelujah,” “Suzanne,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” “First We Take Manhattan,” and “Everybody Knows.” Three internationally recognized choreographers—Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Ihsan Rustem—contribute unique artistic voices to the performance. Their choreography combines athleticism with theatricality in a multidisciplinary experience performed by fourteen dancers.
The production was conceived by Louis Robitaille, former artistic director of Ballets Jazz Montréal. Robitaille aimed to honor Cohen’s legacy while making it accessible to broad audiences through an intimate yet grand-scale presentation.
Founded in 1972, Ballets Jazz Montréal has become one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies under current artistic director Alexandra Damiani. The company is known for innovation and collaboration across disciplines, having performed more than 3,250 times in sixty countries for nearly three million audience members worldwide.
Student tickets ($15) and PAC30 tickets ($30) are available exclusively via phone through the Performing Arts Center Box Office during business hours. Other tickets can be purchased online or by calling classiccenter.com or 706-208-0900.
