XP_MTL Wants to Keep Montreal Under the Spotlight

Montreal is a vibrant city and the last two years have not prevented it from continuing to shine. To continue to support its development, many companies and initiatives are making sure to showcase the incredible talent we have in the city. It is the case of XP_MTL.

This local organization has made its mission to organize events supporting the local economy by employing only Montrealers for each of their projects. Whether it is through fashion, music, dance, or even sports, their activations bring a breath of energy allowing a constant flow of animation on Sainte-Catherine Street.

Eager to contribute to the influence of the downtown area on a local, national and international scale, this project aims to focus on the quality of the experience offered to the local population and and for all tourists visiting the city annually.

In connection with these various initiatives, they recently organized a flash mob in front of their various summer installations. Taking part in this activation were dancers Jordan Vaillancourt and Brian Mendez who offered a voguing performance. Voguing, or more often the neologism voguing, is a style of urban dance that consists of walking and making movements with the arms and hands, movements inspired by the poses of models during fashion shows.

For them, it is important to always find a way to take ownership of what they are wearing in order to be as comfortable as possible during their performance.

Fashion stylist Farah Benosman also took part in this initiative, making sure to choose outfits for the dancers that reflect the new reality of local fashion.

“I truly immersed myself in the respective dance styles to get inspired for each other’s looks. I looked at what was being done in that environment and the key elements of each dance style, listening to videos to really understand the dance style, but also going to look at what the dancers who practice each style usually wear” she explains.

She finds dance being a very strong mode of expression, and so is fashion. She has worked with many dancers in her career and it’s rare that they don’t already have a very strong taste in clothing and a style that is very much in line with their personality.

“It is also important to understand that some dance styles cannot exist without fashion, for example in voguing, clothing and accessories are an integral part of the expression of the dance style” she adds.

Curious to know more about XP_MTL and their activations? Follow their Instagram account so you don’t miss any of their news.

Previously, you can follow my culinary travels here: Conceria