SERVICE
"To trust only the artists, the only ones who know how to turn horror into beauty", quoted Michaël Delafosse, the Mayor of Montpellier, as he bid farewell to Jean-Paul Montanari, that "faithful servant of dance."
We too mourn the loss of Jean-Paul Montanari, who passed away on 25 April 2025 at the age of 77 – a great loss to the world of dance. As the founder of the Montpellier Danse festival and a leading figure in the international dance scene, he leaves behind a lasting legacy.
Three years before the founding of ImPulsTanz, the Montpellier Danse festival was launched in 1981 by Jean-Paul Montanari and choreographer Dominique Bagouet – a time when contemporary dance was entering one of its most significant eras.
Montanari still directed France’s largest dance festival for 42 years and retired at the end of 2024, having planned the 45th edition, which is set to open on 21 June 2025.
Through Montpellier Danse, he created a central platform for contemporary dance and promoted the French dance scene far beyond Europe’s borders. Under his direction, the festival became a key meeting place for dance enthusiasts, welcoming luminaries such as William Forsythe, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown and countless others.
Montanari’s work was shaped by the belief that dance is not only a physical practice but also a philosophical engagement – and, alongside combative companions such as Maguy Marin, an act of resistance, championing causes such as the liberation of homosexuals and the fight against AIDS in the 1990s.
Whenever he visited ImPulsTanz, he left a lasting impression – not least through his tireless search for the "truth in dance" and his willingness to forge new paths, which had a profound impact on the dance world and, as well, our conversations.
Jean-Paul Montanari will be remembered as a visionary artist, a courageous thinker and, above all, an ally. He reminds us that art remains a vital act of hope.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, the entire team at Montpellier Danse and all who cherished him.
Karl Regensburger and the ImPulsTanz Team