Retour en Avant / Past Forward Biennale de la Danse Lyon - France

tous et c’est pour cela que j’aime les contes.Ce ballet contemporain et romantique revêtune importance particulière pour moi – et jerevendique le terme de « ballet »- puisqu’ilréunira les 26 danseurs de la compagnie.Ils danseront sur les symphonies de Mahlerdont les débordements magnifiques sontd’essence romantique. Historiquement, lescontes de Grimm le sont aussi, même si leurstyle épuré nous ramène à une forme decontemporanéité.C’est une entreprise délicate que de chercherà émouvoir. La musique de Malher està manipuler avec une immense précautionmais c’est aujourd’hui un risque que j’aienvie de prendre, celui de créer un grandballet contemporain… et romantique.Angelin Preljocaj,Entretien avec Agnès Freschel, Mars 2008Info +Première mondialeCoproduction BiennaleCompagnie invitée en 1990www.preljocaj.orgAngelin PreljocajBorn in France to Albanian parents, AngelinPreljocaj began studying classical dance beforeswitching to contemporary dance with KarinWaehner. In 1980 he moved to New York towork with Zena Rommett and Merce Cunningham,then continued his studies in France withAmerican choreographer Viola Farber and withQuentin Rouillier. He then joined DominiqueBagouet before founding his own company inDecember 1984. He has since choreographed 38pieces, from duets to large ensemble works.Angelin Preljocaj regularly teams with otherartists including Enki Bilal (Roméo et Juliette,1990), Goran Vejvoda (Paysage après la bataille,1997), Air (Near Life Experience, 2003), GranularSynthesis (N, 2004), Fabrice Hyber (Les 4saisons…, 2005), and Karlheinz Stockhausen(Eldorado - Sonntags Abschied, 2007).His creations feature in many companies’ repertoires;he also receives commissions, notablyfrom Ballet de l’Opéra National de Paris, fromLa Scala in Milan, and from New York City Ballet.He has directed short films (Le postier and Idéesnoires in 1991) and feature films, notably UnTrait d’Union and Annonciation (1992, 2003)which earned him, among other accolades, theGrand Prix du Film d’Art (2003), the PremierPrix Vidéo-Danse (1992) and the Prague VideoFestival Award (1993). He has also collaboratedon several film productions, directing his ownchoreographies: Cyril Collard’s Les Raboteursafter Gustave Caillebotte’s painting, 1988; PierreCoulibeuf’s Pavillon Noir, in 2006; and OlivierAssayas’ Eldorado/Preljocaj in 2007.Several books about his work have beenpublished, in particular Angelin Preljocaj (2003)and Pavillon Noir (2006).In the course of his career, Preljocaj has receivedseveral distinctions including the Grand PrixNational de la Danse awarded by the FrenchMinistry of Culture in 1992; the Prix Benois dela Danse for Le Parc in 1995; the Bessie Awardfor Annonciation in 1997; and a Victoire de laMusique for Roméo et Juliette in 1997. He is anOfficier des Arts et des Lettres, a Chevalier dela Légion d’Honneur, and in May 206 he wasnamed an Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite.Blanche Neige / Premiering atthe BiennaleI was really keen to tell a story. Recently I hadcreated some very abstract pieces – EmptyMoves, then Eldorado – and, as often happens,I felt like doing the exact opposite, writingsomething very concrete and having a magical,fairy-world interlude. To not get stuck in a rut,no doubt. And also because, like everyone, I lovefolk and fairy tales.Blanche Neige is a narrative ballet given adramatic treatment. The locations are representedby Thierry Leproust’s sets. The dancers playcharacters in costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier. It’snot Le mythe or La légende de Blanche Neige,it’s just Blanche Neige. It’s really Snow White’sstory…Telling a story with dance is a tricky affair, whichis why it’s so fascinating. How do you explain thestory? In L’Anoure, I put Pascal Quignard’s texton the soundtrack. But with Blanche Neige, Irely on the argument that everyone knows whathappens, so I can focus on what’s expressed bythe bodies, the energies and the space, and onwhat the characters feel and go through, so thatI only show the bodies transcending themselves.And besides, the story contains some wonderfulobjects for a choreographer’s imagination – theapple, the mirror...I’m faithful to the Brothers Grimm’s version, exceptfor a few personal variations, based on myown analysis of the tale’s symbols. Bettelheimdescribed it as a case of an inverted Oedipuscomplex. The stepmother is definitely the centralcharacter. And I explore her through her narcissisticwish to avoid giving up seduction and herwoman’s place, even if it means sacrificing herstepdaughter.The intelligence of symbols belongs as much toadults as to children. It speaks to us all, and thatis why I love these tales.This contemporary, romantic ballet is particularlyimportant to me – and I use the word “ballet”deliberately – because it brings together thecompany’s 26 dancers. They will dance to Mahler’ssymphonies, whose magnificent flourishesare essentially romantic. So are the Grimms’tales, historically speaking, even though theirpared-down style brings us back, in a sense, topresent times.Seeking to touch an audience’s emotions isa delicate enterprise. Mahler’s music must behandled with immense care, but it’s a risk I feltlike taking – creating a full-length ballet that iscontemporary… and romantic.Angelin PreljocajInterview with Agnès FreschelMarch 2008Comment le passé peut-il dessiner le futur ?How can the past shape the future?Extra info :World premiereCo-produced by the BiennaleThe company performed at the 1990Biennalewww.preljocaj.org67