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

Le Défilé"Legends of the Future"Guy Darmet, Artistic DirectorStéphanie Claudin and Xavier Phélut, CoordinatorsSunday14 Septstarts 3pmFrom Terreaux to Bellecourvia Rue de la RépubliqueLe Défilé no longer needs any introduction. It is the biggest choreographedparade in Europe, a metropolitan ritual, and the most popular and festive liveperformanceevent in Greater Lyon’s cultural calendar.Freely inspired by the samba schools at the Rio Carnival, Le Défilé is now a hotlyawaitedattraction that brings the Lyon area’s residents together at the heart ofthe city.This year, some 15 groups, comprising more than 4,500 amateur participants agedfrom 10 to 80, have been overseen by 250 professional artists under the artisticdirection of choreographers. On 14 September, they will take over Rue de laRépublique to offer us their interpretation of the theme “Legends of the Future”.This artistic project mobilises hundreds of community associations and thousandsof individuals, all of them part of a dynamic that has now spread far beyond theorganisers and local politicians.But Le Défilé staged by the Lyon Dance Biennale – a high-profile and primarilyartistic adventure – is also a human, solidarity-driven enterprise that gives pride ofplace to encounters and exchanges between citizens, generations and cultures.Le Défilé celebrates difference through an artistic and creative act, providingthe opportunity to invent a new collective realm of the imagination at theintersection of cultural practices and artistic innovation.Interview with Carla Frison, choreographer andMourad Merzouki, guest choreographerIsabelle Danto: You led one of the groups that danced in the firsteverDéfilé, at the Brazilian Biennale, and did so again in 2006.Now you’re the Biennale’s guest choreographer. What’s your rolein Le Défilé?Mourad Merzouki. Le Défilé has come to symbolise the Biennale’spolicy of embracing the largest possible audience. For thislatest edition, I’ll still be talking about social bonds in the city– with my company Käfig, I’m choreographing the group fromthe municipality of Bron. But this year, as proposed by GuyDarmet, I’m also building something else by working with allthe Défilé groups. First I conceived a choreography for the 4,500participants that would stretch right along the route, from Placedes Terreaux to Place Bellecour... but that soon proved technicallyimpossible! So, instead of one big shared piece, I’m punctuatingthe route with “dotted-line” dances to announce each of thefifteen groups. These will be like a chorus, featuring a slammerperforming “live” texts and emphasising the huge synergygenerated by the Défilé – which, besides fostering an exemplaryspirit of sharing, is still an outstanding creative initiative.Carla, you’re particularly loyal to Le Défilé – is that becauseyou’re Brazilian as well as a choreographer?Carla Frison. I came to Lyon for the Brazilian Biennale, and I’dpreviously taken part in the Rio carnival, which has a stronglysocial purpose.Although the Rio carnival is a festive occasion – all the sambaschools take part, and there are 4,000 people in each group, not250 like in Lyon – it’s primarily a competition! The atmosphere’sjoyful, unpredictable and ephemeral, but winning matters most!In Lyon, the social element doesn’t take precedence over theartistic side, even though the idea is to help the groups find theirplace in the city and society – which can be scary when you havean audience watching you.The groups’ commitment, and the way they mobilise, is trulymagical. And this year with the Rillieux group, I’ve worked in areally participative way to narrate the history of the world – in anutshell! (Laughs)In practical terms, how’s the project organised?MM. Le Défilé requires a huge amount of preparation and an18-month commitment to the local organisations – theatres,community centres, youth and cultural centres, non-profitassociations and the many volunteers. Supervised and guidedby an artistic team of several people with varying professions –costume, stage design, music and so on – people start meetingregularly in January, in halls then outdoors, to properly “block”their positions and moves. The best thing about the project isdefinitely this extreme dedication, tempo and rigour. The peoplein charge know that they’re leading a human enterprise as wellas a genuine cultural project. The artists and amateur participantsmove forward together. That’s why it works, and why we all missit when it’s over... until it kicks off again!By Isabelle DantoNB : Press book available on June 15th91