Choregraphy : Blanca Li - 11'
Transmission : Pascale Peladan

'Pochette Surprise' is one of the eight pieces from the show 'Alarme', which consists of a mosaic of short stories, short choreographic works. The piece reflects the lightness and briefness of these flashes of inspiration; ephemeral moments transcribed with humour, poetry and energy. “Because we mustn't forget that we were once children and still are capable of play.”

Welcome

The dancers of Compagnie Grenade like movement, the use of space and rhythm, and delight in sharing this choreographic research and these emotions with each other and the wider public.  They are prepared to go in search of new worlds.  

It was for this reason that this year I wanted to continue to work with other choreographers whose strangeness, differences and humour can highlight the quality of these dancers. 
For the 20th anniversary of Grenade (the 2011 production), the guest choreographers were mainly male; I thought it was interesting to continue this experience with the involvement of female choreographers. I therefore asked for one of the most representative pieces of the strong, unique world of a variety of French or foreign choreographers, whether well-known or emerging: Blanca Li, Sun-A Lee, Katharina Christl, Eun-Me Ahn, Dominique Hervieu, Germaine and Patrick Acogny. They produced a wide range of unusual, personal visions of the world to create a rich and celebratory programme. 

Credits

Interpreter : Aurore Indaburu, Axel Loubette, brian Caillet, Félix Heaulme, Lola Cougard, Michaël Jaume, Mylène Lamugnière, Noëlle Quillet, Nordine belmekki, Pierre boileau, Sinath Ouk 
Light : Dominique Drillot
Generale Management : Erwann Collet 
Sound manager : Mathieu Maurice 
Costumes : Philippe Combeau, Julie Yousef, Christiane Crochat et Sylvie Le Guyader 

With the support of : Klap - Maison pour la Danse (résidence de finalisation mai 2014). 
La compagnie Grenade est conventionnée par le Ministère de la culture et de la communication – Drac paca, et subventionnée par le conseil Général des Bouches-du-rhône, le conseil régional paca, la Ville de Marseille et la Ville d’aix-en-provence.  

Video direction : Fabien Plasson
Production : Maison de la Danse - 2015

Josette Baïz, who was trained by Odile Duboc, has been teaching contemporary dance since 1978 in Aix-en-Provence, where she created her first choreographies for young dancers who took part in her classes.

In 1982, when she was a dancer for Jean-Claude Gallotta, Josette Baïz won first prize in the 14th edition of the Bagnolet International Choreographic Competition, as well as the public prize and the French Minister for Culture's prize. She went on to found her first company: The Place Blanche, and has since created over 40 works, for her own companies and for an array of national (Toulouse, Jeune Ballet de France of the Lyon Conservatory, etc.) and international ballets (Boston, Royal Ballet of Phnom Penh, Germany, Venezuela, The Netherlands, etc.).

In 1989, the French Minister for Culture invited her for a year as artist in residence for a school in the Northern districts of Marseille. This encounter with young people, from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, led her to reconsider the signification of her work and to radically modify her artistic approach.
The confrontation with proposals as diverse as breakdance, smurf, hip-hop, oriental, gypsy, Indian and African dance, obliged her to totally reappraise the physical and mental skills she had acquired.
She was totally unacquainted with the supports, the way the ground was used, the circular movements of the hips, the sharp strikes of flamenco and the loosened pelvis of African dances.

And so, a process of mutual exchange was initiated: Josette Baïz taught contemporary, classical dance and composition in research workshops; the young dancers taught her their way of asserting their origins and feelings.

It was, therefore, only natural for Josette Baïz to create the Groupe Grenade, which brought together over thirty young dancers, in 1992. In 1998, Josette decided to perpetuate the cross-cultural work undertaken with the Groupe Grenade, whilst continuing to pursue an intensely contemporary perspective. She created the compagnie Grenade which comprised five key dancers from the Groupe Grenade.

Josette Baïz's wish is to continue to enhance this choreographic repertoire by continuing to partner artistically with French and international choreographers; by taking part in cutting-edge and original multidisciplinary projects and, as such, initiating encounters and exchange.

Source : Grenade - Josette Baïz Cie 's website

More information

josette-baiz.com