The dance film Ascension is a cinematographic construction by a choreographer, Alain Michard, based on a work of choreography, Aatt enen tionon, by another choreographer—Boris Charmatz. The structure of the film is developed based on different periods of shooting in Belfort, Grenoble, and Montpellier, allowing us to see the vertical installation of the choreographic project both indoors and outdoors. For the opening sequences of the film, Alain Michard has also preserved the music of PJ Harvey, played as the audience was being seated, and turned off as the performance was about to start in order to make room for the sounds of bodies. Alain Michard further proposes vocal incursions—spoken deconstructions of the title, scattered throughout the film sequences—along with shots from angles normally inaccessible to the audience. The montage of the film is characterized by a distinct rhythm which offers a singular vision of this “triple solo”.
It is important to note that, as with any work of cinema, the conditions in which the object is viewed are essential to the appreciation of the work. Although the whole version is shown here, it is in small format, and should be viewed for research purposes only.
 

Source : Boris Charmatz

More information :
http://www.borischarmatz.org/

www.alainmichard.org/

Aatt enen tionon is among Boris Charmatz's foundational pieces addressing the conventions of representation and of the performative in the field of choreography. Created in 1996, the piece appears as a vertical analysis of dance, created for a three-level space, setting each of the dancers along a different line of vision. The angles of gaze multiply: the bodies are observed from below, from above, up close and from a distance. Nudity, paradoxically overexposed due to the white t-shirts worn as the only piece of clothing, challenges the audience's perception and problematizes the essence of its own presence: does nudity overexpose the dancing body or, on the contrary, render it illegible, encrypted by our reading of the intimate sphere which hierarchizes our gaze?   Luc Riolon's film offers a structured perspective on this trio, or “triple solo,” as a result of select angles and of the rhythm of the film shot during the performances at the Centre Pompidou, on the occasion of the 1996 Festival d'automne. The place creates a potent, concrete architectural dimension which is something to consider at each performance.

Source : Site de Boris Charmatz

More information :
http://www.borischarmatz.org/

Born in Chambéry (France), on January 3, 1973

After studying at the Ecole de Danse de l'Opéra de Paris and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon, Boris Charmatz was engaged by Régine Chopinot to dance Ana (1990) and Saint-Georges (1991). In 1992, he was asked by Odile Duboc to join her company Contrejour to dance 7 jours/7 villes (1992), Projet de la matière (1993) and Trois Boléros (1996). He also took part in the premiere of K de E, choreographed by Olivia Grandville and Xavier Marchand (1993).

In 1992, he co-founded edna association with Dimitri Chamblas. Following the premieres of works the pair choreographed together À bras-le-corps (1993) and Les Disparates (1994), Charmatz began creating his own works: Aatt enen tionon (1996), a vertical piece for three dancers, herses (une lente introduction) (1997), a piece for five dancers and a cellist set to music by Helmut Lachenmann. In 1999, he choreographed Con forts fleuve (1999), a group piece performed to texts by John Giorno and musics by Otomo Yoshihide. In 2002, he premiered héâtre-élévision, a provocative installation piece influenced by russian Matryoshka nesting dolls that was designed to be seen by one spectator at a time. In 2006, he premiered régi, a performance with Julia Cima, Raimund Hoghe and himself, as well as Quintette Cercle (2006), a live version of héâtre-élévision. La danseuse malade (2008) performed by Jeanne Balibar and Boris Charmatz, was inspired by the texts of Tatsumi Hijikata, founder of butoh dance. One of his latest works, 50 years of dance (2009), is performed by former dancers of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Conceived like a choreographic flip-book, it takes the book “Merce Cunningham, Fifty Years” by David Vaughan as its score. Roman Photo (2009) is the version for non-dancers, students and amateurs and Flip Book (2009) the one for professional dancers. Levée des conflits (2010) is a performance for 24 dancers and 25 mouvements. Associate artist of the 2011 Festival d'Avignon, Boris Charmatz creates at the Cour d'Honneur of the Pope's Palace enfant, a piece for 26 children, 9 dancers and 3 machines.

Since 1997, in collaboration with Angèle Le Grand, he developed varied projects within the association edna. The purpose of such propositions was to create a space open to multiple experiments: thematic sessions, production of films (Les Disparates by César Vayssié, Horace Benedict by Dimitri Chamblas and Aldo Lee, Une lente introduction by Boris Charmatz), Hors-série programmes proposed by the edna team (La chaise and Visitations by Julia Cima, Jachères by Vincent Dupont), production of installations (Programme court avec essorage), organisation of exhibitions (Complexe, Statuts), and trans-media projects (Ouvrée - artistes en alpages, Entraînements-série d'actions artistiques, Facultés, Education).

While maintaining an extensive touring schedule, he also participates in improvisational events on a regular basis (recently with Saul Williams, Archie Shepp and Han Bennink) and continues to pursue his performing career (with Odile Duboc for Projet de la Matière and Trois boléros, as part of the piece d'un Faune (éclats) by the Albrecht Knust Quartet and with Fanny de Chaillé for Underwear), to name a few.

From 2002 to 2004, while an artist-in-residence at the Centre national de la danse in Pantin and driven by the idea of exploring the theme of education in depth, he developped the Bocal project, a nomadic and ephemeral school that brought together students from different backgrounds. He was visiting professor at Berlin's Universität der Künste, where he contributed to the creation of a new dance curriculum which was installed in 2007.

He is the co-author of a book with Isabelle Launay: Entretenir / à propos d'une danse contemporaine (published jointly by the Centre National de la Danse and Les Presses du Réel) published in English in 2011 under the title undertraining / On A Contemporary Dance (Ed. Les Presses du Réel). Boris Charmatz is also the author of “Je suis une école” (2009, Ed. Les Prairies ordinaires) related to the adventure Bocal.

Director since 2009 of the Rennes and Britanny National Choreographic Centre, Boris Charmatz proposes to transform it into a Dancing Museum of a new kind. A manifesto is at the origin of this museum, which has received, amongst others, the projects préfiguration, expo zéro, rebutoh, service commandé (on commission), brouillon (rough draft), Jérôme Bel en 3 sec. 30 sec. 3 min. 30 min et 3 h., Petit Musée de la danse, « Rétrospective » par Xavier Le Roy and has travelled to Saint Nazaire, Singapore, Utrecht, Avignon and New York.

He creates the piece manger at the Ruhrtriennale in Germany on September 23rd, 2014, danse de nuit as part of the Built-Festival of Geneva in 2016, then 10 000 gestes in 2017 at the Volksbühne of Berlin.

Source : Boris Charmatz’s website

More information : 

http://www.borischarmatz.org/

Alain Michard is a choreographer and visual artist. Starting with dance  as his ‘roots’, his work today involves leading a wide range of  different artistic projects, using a variety of artistic media (music,  film, photography, writing).
Alain Michard collaborates regularly with other artists. He also invites  local people and non-professionals to participate in the work he  creates.
 

A common thread in his work is the theme of wandering and journeys, and  the search for a community: BING, based on texts by Beckett, Parkinson  (2007-2013). Some pieces are designed for public spaces, and explore  perception, and the imaginary essence of towns and landscapes:  Promenades blanches (2006-2016), Se fondre (2012), Caravane, ...
Another important focus of his work is research on the notion of a  collective history of art, based on living memory and documents: École  ouverte, J’ai tout donné, Mon Histoire avec la danse, La carpe et le  lapin,...
 

His films include documentaries and fiction, some of which are based on  his relationship with dance (Ascension, Carton, Encore chaud ...).  Recently, he has made two fictional films: ON AIR in 2010, and  Clandestine (a feature length film) in 2014.
 

Alain Michard supports and produces other artists (Theo Kooijman,  Laurent Pichaud, Mickaël Phelippeau, Alice Gautier ...), in his role as  artistic director of different festivals, residencies and events, such  as À domicile in Guissény (2007-2009).
His role as producer allows him to support young artists at the  beginning of their careers. The passing on of knowledge is important for  him, and his pedagogical work is an integral part of, and articulates  with, his creative work, which is open to artists, students and  non-professionals.
 

His work has led him to a diversity of places and countries :
IN FRANCE : Paris (Théâtre de la Cité Internationale, Centre National de  la Danse, Labos d’Aubervilliers, Centre Pompidou, Grande Halle La  Villette, ...), Rennes (PHAKT, Biennale, Triangle, Musée de la danse),  Brest, Nantes (Théâtre Universitaire), Marseille (Théâtre du Merlan,  Marseille Objectif Danse), Bordeaux (TNT, Novart), Avignon (Hivernales),  Marne-la-Vallée (Ferme du Buisson), ...
ABROAD: Italy (Musée Pan-Naples, Osservatorio Nomade-Cursi), Japan  (Kyoto, Tokyo, Yokohama, Matsuyama), Canada (Escales  improbables-Montréal), Turkey (Istanbul, Eskisehir, Ankara), Portugal  (Fondation Serralves-Porto,), UK (Portsmouth), Germany (Berlin), Belgium  (Brussels, Antwerp), Switzerland (Geneva), Ireland (DTI-Dublin)…
 

As a performer he has worked principally for Odile Duboc, Marco  Berrettini, Boris Charmatz, Xavier Marchand (theatre) and Judith Cahen  (cinema).
He has collaborated on various different projects with other artists,  including: Nicolas Floc’h, Mathias Poisson, Jocelyn Cottencin, Stalker,  and choreographers Mustafa Kaplan, Loïc Touzé...
He has received awards from the Villa Kujoyama-Kyoto (2001) and the Villa Médicis Hors les murs-Istanbul (2009).

Source : Alain Michard

More information : 

www.alainmichard.org/

At the bounds of the museum, place of conservation, dance, art of  movement, and choreographic center, place of production and residence, le Musée de la danse is a space to think, practice and expand the boundaries of the dance. If it's registered in Rennes, it's also a nomadic idea. Directed by the choreographer Boris Charmatz, this laboratory-institution explores the possibilities of crossing between exhibition, performative  gesture and articulation of a speech. Workshops, debates, shows, residencies of artists and researchers; offbeat proposals and fantasy collections are born directly from a reflection on what could be this playful and hybrid museum.

The  CCN of Rennes and Brittany, renamed the Museum of Dance by Boris  Charmatz, was directed by Gigi Caciuleanu until 1993, by Catherine  Diverrès and Bernardo Montet until 1996, then by Catherine Diverrès  alone until 2008. Since 2009, Boris Charmatz ensures his direction. From January 2019, the collective FAIR[E] will take over. The  collective is composed of Bouside Aït-Atmane, Iffra Dia, Johanna Faye, Céline Gallet, Linda Hayford, Saïdo Lehlouh, Marion Poupinet and Ousmane Sy.

The  Museum of Dance / National Choreographic Center of Rennes and Brittany  is an association subsidized by the Ministry of Culture and  Communication (DRAC Bretagne), the City of Rennes, the Regional Council  of Brittany and the County Council of Ille et-Vilaine.
The Dance Museum is part of the Association of National Choreographic Centers.

More information : www.museedeladanse.org