After La Fontaine : The Wolf and the Rat 

Choreography Béatrice Massin
Concept Annie Sellem

From 2001 to 2008, La Petite Fabrique, an independent production company directed by Annie Sellem, developed an original project: asking choreographers from different backgrounds to create short pieces loosely based on La Fontaine's “Fables”.

Twelve short tales in varying styles, ranging from hip-hop to classical, were assembled. In their use of language, they are equally suitable for a family audience as for a knowledgeable audience. They rely heavily on a mix of disciplines and artistic diversity: there is a crossover of cultures, music and rhythms. The moral of each fable is treated lightly, with poetry and plenty of humour.

As Annie Sellem explains, “The choreographers' work may be read on many levels : I think they drew upon their childhood to some extent, as every piece is as just as funny as the child's world, and just as serious, too.”

Béatrice Massin has chosen the fable “The Wolf and the Lamb” in order to show, thanks to the barocal music and dance, the similarity of every era throughout time.

Updating: March 2010

After dancing for several contemporary companies, including that of Susan Buirge, Béatrice Massin was engaged by Ris et Danceries in 1983, where for the next ten years she mixed performing with repertoire research, assistantship and choreography. She choreographed “Water Music” by Handel at the Metz Arsenal (1990), “Bastien et Bastienne” (1991), Mozart's “Les Petits Riens” (1991) for the Tourcoing opera workshop and also devised the choreography for “Medée”, set to music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1983).

In late 1993, Béatrice Massin founded her own company, Fêtes Galantes, for whom she devises one show each year. These are reconstructions of pieces from the baroque repertoire, but, above all, creations using the choreographic vocabulary of the seventeenth century: "Charpentier des ténèbres”, “Carte du tender, “Pipinone”, “Trio triptyque” and most recently, “Que ma joie demeure”. From December 1999 to July 2000, Béatrice Massin devised and directed the choreography for Gérard Corbiau's film “Le roi danse”. In September 2001, Béatrice Massin was invited by the Ballet de Lorraine to devise three baroque choreographies, which include "Noir, du côté de Callot” inspired by Callot's etchings.

Alongside her research and choreographic work, she presents educational programmes at Opéra Bastille, the Cité de la Musique and CND (National Dance Centre) in the form of danced lecture-recitals, courses and workshops. She offers the opportunity to discover baroque court dance as well as reconstructions of pieces from the baroque repertoire.

Source : Website of the Compagnie Fetes galantes

Further information : Company Website

Digital Resource by the Médiathèque du Centre national de la danse

http://mediatheque.cnd.fr/spip.php?page=mediatheque-numerique-ressource&id=PHO00003922

Since 2001, the National Center for Dance (CND) has been making recordings of its shows and educational programming and has created resources from these filmed performances (interviews, danced conferences, meetings with artists, demonstrations, major lessons, symposia specialized, thematic arrangements, etc.).