As cruel as a political debate, as savage as a school playground, as strict as a wrestling bout, as animated as a trading floor, the arena of “DéBaTailles” is a new area of confrontation. The performance unfolds like a competition. Two teams (the fair-haired against the dark!) square up to each other in dance challenges. The performers can move from one camp to the other by changing wigs. Like in a debate, the candidates oppose one another with elegance and courtesy but blows below the belt are allowed. They launch mercilessly into battle: their weapons are fantasy, ingenuity, derision, humour and a hint of meanness.

“I have always been fascinated by ‘social dances': from traditional dances to hip-hop battles. In these traditional choreographies there is a basic rapport with dance that places the person at the heart of a group. The choreography is organised according to an internal logic, a culture, a history. It is not turned towards the exterior (an abstract audience) but towards the group as a whole. It is fascinating to play with these codes and to invent new traditions. This provides an inexhaustible mine of games. I like to construct the bases of a new folklore and dance them as if they were ancestral. The challenge (imposing oneself on the group) is a natural component of group dances. It obviously has its place in our battles.”

Denis Plassard

Credits

Choreography Denis Plassard
Dance performance Compagnie Propos
Conception, direction Denis Plassard
With the complicity of the interpreters Xavier Gresse, Sylvain Julien, Jim Krummenacker, Vincent Martinez, Denis Plassard
Musicians (interpretation, composition) Nicolas Allemand or Quentin Allemand (percussions), Jean-Paul Hervé (guitar), Norbert Pignol (accordion)
Lightening lumières Nicolas Boudier
scenography Nicolas Boudier, Denis Plassard
Costumes Béatrice Vermande, Julie Lascoumes, Natacha Costechareire
Wig José De Pedro
Rehearsal coach Géraldine Mainguet
General set Sébastien Revel régie lumières Nicolas Boudier ou Dominique Legland
Sound Éric Dutrievoz ou Emmanuel Sauledubois
Coproduction Maison de la Danse/Lyon, Château-Rouge/Annemasse, Le Théâtre/Le Puy-en-Velay, Théâtre Durance/Château-Arnoux-St-Auban, Compagnie Propos
Project supported by the Rhône-Alpes Region within the framework of the APSV "Réseau des villes"
Compagnie Propos is subsidized by the Ministry of Culture (DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and by the City of Lyon.

Video production Charles Picq date of the video document 2008 production Maison de la Danse

Duration of the work 1h20

After training in classical and contemporary dance at the CNSMD in Lyon and a brief career as a performer (Josette Baïz), Denis Plassard created his first solo Propos in 1990, which gave its name to the company he founded the following year. He was awarded the D.E. as a teacher of contemporary dance in 1991. He has been choreographer and dancer with Cie Propos for over 30 years.

Over the years with the company, he has built up a vast repertoire of non-mainstream shows that combine acting, text and humour. Alongside these stage adventures, Denis Plassard has developed original artistic projects involving photography (Hors Sol, photo novels), sound design (audioguides, audio-guided warm-ups, indoor radio guidance, etc.) and acting (La clinique du docteur D).

Since the beginning of the Cie Propos adventure, he has nurtured a passion for transmission and the invention of processes for working with audiences, with the idea of sharing a dance that is accessible to all.

He is regularly invited by other theatres (CDN de Valence, Théâtre Craie, Turak, Raskine & Cie), circus companies (Virevolt, CNAC, Rasposo), music companies (Ensemble Boréades) and dance companies (Käfig, Panthera Ballet Kazan Russia).

Source : The company Propos 's website

More information : compagnie-propos.com