Se nourrissant des aventures de personnages historiques (Marc-Antoine, Cléopâtre, Jules César...) ou cinématographiques (Liz Taylor, Richard Burton) qui peuplent notre mémoire collective, le chorégraphe Nasser Martin-Gousset nous propose, avec Péplum, une réflexion très personnelle sur l'ambition et le pouvoir, au sein de laquelle l'amour tient une place centrale. Un langage contemporain pour nous conter une histoire intemporelle.

Source : Biennale de la danse 2006

After some experience in theatre, Nasser Martin-Gousset studied dance at the Conservatoire National de Région in Lyon. He then collaborated with a number of photographers including Karine Saporta, Dominique Petit, Christine Bastin, Jacques Pattarozzi, Hervé Jourdet, Sacha Waltz, Meg Stuart, Wanda Golonka and Josef Nadj. In addition to his work as a performer, he co-choreographed 'La Petite Représentation' with Annie Legros and choreographed a solo, 'Babelogue', followed by 'The Marriage'.

He founded the company La Maison and continued his work as a choreographer with a duet, 'Alléluia', shown at the Théâtre de la Bastille in Paris. He produced 'Solarium' and 'Bleeding Stone' at the Ménagerie de Verre. Nasser has revisited the solo 'Babelogue Return' for the the Îles de Danses.

Outside his own creations, he has continued to collaborate with different choreographers and directors such as Yves Beaunesne and Josef Nadj. He produced 'Neverland' and composed a piece for three performers, 'Solarium Return'. In May 2005, he composed the solo 'Pop Life' as part of the Rencontres Chorégraphiques Internationales in Seine-Saint-Denis. His live piece 'Péplum' was designed for ten dancers and three musicians for the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon.

In 2008, the adventure continued for Nasser Martin-Gousset, with 'Comedy', and in 2010 he produced 'Pacifique', both of which showed at the Théâtre de la Ville.

Author, filmmaker and video artist Charles Picq (1952-2012) entered working life in the 70s through theatre and photography. A- fter resuming his studies (Maîtrise de Linguistique - Lyon ii, Maîtrise des sciences et Techniques de la Communication - grenoble iii), he then focused on video, first in the field of fine arts at the espace Lyonnais d'art Contemporain (ELAC) and with the group « Frigo », and then in dance.
   On creation of the Maison de la Danse in Lyon in 1980, he was asked to undertake a video documentation project that he has continued ever since. During the ‘80s, a decade marked in France by the explosion of contemporary dance and the development of video, he met numerous artists such as andy Degroat, Dominique Bagouet, Carolyn Carlson, régine Chopinot, susanne Linke, Joëlle Bouvier and regis Obadia, Michel Kelemenis. He worked in the creative field with installations and on-stage video, as well as in television with recorded shows, entertainment and documentaries.

His work with Dominique Bagouet (80-90) was a unique encounter. He documents his creativity, assisting with Le Crawl de Lucien and co-directing with his films Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux and 10 anges. in the 90s he became director of video development for the Maison de la Danse and worked, with the support of guy Darmet and his team, in the growing space of theatre video through several initiatives:
       - He founded a video library of dance films with free public access. This was a first for France. Continuing the video documentation of theatre performances, he organised their management and storage.
       - He promoted the creation of a video-bar and projection room, both dedicated to welcoming school pupils.
       - He started «présentations de saisons» in pictures.
       - He oversaw the DVD publication of Le tour du monde en 80 danses, a pocket video library produced by the Maison de la Danse for the educational sector.

       - He launched the series “scènes d'écran” for television and online. He undertook the video library's digital conversion and created Numeridanse.

His main documentaries are: enchaînement, Planète Bagouet, Montpellier le saut de l'ange, Carolyn Carlson, a woman of many faces, grand ecart, Mama africa, C'est pas facile, Lyon, le pas de deux d'une ville, Le Défilé, Un rêve de cirque.

He has also produced theatre films: Song, Vu d'ici (Carolyn Carlson), Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux, 10 anges, Necesito and So schnell, (Dominique Bagouet), Im bade wannen, Flut and Wandelung (Susanne Linke), Le Cabaret Latin (Karine Saporta), La danse du temps (Régine Chopinot), Nuit Blanche (Abou Lagraa), Le Témoin (Claude Brumachon), Corps est graphique (Käfig), Seule et WMD (Françoise et Dominique Dupuy), La Veillée des abysses (James Thiérrée), Agwa (Mourad Merzouki), Fuenteovejuna (Antonio Gades), Blue Lady revistied (Carolyn Carlson).

Source: Maison de la Danse de Lyon