“By removing the gestures from the performance, from their choreographic context, we give them a new relevance, an autonomy; we offer them to the audience as gestures for the present.”
Within the context of the Festival d’Automne (Paris), Mathilde Monnier has created a journey through 30 years of her choreographic repertoire, metamorphosing the galleries of the Centre Pompidou into a stage.
More than a retrospective, ‘Territoires’ explores how dance can be reactivated and reimagined outside of their original context. By stripping away costumes, stage lights, and traditional sets, Monnier distills each piece to its core essence, allowing the performers to redefine the choreography in situ. This approach gives the movements a raw, unfiltered quality and emphasizes the living memory of dance.
Mathilde Monnier empowers and encourages her dancers to take ownership of the choreography. As she explains, “I see them as the authors of their gestures; I give them that responsibility.”
The 17 solos and duos were all performed by dancers of all generations and backgrounds, each dancer’s personal history and experiences woven into the performance. The result is a performance that breathes, reacts, and transforms in response to its surroundings, making ‘Territoires’ a powerful reminder of the fluid, alive and ever-changing nature of dance.
At Les Passagées we aim to create : intergenerational performances, immersive experiences that move as well as dialogues between the body and art.
further reading : https://www.mathildemonnier.com/ , Festival d’Automne Paris
Portrait copyright © Marc Coudrais