Three questions for... Rachid Ouramdane
On Sunday, June 25th, the Tanec Praha Festival in Ponec Theater will feature another outstanding French personality of contemporary dance, Rachid Ouramdan. His work, Tordre, fits back into this year's "Anti-Prejudice" festival. In a short interview for Taneční aktuality, the choreographer reveals the character of the work, the process of its creation and, above all, talks about the performers that are its centerpiece.
„Diptyque de soli“ Tordre seems to be very private and intimate piece, created especially for Annie Hanauer and Lora Juodkaite. What is the story behind this collaboration?When I speak about this piece I always speak about a double choreographic portrait of two women. The way Annie and Lora move reveal something of themselves who share a nice intimacy which is different than privacy. This piece is not really about their private or daily life, but much more about the specific deep and intimate relation they develop with an audience when they are on stage. They are both very unique persons and that is what I am trying to develop in my work: to work with a unique person that questions the way we look at each other. Each of the two dancers has a specific way of moving. How have you combined these with your own choreography and way of working? In other words, what was the creation process like?
I’ve known them for many years now and it is true that they have very particular ways of movement. But I didn't actually focus so much on the movement they developed for the piece, but much more on the atmosphere they are able to create on stage. When you watch Lora and the spinning movement she develops, you realize that you are facing something unique which is intense and on the border of a ritual. With Annie things are different, she has the potential to transform any situation into something peaceful and informal. She brings a minimal poetic on stage in dialogue with her partner on stage. This piece makes dialogue atmosphere that the dancers create.
Is there something you have learnt from this piece?These two women received something from life they didn't ask for. But instead of enduring it or to stay passive they decided to react and to transform it. I am impressed by their capacity to face the reality of the world instead of stepping out of it. I think they in a smart way question how we watch people who are a bit different from the “majority crowd”. Rachid Ouramdane has been making arts projects since 1995. He is Associate artist to the Théâtre de la ville in Paris and to the Bonlieu théâtre in Annecy. He is regularly invited to many collaborations: with the Lyon Opera Ballet (Superstars - 2006, All around - 2014); for the dancers of the Russian company Migrazia during a residence in Siberia for the Intradance project (Russia) (« Borscheviks... a true story...» - 2010); and for the 20 years birthday of Candoco Dance Company (UK) with disabled dancers (Looking back - 2011). Since Rachid Ouramdane founded L’A. dance company, his work is based on a meticulous collection of evidences, in collaboration with filmmakers or authors. He tries to contribute to social debates with the art of dance through choreographic pieces that develop a poetics of testimony. Alongside his creative projects, Ouramdane works to enhance the transmission and exchange through the management of international workshops for artistic research in France, Romania, Netherlands, Brazil, United States...Yoann Bourgeois and Rachid Ouramdane codirect the CCN2 - Centre Chorégraphique National de Grenoble from the 1st January 2016.
Josef Bartos
Thank you for your thoughts. One got stuck in my mind – that passion makes us different from AI. Just yesterday I read…I am a dance critic. I am a member of an endangered species