Statement of Intent
"After having addressed the work of Bernstein in the readaptation of West Side Story and the work of Gershwin in a tribute to Fred Astaire, with this next creation I want to approach the structure of baroque music through Jean Sebastien Bach’s compositions, grand master of instrumental techniques, composition and improvisation.
The choreographic fast pace and impetuosity will be the basis of this exercise in style that will allow the dancers of the company to be confronted with one of the most virtuosic classical music styles to date.
For this I imagined a space similar to a train station concourse.
Twelve dancers, twelve people in transit between two cities, between two worlds, where everything can change, where anything can happen: waiting, boredom, discovery, exchanges, meetings and links forged in a “neutral” impersonal and busy space. Characters who assert themselves express themselves, reveal their soul searching moods and interior follies, pushed by loudspeakers broadcasting music from time to time, the fastest and most exhilarating sounds of Bach rich with sounds that evoke waiting, daydreaming and introspective states.
I will ask Jean-Jacques Palix, composer and arranger, specializing in spacious and mysterious worlds, to create a spatial sound design of the concourse from soundtracks hunted down here and there.
Dominique Drillot, set and lighting designer, will recreate the atmosphere of a train station waiting area with metal chairs here and there. The dancers will evolve in this space flooded with hard light, in costumes inspired from city clothes of a variety of colors.
With this new piece, I will bring the company dancers to a new energy based on quality, velocity and virtuosity in a new way of managing body weight".
Josette Baïz, October 2007
Run time : 65 minutes
Pictures of the performance
Videos of the performance
On tour
Please find information on the first presentation of "Gare Centrale" and the other tour dates in the Calendar.
Contact : Claire Merchie / claire@josette-baiz.com / +33 (0)4 42 96 37 56
Cast
- Choreography : Josette Baïz and Compagnie Grenade
- Performers (12 dancers) : Félix Héaulme, Julie Yousef, Kader Mahammed, Kanto Adrianoely, Kim Evin, Lola Cougard, Michaël Jaume, Mylène Lamugnière, Nordine Belmekki, Sinath Ouk, Stéphanie Vial; Pierre Boileau
- Set Design : Dominique Drillot
- Music : Jean-Sébastien Bach
- Music and original soundtrack : Jean-Jacques Palix
- Additive music: Mathieu Maurice
- Voice: Eve Couturier
- Costume design : Philippe Combeau
Production /Coproduction
A Compagny Grenade Grenade Production, in co-production with the Théâtre de Bourg en Bresse. With the support of the National Choreographic Center of Grenoble (guest studio 2010 residency), the National Choreographic Center of Aix-en-Provence - Angelin Preljocaj (guest studio residency) and the Conseil Général des Bouches du Rhône - Department center for creations in residency.
