The Spectator's Moment or how to discover an artist, a piece of work or a company in just two minutes. It is a collection of programmes produced by the Maison de la Danse in Lyon and presented by Dominique Hervieu. Each episode is devoted to an artist or a company that is programmed at the Maison de la Danse and offers the public keys or artistic benchmarks for better understanding and appreciating the choreographic art.
 



© Maison de la Danse de Lyon

After pursuing a career as a dancer for various choreographers (including Odile Duboc, Simone Sandroni, Nathalie Pernette, Alain Imbert, Micha Purucker and Sosana Marcelino) and working on joint projects with Les Pas Nommés, Catherine Dreyfus created her own dance company, the Compagnie Act2, in 2008. For Catherine Dreyfus, dance is a vehicle for emotions and reflection. It stimulates observation and questioning, allowing her to portray the world around us through her unique dreamlike language. It reveals an organic approach to things that gives free rein to the imagination and allows viewers to form their own interpretations. Catherine Dreyfus likes to bring the body in contact with physical objects and materials. Stage design therefore plays a fundamental role, with the set considered as a performer and an essential partner serving the dance. Musicality, poetry and fluidity are the ingredients of her universe marked by a surrealist approach tinged with irony. The works she presents are delicate, effervescent and invigorating. Catherine Dreyfus has created four dance performances with the Compagnie ACT2: the trio "Miravella" (2014), the ephemeral piece "Parcours chorégraphique" (2013), the trio "Et si j’étais moi !" (2010) and the quintet "Eloge de la métamorphose" (2012). From the conceptual stage to completion, Catherine Dreyfus’ work is fuelled by her contact with audiences. These exchanges continue during the presentation of performances. The company offers an extensive programme aimed at building awareness of dance (meetings with performers, open rehearsals, workshops in schools, performing arts colleges and for families), as well as professional training courses.

Source: The Compagnie Act2 's website

More information

act2-cie.com

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