“Group of dancers are seeking an apartment, hut, cabin, villa, loft, igloo, caravan, F32… Low-cost rent or if possible free-of-charge in the town centre. Water, electricity and heating included. Unoverlooked, in a tolerant environment.”

It is worth mentioning that from the street to the stage, the itinerary of this group of breakdancers is a real success story! Based around the Lyon Opera, where they first trained outside, then under the arcades, then inside, the Pockemon, with their inventive and irreproachable technique – they are European and World Battle Champions – do not only have a lot of puff and a lot of nerve, but they also have something inside their heads.

Sources : Maison de la Danse performance program

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

Artistic direction: Riyad Fghani

Creation: 1996-1997

The company's story begins in 1996-1997: a group of hip-hop dancers practised in the streets of Lyon and its suburbs, then under the arches at the entrance of the Opera House. In the course of encounters, exchanges and reflections, a team of eight dancers was formed and decided to export their skills beyond the boundaries of the city.

In 1999 they won their first battle in Grenoble during the Total Session. From then on, they adopted the name Pockemon Crew. Some years later, a series of victories thrust them to the pinnacle of their art: French hip-hop dance champions (Montpellier) in August 2003, world champions (Hannover, Germany) in October the same year, and finally European champions (London, United Kingdom) in July 2004. After such acclaim, the “group” became the Pockemon Crew “company” with an identity rooted in the energy which the dancers are constantly developing, along with a real desire to share. Today, Pockemon Crew consists of twenty dancers, aged between 17 and 26. Based on creation as much as teaching (going beyond all divisions, whether generational, social, artistic…), the company's approach is now well established. This has in turn given birth to Smockemon, a new generation of breakdancers, and Pockepop, dancers – who stay upright – specialising in smurf and popping. A permanent laboratory, the group's work can be characterised by its association of technique with aesthetics. In 2003, following months of consultation between the dancers and those who support the administrative and artistic side of their work, the “Qui fait ça? Kiffer ça!”* Association was born, which provides a structure for the collaboration between Pockemon Crew and the Opéra de Lyon. The sharing of skills and the energy which it generates are focused on developing the company's choreographic and stage work. The dynamic impetus which drives this hard core forward is the unity and mutual understanding of the dancers. Together they create a dance language, even new movements, out of an open environment oriented towards the future, without ever betraying the “underground” roots of hip-hop dance – that is, the street – from which they continue to draw their inspiration.

* A play on: “Who's doing that?” and “Get a kick out of that!” (Two expressions that sound the same in French.)

Source : Pockemon Crew

More information : pockemon-crew.net