In Larmes blanches Angelin Preljocaj made the choice of virtuosity. The terse gestures deploy their energy in small volumes, require maximum speed and sudden stops, as well as a faultless memory. The phrases danced in unison forbid the slightest shift in rhythm, amplitude or space. Bodies and gestures are duplicated, but it is the antagonisms that surprise: the asymmetry of costumes, the tug-of-war between rounded figures and oblique gestures, the opposition between the harpsicord and the electroacoustics, between the white lace and the black leather. Yet the dance imbued with baroque bursts forbids all joy, and the flesh confronted with the terseness of the plucked strings cannot languish. However, the few moments when tenderness timidly appears stirs the nostalgia for a place where emotion was possible:  the mechanical aspect is there only to mask absence, and the multiplication of bodies performing the same gestures outlines, en abyme, the reflection of a forgotten world.  

Source : Preljocaj

Angelin Preljocaj was born in the Paris region, in France, and began studying classical ballet before turning to contemporary dance, which he studied with Karin Waehner.
In 1980, he went to New York to work with Zena Rommett and Merce Cunningham, after which he resumed his studies in France, there his teachers included the American choreographer Viola Farber and the French one Quentin Rouillier. He then joined Dominique Bagouet before founding his own company in December 1984.

His productions are now part of the repertoire of many companies, many of which also commission original production from him, notably La Scala of Milan, the New York City Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet. He has made short films ("Le postier", "Idées noires" in 1991) and several full-length films, notably "Un trait d’union" and "Annonciation" (1992 and 2003). In 2009, he directed "Snow White", featuring his own piece, and in 2011 he signed, for Air France, the commercial "L’Envol", based on the choreography of "Le Parc".
Since then he has collaborated on several films of his own choreographic work: « Les Raboteurs » with Cyril Collard (based on the painting by Gustave Caillebotte) in 1988, « Pavillon Noir » with Pierre Coulibeuf in 2006 and « Eldorado/ Preljocaj » with Olivier Assayas in 2007.

Since October 2006, the Ballet Preljocaj and its 24 permanent dancers have resided at the Pavillon Noir in Aix-en-Provence, a building entirely dedicated to dance, with Angelin Preljocaj as its artistic director. Made with Valérie Müller, the first full-length feature film by Angelin Preljocaj, « Polina », danser sa vie, adapted from the graphic novel by Bastien Vivès, came out in cinemas on November 2016.

Source: Ballet Preljocaj 's website

More information

preljocaj.org

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