text in english below
La composition instantanée est une
pratique initiée dans les années 60 aux Etats-Unis par des artistes comme Anna Halprin, Robert Dunn et John Cage, puis
développée dans la mouvance de la danse postmoderne (Judson Church Theater New York) notamment
par Steve Paxton, Simone Forti, Yvonne Rainer et Trisha Brown. Ces outils et techniques
permettant de développer un matériel chorégraphique original sont enseignés et
utilisés actuellement par des danseurs et chorégraphes de renom international
tels que Julyen Hamilton, Lisa Nelson et Mark Tompkins.
La composition instantanée interroge la
préexistence de la signification d'une pièce, sans toutefois la nier. L'essence
d'une pièce peut être considérée comme le substrat duquel la chorégraphie peut
émerger et se développer lors de la performance, et prendre des formes à chaque
fois différentes. La forme révèle alors l'essence vive qui sous-tend la pièce
et sa signification profonde.
La composition instantanée est reconnue
en danse et dans d'autres formes d'expressions artistiques contemporaine
principalement comme méthode pour générer du matériel, mais plus rarement comme
pratique scénique en tant que telle. Il existe actuellement plusieurs
initiatives internationales visant à promouvoir une reconnaissance de la
composition instantanée comme forme de performance à part entière, comparable à
celle de la musique improvisée.
Le festival L’Âme-de-fonds explore l'art
de la composition instantanée et l'expose dans des performances scéniques. Le
festival interroge d'autre part des pratiques artistiques et somatiques
voisines telles que la danse contemporaine, le contact-improvisation, le
théâtre et la musique improvisés et en révèle les différences inhérentes.
Le festival vise d'une part à mettre en
réseau les artistes indépendants et les compagnies travaillant dans le champs
émergeant de la composition instantanée et, d'autre part, de faire connaître
cette forme d'art à un plus large public.
Presentation of the festival (english version)
The non-profit association “Le Chambart” invites performing artists from across Europe for an intensive 4 days residence during which they will work with local artists and create a series of 8 performances that will be presented over two days of festival. The performances will be centered on instant-composition as a performance art form.
Instant-composition is a practice that was developed in the 60’s in the United States following the teachings of Anna Halprin, Robert Dunn and the experiments of John Cage. The “postmodern dance” movement (dancers who were mainly coming from the Judson Church Theater in New York) have advanced, theorized and deepened it. They have set up tools and techniques giving more autonomy in the creation of choreographic material. Steve Paxton, Simone Forti, Yvonne Rainer or Trisha Brown are its key founders. Since then dancers/choregraphs like Julyen Hamilton, Lisa Nelson or Mark Tompkins cultivate this heritage by performing on stage and teaching.
Instant-composition questions the pre-existence of a meaning of a piece, without denying it. The heart of a piece can be seen as a substrate on which choreography can grow into different forms each time it is performed: although the form is in perpetual transformation as it emerges at the very moment it is executed, the piece has its own underlying life, its own identity.
Instant-Composition is well recognized in dance, and in contemporary art more generally, as a valuable method for producing material, but it is much more rarely taken as a performing art form in itself. In comparison to music improvisation that has become a well-recognized art form, Instant-Composition does not benefit from comparable networks, visibility and support.
The festival L’âme de fonds explores and exposes this art form by presenting work in the form of on-stage performances. It questions adjoining art forms or somatic techniques like contemporary dance, contact-improvisation, theater or music improvisation, by revealing inherent dissonances between these fields. It establishes a network between independent artists as well as companies working in the emerging field of instant-composition and offers a platform to support its visibility.
Presentation of the festival (english version)
The non-profit association “Le Chambart” invites performing artists from across Europe for an intensive 4 days residence during which they will work with local artists and create a series of 8 performances that will be presented over two days of festival. The performances will be centered on instant-composition as a performance art form.
Instant-composition is a practice that was developed in the 60’s in the United States following the teachings of Anna Halprin, Robert Dunn and the experiments of John Cage. The “postmodern dance” movement (dancers who were mainly coming from the Judson Church Theater in New York) have advanced, theorized and deepened it. They have set up tools and techniques giving more autonomy in the creation of choreographic material. Steve Paxton, Simone Forti, Yvonne Rainer or Trisha Brown are its key founders. Since then dancers/choregraphs like Julyen Hamilton, Lisa Nelson or Mark Tompkins cultivate this heritage by performing on stage and teaching.
Instant-composition questions the pre-existence of a meaning of a piece, without denying it. The heart of a piece can be seen as a substrate on which choreography can grow into different forms each time it is performed: although the form is in perpetual transformation as it emerges at the very moment it is executed, the piece has its own underlying life, its own identity.
Instant-Composition is well recognized in dance, and in contemporary art more generally, as a valuable method for producing material, but it is much more rarely taken as a performing art form in itself. In comparison to music improvisation that has become a well-recognized art form, Instant-Composition does not benefit from comparable networks, visibility and support.
The festival L’âme de fonds explores and exposes this art form by presenting work in the form of on-stage performances. It questions adjoining art forms or somatic techniques like contemporary dance, contact-improvisation, theater or music improvisation, by revealing inherent dissonances between these fields. It establishes a network between independent artists as well as companies working in the emerging field of instant-composition and offers a platform to support its visibility.
