Mourner’s bench
2009 - Director : Carlès, James
Choreographer(s) : Carlès, James (France) Beatty, Talley (United States)
Present in collection(s): Maison de la Danse de Lyon , Compagnie James Carlès Danse & Co - Œuvres majeures du patrimoine chorégraphique ( Danses noires, danses modernes, danses contemporaines, danses urbaines, etc...)
Video producer : James Carlès
Mourner’s bench
2009 - Director : Carlès, James
Choreographer(s) : Carlès, James (France) Beatty, Talley (United States)
Present in collection(s): Maison de la Danse de Lyon , Compagnie James Carlès Danse & Co - Œuvres majeures du patrimoine chorégraphique ( Danses noires, danses modernes, danses contemporaines, danses urbaines, etc...)
Video producer : James Carlès
Mourner’s bench
This spiritual, muscular struggle between a dancer and a bench is inspired by the world of novelist Howard Fast and alludes to the tragic influence of the Ku Klux Klan on a rural, multi-racial community in the southern United States, after the civil war. The performer asserts himself through a language of movement, highly stylised on the themes of oppression and transcendence. “Sitting on the mourner's bench”, he recounts the decline, horror and oppression suffered by the black community.
Credits
Creation : 1947 section de la pièce "Southern Landscape"
Choregraphy : Talley Beatty
Rerun in 2009 by : James Carlès
Transmitter : Joan Myers Brown - Cie Philadanco, Philadelphie USA
Duration : 6 mn
Music : «There is a balm in Gilead» Traditionnal spiritual song
Find out more : compagniejamescarles.com
Carlès, James
James Carles is a choreographer, researcher and lecturer. He received initial training in dance and music of Africa and its Diaspora and then trained with the great names of modern dance in New York and London mainly. Since 1992, he hired an artistic and analytical approach that explores the “places junctions” between the dances, rhythms and philosophies of Africa and its Diaspora with technical and western thoughts frames. To date, his company’s directory contains more than fifty pieces of his own creation and authors like Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Talley Beatty, Asadata Dafora, Geraldine Armstrong, Rick Odums, Wayne Barbaste, Carolyn Carlson, Robyn Orlin, etc.
Dancer soloist and outstanding performer, James Carles was performer and artistic collaborator for not only numerous “all music” ranging from Baroque to contemporary music, through jazz; but also choreographers such as Carolyn Carlson, Robyn Orlin, Rui Horta, Myriam Naisy, etc.
Artist associated with Astrada- Jazz In Marciac 2012-2014, research associate in the laboratory of the University LLA Créatis Jean Jaures Toulouse, James Carles is particularly invests in heritage projects for diversity and diffusion of choreographic culture. He is also founder and artistic director of the festival “Dances and Black Continents”.
Beatty, Talley
Talley Beatty (1923-1995) started dancing as a teenager, studying with Katherine Dunham and from 1937 – 1943 is part of the troupe as a dancer and choreographer. After creating his own company, he choreographs his first piece in 1947, Southern Landscape, a work of five parts that includes the famed solo Mouner’s Bench. Talley Beatty’s career is marked by a prolific and diverse creation, his protest dances with abstract meditations, but also by a fruitful collaboration with the musical works of Duke Ellington.
Carlès, James
Since 2016, James Carlès has made the choice to make available to the public a selection of its videos.
Mourner’s bench
Choreography : Création : 1947 section de la pièce "Southern Landscape" Chorégraphe : Talley Beatty Reprise en 2009 par : James Carlès Passeurs : Joan Myers Brown - Cie Philadanco, Philadelphie USA
Additionnal music : "There is a balm in Gilead" chant traditionnel spiritual
Duration : 6 minutes
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