In A.H.C - Albertine, Charles et Hector, Denis Plassard explores the new expressive and poetic potential of a corps-à-corps between puppets and dancers. “Create dance for puppets” was the brief self-set by the choreographer, who’s always game for a nutty challenge. After his collaboration with Émilie Valantin during the previous Biennale Défilé, he was keen to “study puppets’ ritual and timeless bodies”, explo- ring the subject and mixing his own language with the language of these strange creatures. He chose to work on a life-size, articulated puppet, which it was necessary to design in conjunction with Émilie Valan- tin, because it had to be possible for one person to operate it, whereas usually each one needs three puppeteers, as in the Japanese bunraku. Plassard thus had to understand the body’s mechanics, find a way of articulating the back, and open up fresh avenues: “inventing a method of operating the puppets”.
A.H.C - Albertine, Charles et Hector is presented as the second part of a trilogy entitled Le cycle de la manipulation, which began with Suivez les instructions and will continue in 2017-2018 with Macbeth/Verdi. However, each of the three pieces is self-contained. A.H.C uses a simple device: the piece plunges the three protagonists of the first episode into hell. A hell reminiscent of Dante’s, but revisited in Plassard’s extravagant style. A hell where everyone is punished for their sins; where Hector, the husband, is forced to spin on his head because he has a tendency to be big-headed; where the couple must dance a waltz although they hate touching each other, and so on. Albertine, Hector and Charles, the troublemaker, all find themselves tossed into the dark depths, becoming puppets totally dependent on their operators. Without gravity, hell is a strange place where bodies can fly about, glide, and collapse like a pile of old rags. On stage: three puppeteers followed by three shadows which animate them and by three voices, those of two beatboxers and a singer. In total, nine characters who kick over their tracks and keep us guessing. Playing on the intersection between manipulator and manipulated, the three shadows relish sweeping the three puppets into devilish choreographies, at once burlesque and disjointed. A fiendish sarabande where no one knows who’s calling the tunes in this dance of the damned. A madcap dance piece that carries the audience to the edge of the abyss – and of hysterical laughter..

Source : Biennale de la Danse

Credits

Conception, choreography and direction Denis Plassard
Puppets Emilie Valantin
Dancers, operator Sonia Delbost-Henry, Annette Labry, Denis Plassard
Voices (performance and creation) Florent Clergial, Nicolas Giemza, Jessica Martin-Maresco
Lights Dominique Ryo
Stage manager and sound Eric Dutriévoz
Costumes Julie Lascoumes
Makeup and wig of puppets Emmeline Beaussier
Coach Xavier Gresse

Video production  Maison de la Danse in the context of Biennale de la danse
Video direction Fabien Plasson
2016

Denis Plassard started to dance on a misunderstanding : wrapped up in crepe paper for the "End of the Year Show" in primary school, he was convinced that the steps meant something and that putting them together was just like writing sentences to tell a story... Since then, a question (a bit odd for a dancer/choreographer) haunts him: what does the movement mean? What do we say when we move?

He then decided to study dance and entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Lyon. After he graduated, he danced for 2 seasons with Josette Baïz's company in Aix-en-Provence.

In 1991, at the age of 23, he set up his own company named after his first solo, “Propos”, which was created the year before. Very early in his choreographic career, he tried to create dynamic links between speech and movement and his work focused on the connection between "Dance and Text". His choreographic writing is precise, sharp and very theatrical, and his style is quirky and full of humour and derision. Prolific choreographer and eager dancer, he enjoys being confronted with new universes and is continually looking for artistic meetings and crossroads between different aesthetics.

From Kafka to Mermet, from Bizet to Labiche, from the stage to the circus ring, he keeps having new ideas that mix hip-hop, circus, music, theatre and dance.

Source : The company Propos 's website

More information : compagnie-propos.com

Born in 1977, Fabien Plasson is a video director specialized in the field of performing arts (dance , music, etc).

During his studies at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon (joined in 1995) Fabien discovered video art. He was trained by various video artists (Joel Bartoloméo Pascal Nottoli , Eric Duyckaerts , etc) .
He first experimented with the creation of installations and cinematic objects.

From 2001 to 2011, he was in charge of Ginger & Fred video Bar’s programming at La Maison de la Danse in Lyon. He discovered the choreographic field and the importance of this medium in the dissemination, mediation and pedagogical approach to dance alongside Charles Picq, who was a brilliant video director and the director of the video department at that time.

Today, Fabien Plasson is the video director at La Maison de la Danse and in charge of the video section of Numeridanse.tv, an online international  video library, and continues his creative activities, making videos of concerts, performances and also creating video sets for live performances.

Sources: Maison de la Danse ; Fabien Plasson website

More information: fabione.fr

Artistic direction: Denis Plassard

Creation: 1991

Denis Plassard created the Compagnie Propos in 1991. Today, it gathers dancers and artists from different horizons (contemporary dance, hip-hop, circus, musicians) around the choreographer's work and universe in works that are very different in the form. The creation of new choreographies (about 40 in 25 years!) and the touring of its repertoire are at the heart of the company's activities. For the 2015-16 season, 7 different shows are on tour and, globally, 8 shows are available (the oldest was created in 2001 and was already performed more than 150 times). Whether it is in our studio or on tour, for young or grown-up people, for those who are flexible or not, the company also organises master-classes, workshops for children and their parents, choreographed balls, creation with amateur dancers... So that everybody can start dancing in a simple and amusing way! In spring 2004, the Compagnie Propos established its own premises: the Studio Lucien is a place to dance, to rehearse and to create; it is also a place for computers and for technical and scenery materials. This dance-dedicated space is not only a development tool for the company but is also open to other artists and companies.

Source: Cie Propos 's website

More information

compagnie-propos.com