Born in 1962 in Coutances (Normandy, France), Dominique Hervieu has had a voracious appetite for every form of movement since she was six years old. After her first love, gymnastics, she elected dance as the new object of her passion : classical dance, at first, which she practised for a dozen years, mainly with Michèle Latini; and then contemporary dance, with Peter Goss, Alwin Nicolais and Hervé Diasnas.

In 1981, she met José Montalvo and with him developed an original gestural language – fluid, rapid and precise – that would impart a singular style to their works. In 1988, their close artistic bond yielded Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu, which performs at the leading venues in France and beyond. Ten years and five new pieces later, the duo were appointed to head the Centre Chorégraphique National de Créteil et du Val-de- Marne. Since 2000, Dominique Hervieu has co- devised all the pieces by Compagnie Montalvo- Hervieu, which ranks among the most popular and recognised contemporary-dance companies in France and abroad.

In 2000, they specially created Variation au Paradis for the opening ceremony of the Cannes International Film Festival. That year, Dominique Hervieu became artistic adviser to the Théâtre National de Chaillot and was appointed director of the venue’s youth programme. She conducted original arts-education actions, drawing on connections between dance works and artistic practices on the one hand, and on those between the arts on the other hand, in partnership with the Musée du Louvre and several other Paris institutions. She notably conceived a choreographic trail at the Louvre in 2004, attracting 5,000 spectators.

In 2001 she created "Mosaïque... Danse(s) d’une ville", a piece for 180 amateur dancers aged 15 to 85: a multicultural portrait in dance of the town of Créteil, which involved residents in the creative process. In 2002 and 2003 she devised two pieces on her own: "Intervallo Brio" at the Mettre en scène festival, a work for two virtuoso dancers, a grandfather and two little girls; and "Le Corbeau et le renard", a dance version of La Fontaine’s fable.

In 2006 she created "La Bossa Fataka" de Rameau with José Montalvo. With Montalvo she also choreographed and directed two operas : "Les Paladins", under the musical direction of William Christie of Les Arts Florissants, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris (2004); and George Gershwin’s "Porgy and Bess" at the Opéra National de Lyon (2008).
Also in 2006, Dominique Hervieu created L’artde la rencontre - Cartes postales chorégraphiques for " Les Francophonies ! " festival, in conjunction with four choreographers from the Francophone world. These collaborations gave rise to 12 filmed duos and provided the material for a documentary for Arte. In June 2008, Hervieu was appointed director of the Théâtre National de Chaillot. The duo’s most recent work, "Orphée", was staged in 2010. In July that year she initiated Imaginez Maintenant, a national event to promote young artists, in conjunction with France’s High Commissioner for Youth and its Council for Artistic Creation.  In July 2011, she succeeded Guy Darmet as general manager of La Maison de la Danse and as artistic director of the Lyon Dance Biennial.

Since 2014, Dominique Hervieu has been developing the international part of the Lyon Dance Biennial parade by inviting groups of major European cities (Turin and Barcelona). In 2018, she will be the Artistic Director of the Triennial of Yokohama Dance, Dance, Dance.

Source: Maison de la Danse

Artistic Direction: José Montalvo, Dominique Hervieu

Creation: 1988

In 1981, José Montalvo – choreographer – met Dominique Hervieu – dancer – and began to choreograph short playful pieces, kinds of choreographic aphorisms, of which she is the principal performer. They devised a characteristic form of movement together, built of fluidity, rapidity and precision, which was to lend a distinctive style to their productions. 1986-1988: José Montalvo's choreographies won several international awards, all performed by Dominique Hervieu. This was the beginning of an artistic adventure and a deep understanding, which led to the founding of the Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu in 1988. In 1993, they created “Double Trouble”, an inaugural piece, in which the technological image and the physical presence of the dancers' bodies are set against each other. So it was that the two partners embarked upon the production of a set of works that, while autonomous, might one day be understood as a whole, like some huge baroque fresco. With “Paradis” (1997) and “Le jardin io io ito ito” (1999), the originality of their approach was praised and rewarded the world over. José Montalvo and Dominque Hervieu have also choreographed for the étoiles of the Paris Opéra and the opening of the 53rd Cannes International Film Festival.  Alongside their choreographic work on new pieces, in 1989 they began devising in-situ community events. In June 1998, they were appointed directors of the Centre Chorégraphique National de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne. In June 2000, José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu were nominated respectively Dance Director and Director of Young Audience Mission and Outreach Projects at the Théâtre National, Chaillot. They have also been awarded the distinction of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. Since 2002 Dominique Hervieu has co-written the company's shows with José Montalvo. In May 2004, they choreographed and directed Jean-Philippe Rameau's opera “Les Paladins”, under the musical direction of William Christie. In November 2004 they devised a choreographic trail at the Louvre museum. In January 2005 they composed “On Danƒe”, and adapted this for young audiences under the title “La Bossa Fataka De Rameau”. In 2006 Dominique Hervieu produced a set of interactive teaching DVDs dealing with cultural diversity. In 2008, they created « Porgy and Bess » at the Opera de Lyon and « Good Morning, Mr. Gershwin ». The same year, the French Ministry of Culture appointed them directors of the Théâtre National, Chaillot, which became a venue exclusively dedicated to choreographic art.

Sources: Maison de la danse show program ; "Panorama de la danse" (Rosita Boisseau); Théâtre National de Chaillot 's website