From her rural and religious origins, choreographer and dancer Géraldine Chollet has retained an intense spiritual dimension that runs through both her life and her work, particularly in OUVERTURE, her third creation. In this immersive piece, conceived as much for the outside as for the inside, there are no boundaries between the performance space and the viewing space: performers and audience walk side by side, united in a shared experience of body and spirit. It is an enveloping form of ritual, inspired by the mysteries of the Middle Ages and the primitive Appenzell New Year, yet it is totally anchored in the present, through the repeated walking around, the movement of the dancers, the live music and singing. Borrowing its title from the beautiful song by Etienne Daho, OUVERTURE invites everyone to connect with themselves, with their innermost selves, and with those around them. This sensitive artist’s beautiful proposal is to walk together and celebrate life.
Géraldine Chollet - Cie Rahu LaMo
OUVERTURE – a piece for walking audiences and dancers
In the frame of Les Rencontres d’Été
Artistic director, choreographer (with the collaboration of the dancers), singing Géraldine Chollet
Dancers Mélissa Guex, Eléonore Heiniger, Bast Hippocrate and David Zagari
Assistant and manager of extras Trân Tran
Staging and lighting Sven Kreter
Sound design Renée Van Trier
Composer and sound tech Raphaël Raccuia
Tech manager Celine Ribeiro
Costumes Scilla Llardo
Production and diffusion Maxine Devaud / oh la la – performing arts production
Production Rahu LaMo Company
Coproduction Théâtre Sévelin 36, Lausanne
With the support of the City of Lausanne, the Swiss Foundation of performing artists SIS, Loterie Romande, Fondation Nestlé pour l’art, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Fondation Casino Barrière de Montreux
Thank you to all the Palestinian dancers from Dabke who have inspired me and whose basic steps we used in the choreography