It is a tidal wave, a blue herd, a shoal of fish which emerges, electric, then surrounds us and runs through us. Inspired by the story of Jonah in the Bible, La Tendresse du ventre de la baleine (The tenderness of the belly of the whale) by Géraldine Chollet, performed by eight bold dancers and two female musicians, immerses us in an amniotic world where dance springs from all places, moves from one body to another, envelops us, carries us away and challenges us. Through this flux, which combines energy, power and presence, is the affirmation of a community which invites us to experience common ground, to consider one another – different yet together – just like the performers who appear before us: diverse, singular yet connected. The live music makes us want to move to join this joyful dance, in a carnal and emotional experience where chaos and wonder echo each other. With this new immersive piece, programmed under the stars of the Chartreuse, in the cloister where we had previously seen OUVERTURE-pièce pour danseur·euses et public cheminant in 2024, choreographer Géraldine Chollet places the audience at the center of a discourse which is at once existential, intimate and political. More than ever, her dance etches out a new relationship to the world.
Géraldine Chollet
La tendresse du ventre de la baleine
With Les rencontre(s) d’été
Concept and choreography Géraldine
Chollet
Choreography in collaboration with the dancers Jessica Tamsin Allemann, Johanna Robyn Closuit, Karine Dahouindji, Victor
Dumont, Bilal El Had, Bast Hippocrate, Maïté Maeum Jeannolin, David Zagari
Extra dancers Alice Gratet,
Mélissa Guex, Eléonore Heiniger
Voice and guitar Billie Bird
Dj Iman Waser/MÂNAA
Dramaturgy Adina Secretan, Jessica Huber
Light design Selim Dir
Melaizi
Costumes Maarten Van Mulken
Costumes assistant
Claire
Nicholas
Scenography advicers Sarah André,
Thérèse Weibel
Assistants Trân Tran, Tamara Lysek
Sound engineering Raphaël Raccuia
Light engineering Victor Schwab
Technical direction Nidea
Henriques
Production, distribution and development Maxine Devaud
/ oh la la – performing arts production
Production Cie Rahu LaMo
Coproduction Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, Pavillon ADC – Genève,
LAC – Lugano, Gessnerallee Zürich,
Kaserne Basel
Soutiens Label+ Romand, État de Vaud, Ville de Lausanne,
Loterie Romande, Pro Helvetia, Fondation
Ernst Göhner
Thanks to Théâtre Sévelin 36 et Arsenic – Centre d’art
scénique contemporain