GRAND JETÉ
GRAND JETÉ is a choreographic project by Silvia Gribaudi with the MM Contemporary Dance Company, italian company directed by Michele Merola. In light of the “grand jeté” or otherwise the big split in the air, one of the most impressive and virtuosic steps in ballet’s artistry, Silvia Gribaudi’s current choreographic project explores endings as a source for new beginnings.
As an attempt to escape from gravity, a “grand jeté” is a transitioning step of a momentary suspension and a “throwing” of one’s self in the air. Exploring the metaphoric meaning of this virtuosic step in everyday life, GRAND JETÉ becomes an opportunity to challenge and revolt against the irreversibility of any end. How much effort does this take-off towards the unknown require and what kind of adventures a landing may bring? Considering this explosive leap, how do we confront failure and take-off anew?
Are you ready
to make your own
‘grand jeté’?
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
In GRAND JETÉ Silvia Gribaudi carries out choreographic research into the relationship between performer and audience, starting with the transmission of certain classical dance steps and their meaning. Pliè, jeté, tour en l’air… words that are often linked to known steps but that can open up other, deeper imaginaries and that in grand jeté are experienced together with the performers. Silvia Gribaudi, as in the previous shows, develops a choreographic research by choosing to be on stage and dialoguing in the present time with both dancers and audience. In what way are we or are we not involved in a collective or individual action?
This choreographic method continually shifts the viewer’s gaze between what they see on stage, themselves and the other people in the audience.
In this performance with her on stage there are 10 dancers. “It is the young people who can make the whole of humanity take a leap,” says Silvia Gribaudi, “which is why I have chosen a company of young people who have the passion and desire to take us to other worlds, starting with a grand plié, but all together to arrive at a GRAND JETÉ!”
SIDE PROJECTS
Each project by Gribaudi is nurtured by community projects that support the development of her choreographic research and process. In GRAND JETÉ, too, the relationships that are built with the local communities will be an added value of the creation process through the project IL CORPO DI BALLO (corps de ballet), which investigates the concept of unison: a research on proximity, and on how we can “act together” in the pluralism of our positions.
Big Pulse Dance Alliance supported by the EU programme Creative Europe.
credits
GRAND JETÉ
by Silvia Gribaudi / ZEBRA with MM Contemporary Dance Company
with Silvia Gribaudi and the MM Contemporary Dance Company: Emiliana
Campo, Lorenzo Fiorito, Mario Genovese, Matilde Gherardi, Fabiana
Lonardo, Alice Ruspaggiari, Rossana Samele, Nicola Stasi, Giuseppe
Villarosa, Leonardo Zannella
music Matteo Franceschini
light design Luca Serafini
styling Ettore Lombardi
assistant choreographer Paolo Lauri
rehearsal director Enrico Morelli
dramaturgical consultant Annette Van Zwoll
artistic collaboration Matteo Maffesanti
technical advice Leonardo Benetollo
creative producer Mauro Danesi
Produced by Associazione Culturale Zebra (IT) co-produced by MM Contemporary Dance Company (IT), La Biennale
de Lyon (FR), Théâtre de la Ville (FR), Rum för Dans (SE), National Theatre Brno within Theatre World Festival Brno
(CZ), BPDA – Big Pulse Dance Alliance: Torinodanza Festival (IT), International Dance Festival TANEC PRAHA (CZ),
Zodiak – Side Step Festival (FI) artistic residency Centro di Residenza Emilia-Romagna (L’Arboreto-Teatro Dimora |
La Corte Ospitale) with the support of MiC – Ministero della Cultura, Italian Ministry of Cultural Affairs
GRAND JETÉ is a co-production of Big Pulse Dance Alliance, supported by the EU programme Creative Europe.
Duration: 60 minutes
NOTES: A smoke machine is used in the performance. Flashing lights are present in some scenes.
