This year, Cannes will be waltzing at its Biennale of contemporary dance during which seven days are devoted to ballet.
By Franck Davit
Just before the end of year festivities, the entire town will be dancing to the steps of some of the greatest international choreographers: Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker (described as the new Pina Bausch), Bianca Li, Marie Chouinard, Shen Wei (the master of ceremonies for the opening of the Olympic Games of Pekin), Michel Kelemenis (amongst others). The programme consists of six superb contemporary ballets performed every evening form 6 pm to 8.30 pm.
Welcome to the Cannes Festival of Dance, which is held at the end of November, once every two years, and takes place in three different venues: the Palais des Festivals, the Croisette theatre and the Theatre de la Licorne (with a special evening in the Grasse Theatre on 23rd November at 6 pm). As in 2011, during the previous event, the choreographer Frédéric Flamand, director of the Marseille National Ballet, is directing the festival, giving it his generous and lively vision of dance. In this year’s theme, Traces et Reflets (Traces and reflections), the dancers, through the movements of their body and liveliness of their spirit “display all that is most fragile in the human while at the same time expressing all the strength.
Dance is an extraordinaire vector of emotions”, states Frédéric Flamand. The stages of Cannes will be lavished with the beauty of gesture combined with all at the energies of the soul, the two elements that constitute the true art of dance.
From November 19th to 24th
www.festivaldedanse-cannes.com
