When classical dance opens its doors
First, the 2024 Request for Support campaign closed on March 31. More than twenty projects were received. This month is devoted to the analysis of the files that will be presented and arbitrated in selection boards, in view of the announcement of the results scheduled for the month of June.
The first edition of the Meeting of European junior ballets, held at the Pavillon Noir in Aix-en-Provence from 16 to 23 March, set a new precedent for the world of dance. To further expand its audience, our fund was able to invite young people from the Refuge Foundation to attend a preview of the dress rehearsal of Paysage après la bataille, performed by young dancers from the Ballet Preljocaj Junior. It was an emotional opportunity for those who, until then, had never had such a chance to see youth and performance in such a demanding aesthetic pursuit.
Angelin Preljocaj, choreographer of his own eponymous ballet, emphasizes the importance of the collective dimension in choreographic work, as a value he wished to convey through the creation of the Meeting : “There's a whole group dimension. It's a job that involves connecting with others and also working on the link and not just on individuality. For a dancer wanting to join a company, it's quite important to have this acute awareness of collaborative work and the link with others. It's a notion that I develop a lot in the company and which is an important value for us. The notion of the group, of the artistic tribe.”
Guillaume Siard, the pedagogical director of the Ballet Preljocaj, highlights the importance of creating this event that met a need of the sector. It also highlights the need to provide an artistic space for young dancers: “It's important because meeting places initiated by professional companies for young ballet dancers are rather rare.
We give young dancers an artistic space: a stage. It's difficult for a young ballet, especially one from a school, to go on tour. So we wanted to offer this network our stage. We also want our loyal Pavillon Noir audience to discover all these young dancers, and to appreciate their artistic and technical quality. In addition, the Centre National de la Danse and the French Ministry of Culture are co-organizing round tables at which we'll be discussing highly technical subjects, including professional integration and teaching methods.”
Interviews with Angelin Preljocaj and Guillaume Siard can be read in full on our website. They offer a rich insight into their vision and commitment to the world of dance. The success of this event reflects the vitality and diversity of the European choreographic landscape.
The Meeting-Restitution Day was held this month. To mark the occasion, the École du Louvre welcomed the fund's current project leaders on Tuesday, April 2, for a day of stocktaking. The aim of this annual event is to encourage cross-disciplinary exchange and open up new avenues of exploration for the future.
The Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is proud to support this initiative, which aims to open the doors of culture to as many people as possible. Don't miss the latest news about our projects by subscribing to our newsletter here.