Light, energy, dynamism to the extreme... You'll be thinking of these concepts when you see the result of the work done by the artists in this show. They were chosen following auditions throughout Morocco, leading to the creation of the company we’ll be seeing on stage which brings together a series of talents ranging from traditional and modern acrobatics to urban dance, break-dance and even Taekwondo and freestyle football. How do they combine all these acrobatic specialities? They do it to the scratch sounds of the famous Moroccan DJ, DJ Key, and surrounded by the visual world of Hassan Hajjaj, a well-known artist and photographer considered to be the Andy Warhol of Morocco and the creator of a visual imagery that is highly colourful and 100% pop. You will see this during a performance that starts with dark tones and ends up as a celebration of light and colour, a new display of the artists’ extreme vitality, directed this time by fellow acrobat Maroussia Diaz Verbèke.
This is the latest offering from the Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger, a group set up in 2003 thanks to a woman, Sanae El Kamouni, who was determined to bring acrobatics, one of the great traditions of Moroccan popular culture, into contemporary language. To achieve this, she has invited some of the most prestigious directors on the European scene, including Aurélien Bory from France and Zimmermann & de Perrot from Switzerland, to direct the company’s shows. We have already seen examples of her work here on previous occasions: at the Grec 2008 (Taoub), the Grec 2010 (Chouf Ouchouf), the Grec 2013 (Azimut) and the Grec 2017 (Halka). This combination of tradition and contemporary creation is now being continued with Maroussia Diaz Verbèke, a rope acrobat, stage director and circus specialist who has created diverse shows, the latest of which was created in Brazil, entitled Circus Remix. She defines herself as a "circographer", a neologism referring to the staging of circus arts.
The show also provides a good opportunity to discover the visual universe of Hassan Hajjaj, the creator of the stage designs and costumes in FIQ, who mixes the most explosive colours with elements of traditional culture, in a humorous alliance between pop and kitsch that creates a dialogue between various eras and which is capable of turning traditional Moroccan vignettes into images so powerful they make you think of everything that is pop and modern about Western capitals.
An Association Halka (Paris) production.
Co-productions and residencies: Scènes du Maroc (Tànger); Les Nuits de Fourvière, Festival international de la métropole de Lyon; Le Manège, Scène nationale Reims; CIRCa, pôle national cirque, Auch, Gers, Occitanie; Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie/La Brèche à Cherbourg/Cirque Théâtre d’Elbeuf; Agora, Pole National des Arts du Cirque de Boulazac-Aquitaine; La Ferme du Buisson, Noisiel; Scène nationale de Châteauvallon; La Verrerie d’Alès, Pôle national cirque Occitanie; Théâtre de Grasse, scène conventionnée cirque et danse; Institut Français (Paris).
L’Association Halka is supported by the Ile-de-France Region Cultural Affairs Office (DRAC helps with creations), the Ministry of Culture (DGCA helps with creations), the Institut Français in Paris, the Ile de France Region, Spedidam and Paris City Council.
The Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger is supported by the Fondation BMCI (Morocco); Fondation BNP Paribas; Fondation Drosos; the provincial delegation of culture in Tànger (Morocco); the Institut Français de Marràqueix / Maison Denise Masson (Morocco); Awaln'art and the African Capitals of Culture (Morocco), Movenpick Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech and its Palais des Congrès Marrakech (Morocco), Le Théâtre Nomade, Casablanca (Morocco).
Performed by: Najwa Aarras, Mohamed Takel, Samir Lâaroussi, Hamza Naceri, Hammad Benjkiri, Manon Rouillard, Youssef El Machkouri, Tarik Hassani, Hassan Taher, Bouchra El Kayouri, Ayoub Maani, Zhor al Amine Demnati, Ilyas bouchtaoui, Achraf El Kati, Nora Bouhlala chacón, Dj Key (alternately) Staging: Maroussia Diaz Verbèke Assistant stage manager: Sanae El Kamouni Acrobatics: William Thomas / Cie BAM Balancing acts and pitching: Basile Narcy, Maxime Solé Staging and costumes conceived by: Hassan Hajjaj Costumes: Bouchra Salih Technical director: Cécile Hérault Lighting design: Laure Andurand Musical creation: Dj Key Sound design: Joël Abriac Technical support: Marine David Director of the Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger: Sanae El Kamouni Production, dissemination and development: Jean-François Pyka Administration and development: Pauline Horteur General logistics and tours: Alexandra Cahen, Clara Aycard Photographs and graphic design: ©Hassan Hajjaj
