Étrangler le temps + boléro 2

The Boléro by Maurice Ravel is one of the most monumental works in classical music history. Boris Charmatz and Emmanuelle Huynh have danced to this piece on numerous occasions in Trois Boléros by Odile Duboc. In this performance they repeat the second part of that choreography, following Duboc’s wishes, who indicated before her death in 2010 that only this fragment could be re-enacted.

The duo distils a wonderful double bill. Étrangler le temps is an extremely delayed variation on Duboc’s choreography. For this part, the dancers cast their minds back to their past experience of the piece and start from an extended version of Ravel’s iconic composition. In the second part they stubbornly resist the propelling power of the music, giving rise to a duet as a tender response to the volatility of dance as a medium. Ravel’s Boléro gains an extra dimension through its enchan ing setting in the Predikherenkerk.

Photos © Jean Henry / Ursula Kaufmann

Étrangler le temps

Freely inspired by: boléro 2 (fragment of the performance byOdile Duboc and Françoise Michel, 1996)
Dance: Boris Charmatz, Emmanuelle Huynh
Scene and light design: Yves Godin
Sound: Olivier Renouf

boléro 2

Fragment of three boléros (Odile Duboc & Françoise Michel, 1996)
Dance: Boris Charmatz, Emmanuelle Huynh
Music: Boléro by Maurice Ravel (RAI Symphonic Orchestra of Milan under the direction of Sergiu Celibidache)
Co-production: Contre Jour Centre chorégraphique national de Franche-Comté à Belfort, La Filature Scène nationale de Mulhouse, Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, Centre Jean-Renoir Scène nationale de Dieppe & La Coursive Scène nationale de La Rochelle