Centre chorégraphique national de Caen en Normandie

Direction Alban Richard

In addition to studying literature and music, Alban Richard also pursued dance, ultimately choosing it as his career path, after working with choreographers such as Odile Duboc and Rosalind Crips. 

In 2000, he founded the L’Abrupt company to develop his own creations, inventing new bodies living in close interaction with music, usually during live performances. Born in Brest and serving as the director of the CCN de Caen en Normandie since 2005, Richard brings a sensitivity to music into his work, while opening doors to other avenues of research. Beyond supporting choreographic artists, he also assists text artists through writers’ grants, awarded to authors who explore society. This approach is at the heart of the CCN’s project. Through its actions, it creates temporary communities that gather for both short and long periods of time, and experiments with several types of practices. Within this framework, the CCN is committed to promoting health-related topics, thus organising the “Créer les conditions de sa santé” forum (Take your health into your own hand, in English), in collaboration with the Centre national de la danse. Along with its very regional focus, the CCN has been increasing dance-related awareness, with the “créations habitant·e·s” (inhabitants creations). These shows include works from the “collection tout-terrain” (all-terrain collection), created by choreographers who can produce short and technically light pieces. The objective of this local project extends beyond the national borders: since 2017, it includes creators from Lithuania’s choreographic landscape.