ICI – Centre chorégraphique national de Montpellier
Direction Christian Rizzo
The ICI—CCN is a hub for research, creation, production and higher education. It is fully dedicated to contemporary dance and multidisciplinary choreographic forms. It is an “experimental academy” and a “caravanserai”, where Christian Rizzo explores the following question: in which forms and practices do we find what can be choreographed?
In addition to supporting creation and production, and establishing various programmes, the ICI-CCN plays a significant role in raising awareness and imparting knowledge about dance. It organises regular gatherings, both theoretical and practical, with artists from the ICI season. Some of the theoretical and practical classes from its master’s degree are open to the public.
In the region, the ICI—CCN co-manages the PREAC Chorégraphie et Création Contemporaine. It organises seminars, conferences, training sessions, and school-oriented awareness workshops. This initiative aims to structure and support the choreographic field in Montpellier and the Occitanie region. Since Christian Rizzo’s appointment, the ICI-CCN has been committed to helping about 15 young dancers from its master’s degree enter the professional market.
When Christian Rizzo arrived in 2015, he decided to revamp this master’s degree. He annualised the admission of students in the first two years of training, and overhauled the curriculum, to focus on the transversality of practices and resources. In 2020, he set up a vocational integration fund and created “post master’s degree” residencies, in collaboration with several partners.
The ICI—CCN is part of the following networks: the Réseau danse Occitanie and the Réseau Life Long Burning—Future Lost and Found (2023–2026), which has partners across 12 European countries. Embracing this openness to Europe, the ICI—CCN is also part of “Be My Guest, international network for emerging practices”, which comprises 13 international partners.
The venue
In 1980, Dominique Bagouet left Paris at the invitation of Georges Frêche, the mayor of Montpellier. He established his company in the Opéra Municipal. At that time, the government was encouraging the decentralisation of choreographic centres, which led to the creation of the regional choreographic centre in Montpellier. In 1981, Bagouet developed and managed the Montpellier Danse festival for two years, before dedicating himself solely to his company. In 1984, the regional centre became a CCN. Until his sudden death in 1992, Bagouet worked on numerous projects with his company members, and shared his vision of dance throughout the Montpellier region and across France.
In 1994, choreographer Mathilde Monnier was appointed director, marking the beginning of a new chapter of openness, including the welcoming of resident companies. In 1996, the CCN launched a new curriculum for young artists. Since 2001, the training programme, named “exerce master’s degree” in 2003, has welcomed young artists from around the world. Designed in partnership with Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 and thanks to the decisive commitment of artist Laurent Pichaud, it remains the only theoretical and practical master’s degree in choreographic research in France. In 1997, the CCN team moved to the former convent Les Ursulines, after its partial rehabilitation. The new building was equipped with a performance hall seating 120 spectators, two rehearsal studios, dressing rooms, an exhibition area created by Christian Rizzo in 2016 (the Chambre d’écho), and new office spaces.
In 2010, the entire building was finally refurbished, and became the Agora, the international cité de la danse. Both the Montpellier Danse festival and the CCN are located there. On January 1, 2015, choreographer Christian Rizzo took over Mathilde Monnier as the CCN’s director.
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Key dates
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1980-1992
Establishment of the Dominique Bagouet company in Montpellier, and creation of the regional choreographic centre.
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1981
First edition of the Montpellier Danse festival by Dominique Bagouet.
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1984
The regional choreographic centre receives the CCN label
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1992
Dominique Bagouet dies during his tenure
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1994-2013
Mathilde Monnier serves as director
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1997
The CCN moves to the former convent Les Ursulines
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2001
Creation of the “exerce” training programme with Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3
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2011
The “exerce” programme becomes a master’s degree
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2015
Christian Rizzo is appointed director. The CCN is renamed ICI-CCN (Institut Chorégraphique International, International Choreographic Institute)
Boulevard Louis Blanc
34000 MONTPELLIER
+33 4 67 60 06 70
https://ici-ccn.com
