Mille Plateaux, Centre chorégraphique national de La Rochelle
Direction Olivia Grandville
As director of the CCN de La Rochelle, Olivia Grandville designed the Mille Plateaux project, which emphasises multidisciplinary approaches and regional engagement. Before pursuing contemporary dance, she worked at the Opéra national de Paris. She also danced for Dominique Bagouet and following his death, became one of the performers who ensured his legacy through the Carnets Bagouet.
As a choreographer, Grandville integrates multiple disciplines, incorporating literature and drama into her performances. Her diverse background inspired Mille Plateaux, a project centred on the principles of sharing and diversity.
Using the deconsecrated Fromentin chapel, where the CCN is located in the city centre, she opened it to a wide array of techniques and practices, with daily dancer training and amateur-oriented activities, in order to reflect upon the versatility of movement. Olivia Grandville also aims to create connections that extend beyond La Rochelle, throughout the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. She promotes nomadic actions, such as the delocalised “accueil-studio” initiatives and the UMAA (Unité Mobile d’Action Artistique, Mobile Unit for Artistic Action), which facilitate project sharing outside performance halls, and integrate a cross-disciplinary network of structures that fosters cooperation between several venues in the region. Mille Plateaux serves as a project incubator that is mobile and open to diverse practices and international influences. It strives to be bold and experimental, aiming to reinvent the future of dance.
The venue
The predecessor of the CCN is one of the pioneering companies of French contemporary dance: Le Théâtre du Silence. In 1972, Brigitte Lefèvre and Jacques Garnier left the Opéra national de Paris to create the company, which performed works by Maurice Béjart, Merce Cunningham, and David Gordon, with European tours contributing to its success. In 1978, building upon its innovative momentum Le Théâtre du Silence settled in La Rochelle, and in 1984, it became a CCN.
In 1986, renowned choreographer Régine Chopinot, famous for her pop and protean dance techniques, was appointed director. She came to La Rochelle with one goal in mind: openness. This openness to both French and international stages brought her significant media attention. In 1993, she created the Ballet Atlantique-Régine Chopinot to expand into other repertoires. She incorporated creations by Dominique Bagouet and brought Françoise Dupuy, Dominique Dupuy and Sophie Lessard as associate artists.
In 2009, Kader Attou, who trained in circus arts, took over with his company Accrorap. He developed a hip-hop aesthetic for theatre stages, becoming the first choreographer of the genre to lead a choreographic centre. For 13 years, he displayed sumptuous, poetic, and expressive creations, highlighting the unique aspects of contemporary hip-hop in France.
In 2022, Olivia Grandville succeeded him. Her goal was to create connections with the region, open the venue to different practices and bring new life into the Fromentin Chapel, the historical site of the CCN.
Key dates
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1978-1986
Creation of the Théâtre du Silence company, directed by Jacques Garnier (who left in 1980) and Brigitte Lefèvre
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1984
Establishment of the CCN
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1986-2008
Régine Chopinot serves as director
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1993
Creation of the Ballet Atlantique
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2009-2021
Kader Attou serves as director
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2022
Olivia Grandville is appointed director
17000 LA ROCHELLE
+33 5 46 00 00 46
https://www.milleplateauxlarochelle.com
