Façades | June 2, 2023
Project in partnership with the Athénée Théâtre-Louis Jouvet
For the second year running, Les Apaches! are teaming up with the Théâtre de l'Athénée to lead a participatory creation program with the first-year sales and commerce class from Lycée Edgar Quinet, the second-year fashion class from the Lycée professionnel Octave Feuillet, and percussion students from the conservatories of the 5th, 6th, and 13th arrondissements, built around a new theme connected to Street Art, the show presented by the ensemble in May.
Questioning the city, exploring its rhythm and movement through a musical and physical journey drawing on works by Philip Glass, Pascal Zavaro, and Steve Reich, alongside original creations by Gabriel Phillipot and Nicolas Canot composed especially for the project — this is the new adventure these budding artists are sharing with Les Apaches on the stage of the Athénée!
Two classes of high school students and percussion classes from three conservatories, with a wide range of backgrounds and paths, work across artistic disciplines and Street Art themes to create their own show, titled "Façades."
Guided by four visiting artists — a free-runner, a percussionist, a conductor, and a sound designer — they discover a range of artistic practices and take part in writing the pieces, becoming their performers, alongside a professional orchestra.
Throughout the year, they exchange with artists from a variety of backgrounds, learn to listen to one another, discover the world of live performance, and take part in every stage of an artistic creation process, before finally staging their show — conceived, above all, as their gateway into the world of culture.
Listen, imagine, create, and perform: it's now up to them to bring together the practices of this multidisciplinary project, fully experiencing music, free-running, and field recording, and to share, alongside seasoned artists, an artistic and human adventure.
DISTRIBUTION
The Apaches!
Gabriel Philippot – Musical Director
Julien Masmondet – Artistic Coordinator
Contributors
Nadia Bendjaballah – Percussionist
Nicolas Canot – Sound Artist
Gabriel Philippot – Composer and Conductor
Christophe Picot – Free Runner
Julien Masmondet – Artistic Director
Vimana Paris (Marie Nonat & Vani Richard) – Cultural mediation
Teachers
Clarisse Veber, Nadia Barradi and Olena Denysenko, Edgar Quinet Secondary School
Sandri Belmokhtar, Octave Feuillet Secondary School
Nadia Bendjaballah, Conservatories of the 5th, 6th and 13th arrondissements
Partner schools in the project
With students in Year 11 Sales and Commerce at Edgar Quinet Vocational College, Year 10 Fashion at Octave Feuillet Vocational College, and percussion students from conservatories in the 5th, 6th and 13th arrondissements.
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"Please do this project again for the next class.
Everyone should have this opportunity; we want
future years to be able to enjoy this experience too." - Student
"You worked with students who are not easy
every day, and you brought out the best in them.
Thank you for giving them their chance." - Headmaster
I dream of dreaming | July 1, 2022
Project in partnership with the Athénée Théâtre-Louis Jouvet
Aged 12 to 21, 40 students from two vocational high schools and a UPE2A class have been involved since September in an arts education project offered by the Théâtre de l'Athénée and Les Apaches. Throughout the season, they participated in writing, dance, and music workshops and dedicated themselves to creating a work. After these workshops and a week-long residency at the Athénée, they presented "Je rêve de rêver" (I Dream of Dreaming). Accompanied by a professional nine-piece orchestra, and featuring a musical program composed by Pierre Chépélov specifically for the project, works by Stravinsky, and a libretto written by Sonia Chambretto, the students performed on the stage of the Athénée's main hall the show they had written and developed month after month with Les Apaches.
For this inaugural edition, the Athénée and Les Apaches conceived an ambitious project that allowed students to both discover or rediscover live performance and its professions, and to become fully involved in the creation of a new work. The students were thus able to see four shows from the Athénée's 2021-2022 season and meet artists and theater professionals.
With Les Apaches, they learned to listen to each other, observe each other, and trust each other. They realized they were capable of writing, inventing, dancing, and singing. They had the opportunity to work with established artists, create with them, and experience an exceptional human and artistic adventure.
DISTRIBUTION
Les Apaches!
Bianca Maretti – Musical Director
Julien Masmondet – Artistic Coordinator
Pierre Chépélov – Composition (contributor)
Sonia Chiambretto – Libretto (contributor)
Léonore Zurflüh – Choreography (contributor)
Vivien Letarnec – Dancer (contributor)
Mathys Lagier – Opera singer (contributor)
Patrick Laffont de Lojo – Stage design, videos and lighting
With students from the following schools:
Paul Poiret Vocational High School: class specialising in ‘Arts and Fashion’
Octave Feuillet Vocational High School: class specialising in ‘Embroidery’
Marie Curie Middle School: UPE2A class for non-native English speakers
