A lifetime of dance and choreography. Memories of gestures and scores. A self-portrait of a 21st century artist.

French choreographer Jérôme Bel (Gala, The show must go on, Cédric Andrieux) continues his renowned portrait series, this time examining himself. Through a combination of lecture, archival video excerpts, and live dance, Bel constructs a genealogy of the driving forces behind his work—what he calls an “auto-bio-choreo-graphy.” He reflects on the doubts, commitments, failures, and questions present throughout his career and creative process. In this impassioned illumination of the motivations of contemporary performance and postmodern dance, the personal becomes entangled with the artistic and the political. 

For ecological reasons, Bel and his company stopped traveling by plane in 2019. This performance, therefore, relies on a unique collaboration with Philadelphia dancer Megan Bridge (Fidget). Bridge serves as director and translator, in addition to portraying Bel on stage. She embodies Bel’s honesty and vulnerability, holding tension between humanism and formalism.

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“A portrait of the choreographer which is as sensitive as it is conceptual.”—Florian Gaité

Content Consideration

This performance contains scenes of nudity, and has been written to reach ages high school and up.

Credits

Producer: R.B. Jérôme Bel

Co-Producers: Ménagerie de Verre (Paris), La Commune centre dramatique national d’Aubervilliers, Festival d’Automne à Paris, R.B. Jérôme Bel (Paris)

Performed by: Megan Bridge, co-director of Fidget

Health & Safety

Proof of vaccination is required to attend this event. Masks are optional. For the safety of audiences, artists, staff, and our greater community, you must be fully vaccinated to attend this event. You will be asked to show proof of vaccination before entering the venue. Accepted forms for proof of vaccination include a physical vaccine card with your name on it or a digital proof of vaccination Please plan accordingly.

Pricing

$25 general
$15 students and 25-and-under
$2 FringeACCESS

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Supporters

Festival Co-Producers: Lynne & Bert Strieb, Tony Forte

The writing of the text of this show is part of the creative process of Sustainable theatre ?, conceived by Katie Mitchell, Jérôme Bel and Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, and co-produced by STAGES (Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift). Co-funded by European Union; Dramaten Stockholm; National Theater & Concert Hall, Taipei; NTGent; Piccolo Teatro di Milano; Teatro d’Europa; Teatro Nacional D. Maria II Lisboa; Théâtre de Liège; Lithuanian National Drama Theatre; National Theatre of Croatia Zagreb; Slovene National Theatre Maribor; Trafo Budapest; MC93 – Maison de la culture de Seine-Saint-Denis. RB Jérôme Bel receives support from the Regional Department of Cultural Affairs of Île-de-France – Ministry of Culture.