Suites Ténébreuses

After reinterpreting a beloved fairy tale, choreographer Hélène Blackburn is back with a dream team to explore an archetype buried in our collective psyche — the monster. Co-created with lighting magician Lucie Bazzo, this piece for five dancers and three musicians from the group Dear Criminals blithely transmutes elements of daily life, the better to awaken imaginary fears. Once they become familiar, the fears give way to the phantasmagorical.

Monsters appear in the twilight zone where the fantastic encounters the frightening. Working closely with the five dancers and the energy of the three musicians, co-creators Hélène Blackburn (choreography) and Lucie Bazzo (lighting and set design) revamp everyday elements in order to awaken imaginary fears. By making them familiar, the fears give way to the phantasmagorical. The piece is thus built on multiple transmutations.

Luminous objects, contrasts, trompe-l’œil — monsters are also a pretext for playing with light and shadow. Inspired by masters of chiaroscuro, the choreographer and the lighting designer explore how bodies are reflected by light, and how light affects our perceptions.

For the video elements of the piece, Cas Public is working once again with graphic designer Marjolaine Leray (a collaborator on Suites Curieuses) who will be using her esoteric skills to create her own special monster.

This piece is a high point in the creative evolution of Cas Public, a company internationally renowned for dance works for both adults and children.