Champ constant is a choreographic piece studying laws, usages, gestures and beliefs that define and organise agricultural work.
Céline Cartillier started the project by asking several questions: Are mythologies, beliefs and narratives still relevant to the land and its cultivation? Is empirical knowledge still active in current agricultural know-how and techniques? How do contemporary farmers relate to the land they cultivate?
In Champ constant, a choreographic composition is built upon a documentary base. What does it mean to compose choreographic and theatrical forms from a variety of documents, as well as meetings and interviews with actual farmers?
Céline Cartillier chooses to develop so called work songs and dances, those that used to have functions in agricultural practice. She investigates gestural and vocal phrases that support, stimulate and organise working practices, and have performative – in the labouring sense - functions. She studies also the methods that farmers have established to define spaces and chant/count the rhythms of work. The use of the outdoors chants or calls previously practiced by farmers is one of the methods of invocation used to transform the theatrical space, to inscribe within it the figures and gestures of common work and days in the fields.
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Cast
Concept and choreography Céline Cartillier
with Johann Nöhles, Céline Cartillier and Julien Desailly
Artistic collaboration and voice/song advices Myriam Pruvot
Dramaturgic advices Mathieu Bouvier, Antoine Cegarra
Spoken Voice direction Céline Champinot
Light creation and setting Florian Leduc
​Music composition and performance Julien Desailly
Costumes designer Constance Grenèche
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Executive production Météores
Administration/production Charlotte Giteau
Tour management Clémence Voidies
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​Coproduction
Théâtre de Poche – Scène de territoire pour le théâtre / Bretagne romantique et Val d’Ille-Aubigné ; Le Vivat – Scène conventionnée d’Armentières
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With the support of
Fondation Royaumont-Abbaye ; Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso ; Les Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers ; La Métive en Creuse ; La Bellone – Maison du théâtre à Bruxelles ; L’UPCP Métive – Centre d’Études, de Recherche et de Documentation sur l’Oralité à Parthenay
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Touring
January 25 2019 – Festival Vivat la danse ! – Le Vivat - Scène conventionnée d'Armentières – premiere
February 7 & 8 2019 – Théâtre de Poche – Scène de territoire pour le théâtre / Bretagne romantique et Val d’Ille-Aubigné
December 7 2019 – Le Grand Huit / Honolulu, CCNN, Nantes
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