g r oo v e

 

 

"Ever since childhood, my imagination has been built around music. I always cherished family moments when we had fun together performing the songs we loved. We achieved this via a series of small, sophisticated gestures, amplified by the attention they received. Our bodies were blossoming, filling the silences with aplomb and audaciously anticipating the musical accents. In other words, we were trying to get into the “groove”. 

 

The word groove is originally a slang term that originated in jazz music and more specifically in swing at the end of the 1930s. This is known as an embellishment phenomenon. The musicians of the time were looking for a form of rhythmic suppleness. By skillfully articulating the three- beat measure, they created a swing that is easily identifiable today. Over time, the expression “groove” has broadened. It is obvious that this spirit of rhythm exists or persists in other music. 

 

Today, we are witnessing the explosion of hybrid and abundant music, the fruit of digital culture. In this turmoil, I wanted to start a dialogue with two musicians: Sylvain Darrifourcq and Alban Murenzi, who pass on the baton to each other for the musical creation. Both write rhythm, both make electronic music, but because of their musical sensibilities and their choice of sound typology - one creates sharp, metallic sounds close to the glitch aesthetic and the other uses more instrumental and woody hip hop sounds - the experience is different.

Thus, the musical creation, the dance and the light created by Marie-Christine Soma coordinate, respond and unravel in an evolving space. 

 

The choreography brings together images and intimate dances. Among them, I would mention the Afindrafindrao, a dance from the 19th century, typically "gasy", coming from the red island where I come from: Madagascar. I also sketch a few steps of Madison, the first choreography I learned, popularized in the 60s with Al Brown, an Afro-American singer. I also make a nod to Pepito, a popping dancer whose stylised quarter-turns I admire... In short, g r oo v e takes the form of a collage of references quoted and then transformed. The choreographic challenge here is to assemble 

and articulate them skillfully, to the benefit of an energy that progresses throughout the piece. 

 

This performance is presented in a quadrifrontal configuration encouraging proximity and a sense of collectiveness. It is an invitation to listen and to feel the frugal and sensitive pleasure of dancing. What is important to me is to be able to communicate to the audience this enveloping sensation, which is precious to me and which only awakens when I go in search of my own groove. "

— Soa Ratsifandrihana

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