The New Ballets of Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Artistic genre: Puppetry / dance / street performance in public spaces or site-specificperformances
Year the show was created: 2023

20th West Street is a daytime or nighttime installation-walkthrough in public spaces or on-site in school settings. Amélie Poirier draws inspiration from American female photographers of the 1960s through 1980s to create, in collaboration with contemporary French photographer Lucie Pastureau, a choreographed and puppetry-based journey. Driven by the rock and countercultural energy of the era and inspired in particular by the outcasts photographed by Diane Arbus, 20th WEST STREET brings Lucie Pastureau’s photographs to life through light, image mechanization systems, photographic texturization, and choreographic processes. From the act of taking a picture to the darkroom, from black-and-white to color, the entire photographic process is staged here. The presence of a photographer-puppeteer further narrates the act of creation, resonating with the writings on photography by Susan Sontag and photographers of the era, creating a space for reflection on what the ambivalent act of photographing reveals. This reflection finds an echo in contemporary issues of representation and self-representation. 

In this walking tour, the photographer-puppeteer will guide the audience on a journey to meet extraordinary characters, bringing two-dimensional photographs to life. Among them are: a giant, twins, a baby experiencing intense emotions, a drag performer, nudists, people with disabilities, and more. 

Diane Arbus, like Alice in Wonderland, wondered: What does it mean to be normal? Abnormal? What is an animal? A human? What is the difference between reality and belief? In turn, the audience, following the various paths they will be led to take, will wander through the marginalized spaces of cities, swept up by rock energy, revealing the incongruous beauty of architecture or landscapes on the edge of the precipice.

Purpose of the residency: The entire performance will be the main focus of this residency.

Concept and Direction / Amélie Poirier in collaboration with photographer Lucie Pastureau / Performers and collaborators on the choreography and puppetry: Carole Bordes, Rehin Hollant, Cristina Iosif alternating with Céline Lefèvre, Zoé Lizot, and Clémentine Vanlerberghe. Accompanied by Audrey Robin and Amélie Poirier alternating with Vaïssa Favereau. / Performer-collaborator on the participatory format #1: Laure Desplan
Stage management, visual design, artistic supervision, set design, lighting, and construction: Audrey Robin / Visual design, artistic supervision, costumes, and construction: Vaïssa Favereau / Set construction: Alex Bricout / External artistic supervision (as part of the support provided by Le Sablier): Pierre Tual.