Company & Choreographer

The Eventail Company  (Compagnie l'Eventail)

The Eventail Company  (Compagnie l'Eventail), is sponsored by the French government as an organization that preserves the French Baroque heritage. After spending four seasons at the Espace Carpeaux in Courbevoie, in 2001 the Eventail Company (Compagnie l'Eventail) settled in Sablé sur Sarthe in the Loire Valley. Through its specialization in baroque dance the company is recognized as a reference point in the field of live performances. Their goal is to introduce a broad audience to the vitality of baroque dance through productions that tour within France and internationally.  Programs transmit dance culture and develop the imagination through performances, classes, exhibitions, and presentations in public libraries and schools.  Professionals and future professionals are trained through courses that explore various theater arts, including baroque dance. The Eventail Company(Compagnie l'Eventail) brings together artists, dancers, musicians, singers and actors to expand awareness of the many facets of baroque dance. www.compagnie-eventail.com

Marie-Geneviève Massé, choreographer
After training in classical ballet Marie Geneviève studied modern dance with Aaron Osborne, Sarah Sugihara and Françoise Dupuy. In 1980 she discovered the work of Francine Lancelot on baroque dance and became one of the lead dancers of France’s renowned baroque dance company, Ris et Danceries. In 1985, she started to choreograph and founded her own company, l ’Eventail. Through her choreographies she has worked with many internationally known musicians such as: William Christie, Patrick Cohen Akenine, Giovanni Antonini, Peter Zajicek, Hervé Niquet, Christophe Rousset. In 2000 she was appointed Knight of the Arts and Letters (Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres), which is given to people who have distinguished themselves in the artistic and literary fields.

Program

“SPRING”
Allegro: discoveries
Largo: encounters
Allegro: exchanges
Three groups with different colors and movements fill space and time:
fleeting moments and unexpected discoveries, strange encounters and emotional exchanges.

“SUMMER”
Allegro non molto: waiting
Adagio-presto: in love
Presto: danger
Situations change ever so quickly. In this willful season,
poetry can turn into a nightmare depending on the action or mood.

“AUTUMN”
Allegro: childhood
Adagio-molto: the past
Allegro: facing death
The present belongs to the child, sometimes playful and yet calm.
Progressively and slowly, the mists of the past enclose us.
Then suddenly, time is gone and man thumbs his nose at death.

“WINTER”
Allegro non molto: making up time
Largo: leaving a trace
Allegro: dance of mirrors or vanity
Facing eternity is a race against time; the rush to create, to leave a memory,
leave a trace that will not melt like snow in the sun …

Review

In DANCE VIVALDI: A CONTEMPORARY BAROQUE BALLET, the feet and hands have it. The dancers torsos are generally erect and still,even when their extremities unleash an absolute fury. Elegant footwork and gracious hands - the members of L'Eventail are superbly trained Baroque dancers....and the 11 dancers' speed, precision, strength, and grace are astonishing.

The DVD menu is a basic one, that follows the music: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. I returned to all four more than once, pondering what Baroque movement means in 2007, and how it resonates in today's world...
Kaija Pepper, DANCE INTERNATIONAL

“DANCE VIVALDI, choreographed by Marie Genevieve Masse, is a haunting neoclassical ballet reminiscent of Balanchine's early works. The abstraction of traditional 18th century dance phrases mixed with the fire and passion of Vivaldi's music is highly inventive.”
Catherine Turocy, Artistic Director of The New York Baroque Dance Company and Chevalier de l'Ordres des Arts et des Lettres since 1995

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