All of the energy, humor and versatility of the Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger is embodied in FIQ! (Wake Up!). Fifteen artists gather on stage to blend their acrobatic and choreographic skills with a dance form somewhere between break dance, taekwondo and freestyle. The background is the Morocco of today from the perspective of the new generations, presented in a poetic, profound and playful manner.
Bio
The Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger was founded by Sanae El Kamouni, who in 2003 brought together a group of acrobats from Morocco under the umbrella of contemporary languages. Convinced that a new narrative could be invented with these artists, she invited director Aurélien Bory to Tangier to create the first contemporary Moroccan acrobatic show. They have staged numerous plays including “TAOUB” (Aurélien Bory-2004), “Chouf Ouchouf” (Zimmermann & de Perrot-2009), “Azimut” (Aurélien Bory 2013) and “Halka” (collective creation of the Tangier Acrobatic Group, with Abdeliazide Senhadji as guest artist – 2016). Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger places popular culture, a militant and democratic culture accessible to all, at the center of its project. Their priorities are to question, preserve and promote Moroccan acrobatics. Their approach is based on the constant search for links between an ancestral art and contemporary creation, a territory and its people. In this double dialectic-tradition and contemporary creation, Morocco (on African soil) and France (in Europe)-Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger confronts issues of today’s world in line with the most innovative research in contemporary circus. Already at the REF with “Chouf Ouchouf” (2011).
Credits
With the artists (From Tanger, Rabat-Salé, Casablanca, Larache…): Hammad Benjkiri (porteur), Ilyas Bouchtaoui (freestyle foot, dancer), Zhor El Amine Demnati (hip-hop dancer), Bouchra El Kayouri (aereal acrobat), Youssef El Machkouri (porteur, ground acrobat), Achraf El Kati (ground acrobat), Samir Lâaroussi (ground acrobat), Jean-Mario Milanese (ground acrobat), Hamza Naceri (ground acrobat), Tarik Hassani (ground acrobat), Manon Rouillard (acrobat, equilibrist, floor acrobat), Ayoub Maani (breakdancer, acrobat), Jemma Sneddon (aerialist, acrobat), Hassan Taher (floor acrobat, equilibrist), Mohamed Takel (floor acrobat) e DJ DINO
Staging / Circography*: Maroussia Diaz Verbèke
Assistant director: Sanae El Kamouni
Acrographic supervision: William Thomas / Cie BAM
Setup: Basile Narcy e Maxime Solé
Scenography and costumes: Hassan Hajjaj
Design of the aerial apparatus: Emma Assaud
Costumes: Bouchra Salih e Emma Assaud
Technical direction / Stage management: Laure Andurand
Light design and stage direction: Laure Andurand, Marine David Disegno
Sound and stage direction: Joël Abriac, Rémy Caillavet e Tom d’Hérin
Stage direction: Jordane Sabatier
Management of the Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger: Sanae El Kamouni
Production Credits
Production, distribution and development: Jean-François Pyka
Administration and development Aizeline Wille
General logistic and tour management: Romane Blandin e Simon Nguyen
Produced by the association Halka (Parigi – Francia)
In coproduction with the association: Scènes du Maroc (Tangeri – Marocco)
Coproduction and résidences: Les Nuits de Fourvière, Festival international de la métropole de Lyon, Le Manège, Scène nationale Reims, CIRCa, Centro nazionale del circo, Auch, Gers, Occitania, Plateforme 2 Pôles Cirque en Normandie I La Brèche à Cherbourg/Cirque Théâtre d’Elbeuf, Agorà, Pole National des Arts du Cirque de Boulazac-Aquitaine, La Ferme du Buisson, Noisiel, Scène nationale de Châteauvallon, La Verrerie d’Alès, Pôle national cirque Occitanie, Théâtre de Grasse, scena convenzionale di circo e danza, L’Institut Français di Parigi.
The Halka Association receives support from the Department of Cultural Affairs of Ile-de-France (DRAC – creation aid), the Ministry of Culture (DGCA – creation aid), the Institut Français of Paris, the Ile-de-France Region de-France, of Spedidam and of the City of Paris.
The Groupe acrobatique de Tanger is supported by: Fondazione BMCI (Marocco),Fondazione BNP PARISBAS. Fondazione DROSOS, Delegazione provinciale per la cultura di Tangeri (Marocco), L’Istituto francese di Marrakech / Maison Denise Masson (Marocco), Awaln’art e le Capitali africane della cultura (Marocco), Il Movenpick Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech e il suo Palazzo dei Congressi / Marrakech (Marocco), Théâtre Nomade, Casablanca (Marocco)
