SOLO#2 – FREQUENCES BRICE LEROUX (Belgium)
30 sept (wed) 22:00 & 1 oct (thu) 18:00, 20:00, 22:00, National Opera and Ballet

Solo#2 – frequences. Total darkness. 100 metronomes. One dancer. All possible movements of the human torso… With mathematical precision and the virtuosity of a composer Brice Leroux explores the physical forces involved in human movement and the relations between space and rhythm. Light, sound and movement merge to the point where it is impossible to explain where they come from. Illusion? Or not? The darkness opens the eyes. The dance absorbs the senses beyond space and time. The spectator is a discoverer in a journey with no predictable end.

…

According to the critics Brice Leroux is a “category of his own”. One of the basic elements in the core of new physical theater. The ultimate innovator both in his artistic expression and minimalist body language, and the effacing of the actor presence and his interaction with the audience which is never merely a passive observer of his performances.
He borrows inspiration directly from quantum mechanics in the form of repetitive patterns and infinite looped series of movements. His choreographies (often described as “scores”) are invariably built on compositional principles and analytical precision.
In 1992 Brice Leroux graduated from the Conservatoire National Superieur in Lyon, took part in the Paris International Dance Competition and was awarded the prize for best contemporary dancer and the Gold Medal of the city of Paris. This is where he first met Krassen Krastev (see below). Two years later he settled in Brussels and in 1999 founded his own dance troupe – Continuum. Quantum – Quintet (2006) is their most acclaimed work so far, they have been performing it for three years on all major festival scenes. Solo#2 – frequences is Brice Leroux’s latest piece. He is now working on a performance for seven dancers, the premiere is expected in 2011.

Krassen Krastev – the second dancer of Solo#2 – frequences* – is probably the most acclaimed Bulgarian name on the international contemporary dance scene. He is currently based between Brussels (with Leroux’s troupe) and Lausanne (with his own Compagnie Krassen Krastev). Ten-years-old he enrolled at the National School of Dance in Sofia, at 18 he was in the troupe of Arabesque Ballet, at 19 – a finalist in the Paris International Dance Competition. At 20 he was the youngest Bulgarian choreographer and together with Teodora Ivanova and Lilia Stefcheva founded the first contemporary dance company in the country – Amarante Dance Studio. 1994 saw Krastev at the Ecole-Atelier Rudra Bejart in Lausanne. Two years later he joined Swiss dance company Linga – Theatre Octogone. In 2002 Compagnie Krassen Krastev was founded in Lausanne. Krastev’s collaboration with Brice Leroux began in 2005, absorbed him completely and put his own projects on stand-by. SHIFT_ (une pièce pas terminée) from 2005 is his last (so far) work as choreographer.

*The solo will be preformed by Leroux and Krastev as follows:

30 Sept, 22:00 – Krassen Krastev
01 Oct, 18:00 – Krassen Krastev
01 Oct, 20:00 – Brice Leroux
01 Oct, 22:00 – Krassen Krastev

…
Solo#2 – frequences
choreography and concept: Brice Leroux
dance: Brice Leroux or Krassen Krastev
artistic assistant: Krassen Krastev
music: Poème symphonique pour 100 métronomes by György Ligeti
concept stage design, light, costumes: Brice Leroux
costume design: Eugénie Poste
assistants costume designer: Caroline Côté, Bertille Gibourdel, Clémence Canel, Marie Otin, Sophie Galamez
set up stage design: Vincent Malstaf, Philippe Baste
techniques: Antonin Chaumet, Fabrice Moinet
With thanks to Jan Maertens for his technical advices.

production & distribution: Caravan Production vzw for Continuum vzw (Brussels, BE)
co-production: Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels, BE), Théâtre de la Ville (Paris, FR), Rotterdamse Schouwburg (NL), Theater der Welt 2010 Essen/Mühlheim (DE) & PACT Zollverein Essen (DE), Maison de la Culture d’Amiens (FR), CCN du Havre – Haute Normandie (FR), Théâtre National de Bordeaux en Aquitaine (FR), STUK – Leuven (BE), La Rose des vents C.A.C. – Villeneuve d’Ascq (FR)
Residences De Pianofabriek – kunstenwerkplaats (Brussels, BE), Les Brigittines (Brussels, BE)
With the support of the Flemish authorities

This project is supported by the European Union (NXTSTP).