The dance of the Accrorap Company and Kader Attou is generous. It seeks to break down barriers, to cross frontiers. The international collective adventure and the notion of meeting are at the centre of the artistic reflection.
THE BEGINNINGS
The history of the company begins in 1989, at the circus school in Saint-Priest. Kader Attou, Mourad Merzouki, Éric Mezino, Lionel Frédoc, Chaouki Saïd materialize their desires by creating the Accrorap collective. It is the beginning of a path through life marked by the energy of hip-hop, open to diverse artistic inspirations, such as the circus arts, martial arts, contemporary dance…
From 1989 to 1998, in the fever of breakdance and with Accrorap’s first performances, the desire is born within the company to further their exploration of the question of meaning and to develop an artistic approach. In 1994, Athina marks the first major appearance of Accrorap on the stage of the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon. In 1996, the creation Kelkemo, a homage to the children of Bosnian and Croatian refugees, is the fruit of a deeply moving experience in the Zagrèb camps.
In less than ten years, Accrorap becomes one of the emblematic companies of hip-hop dance and contributes to the passage of this street dance to the stage in a context highly favourable to this evolution.
Gradually, the personalities in the collective become more affirmed and emancipated, thus contributing to the emergence of a generation of hip-hop choreographers.
In 1996, Mourad Merzouki and Chaouki Saïd leave Accrorap and create the Käfig company. Shortly afterwards, Éric Mezino creates the company EGO.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ARTISTIC IDENTITY
Since 1998, Kader Attou has refined his artistic identity which is characterized by great openness. Open to the world thanks to the journeys undertaken, open to other choreographic directions, other artistic forms as his first works show (Prière pour un fou – 1999, Anokha – 2000, Pourquoi pas – 2002, Douar – 2003, Les corps étrangers – 2006, Petites histoires.com – 2008). Petites histoires.com is highly acclaimed by the public and arrives the same year he is nominated as the director of the Centre Chorégraphique National de La Rochelle.
THE COMPANY AND THE CCN OF LA ROCHELLE
From 2009 to 2011, the choreographer directs the CNN with a project based on encounters, exchanges and sharing. This takes form within the diversity of his new works, an active engagement in sharing the tool, supporting choreographic diversity, accompanying emerging artists and the affirmed objective to programme works. His 13 years here bring to light 10 new creations (Trio (?) – 2010, Symfonia Piésni Zalosnych – 2010 reworked 2020, The Roots – 2013, Un break à Mozart – 2014, Opus 14 – 2014, Allegria – 2017 – Danser Casa – 2017, Triple Bill – 2018, Les Autres – 2021).
MARSEILLE, A SUCCESSFUL ANCHORAGE
In 2022 the Accrorap Company decides to establish itself in the Southern Region and choses the Friche La Belle de Mai where it has 300m² of studio space at its disposal. This studio will enables it to host artist residencies and to uphold the values so important to Kader Attou: meeting, exchanging, and sharing.
It has built a strong partnership with Scènes et Cinés, Scène conventionnée Arts en Territoire, for artistic development throughout the 2022-24 period. This partnership will favour the development of creative activity, teaching and training and enhance their presence across the territory.
Critically acclaimed, the first creation Prélude, bears witness to the success of this collaboration and the successful anchorage in the south region. This work brings together nine highly talented dancers from the region, men and women. Designed and imagined as a visiting card, the work went out to meet a large number of enthusiastic audiences carried by the communicative energy of the artists.
Le Murmure des Songes, creation 2023, particularly appealing for young audiences plunges the spectator into the chimeric universe of dreams and childhood.
Photos : © Yves Petit, © Xavier Léoty, © Julie Cherki, © Joao Garcia
