Chatha

Artistic Direction: Aïcha M’Barek, Hafiz Dhaou

Creation: 2005

Aïcha M’Barek and Hafiz Dhaou were both born in Tunis and have been creating together since 1995. Alongside their performing careers, they developed a common approach to choreographic composition. In 2004 this led to their creating the duet “Khallini Aïch” (Let Me Live) for Repérages de Danse, Lille. In 2005, they founded the Chatha company with which they created the quartet “Khaddem Hazem” in 2006 and “Vu” in 2008. In 2009, he created the play “Mon corps est un pays” (My body is a country) as part of a Franco-Tunisian university project involving for one year round-trip students from Grenoble and Tunis.
In 2010, they traveled a lot and created remote “Kawa solo à deux”, interpreted by Hafiz. They participate in the 2010 Paris Biennale de la Danse and create “Mon c (h) oeur qui bat” with 150 inhabitants of Décines-Meyzieu as part of their residency at the Toboggan, Décines. In the same year, they made the first appearance at the Bonlieu Scène Nationale in Annecy.
In 2011, they create “KHARBGA – power games”, a play for six dancers that represents a turn in tandem work.
In 2012 and 2013, Aïcha and Hafiz are in residence at the Théâtre Louis Aragon in Tremblay-en-France where they create the multidisciplinary project “TRANSIT” and sign in 2013 the creation of a duo “Toi et Moi”.
For the season 2014-2015 Aïcha M’Barek and Hafiz Dhaou are artists associated with the House of Dance of Lyon, they create “Sacré Printemps!”, Play for 7 dancers, outside the walls at the Toboggan, Décines. Also in 2015, following the commission of the French Institute of Tunisia, they develop a training and creation project and stage their first play “The Life is a Dream” by Caldéron by inviting David Bobée to co-sign the play.
In 2016/2017, they will be present in Avignon with “Narcose” Bonlieu Scène National d’Annecy ‘s creation. The Besançon Museum of Fine Arts and the National Scene of Besançon, both scenes, invite the two choreographers and their team to design and stage a participatory project around the city, its population and their relationship with the works of the museum Of the fine arts of Besançon. They are also invited by the Kampnaguel to create “These people there!” in Hamburg, a project to imagine around the great port of Hamburg.

Source: VIADANSE – Centre Chorégraphique National de Franche-Comté à Belfort

More information

www.chatha.org (in construction)