Histoire des Ursulines, histoire de corps

Conference by Michel Miaille at the Salle Béjart / Agora, cité internationale de la danse, on the 30th of October 2010.

Agora, cité internationale de la danse

Formerly a Ursuline Convent, then a women’s prison and barracks, the story of Agora, International Dance Center begins in 1990. Georges Frêche, then mayor of the city of Montpellier, granted Dominica Bagouet to establish the Choreographic Centre in this old building downtown. Since 1986, the ‘Montpellier Danse’ festival has been setting  a scene in the Ursulines – now named Agora Theater – to host the festival performances. In 1994 and 2001, two successive construction phases leaded to building the National Choreographic Centre and ‘Montpellier Danse’. In 2010 the Agora, International Dance Center was born. The final phase of work has allowed for the complete restoration of the building, now devoted entirely to dance, with two rehearsal studios, a fully restored outdoor theater and the Room Béjart – a former chapel hosting conferences, movie projections, performances… The Agora, International Dance Center, brings together all aspects of choreography: creation, public reception, artists residences and hosting… which makes this Centre a unique place in Europe.