Ô mon corps

“O mon corps!” follows the French choreographer Abou Lagraa, assisted by Nawal Aït Benalla-Lagraa, his wife, working to create a first Algerian contemporary dance training.

At the Théâtre national d’Alger, Ô mon corps ! follows the French choreographer Abou Lagraa, assisted by Nawal Aït Benalla-Lagraa, his wife, while he is working on the creation of a first Algerian contemporary dance company. For the show Nya (“Trust in life”), from rehearsals to the stage, the ten dancers hailing from the hip hop scene will progressively find the force and energy they need to embody this “trust” in front of the public.

Laurent Aït Benalla records how, throughout the preparation of the performance, the choreographer and his wife are extremely demanding of their dancers. Between warm-ups and run-throughs, they both take the time required to ensure each dancer commits to forms and qualities of movement that they would not have dared before. Obliged to exclude one of the dancers, too hesitant to guarantee the success of a trio, Abou Lagraa lets the voice of the group take over to try to convince him to leave his fears to one side. Between the individual and the group, no separation is possible: “You must be independent, in the group” states the choreographer. His work, in the form of a diptych supported in turn by Ravel’s Boléro and by songs by Houria Aïchi – the first part is airy, the second part more earthy – will be unveiled at the end of the film with great modesty from the wings, that place where dancers move from shadow to light.

Source : Damien Truchot