DRAPÉS AÉRIENS COMPANY

A pioneer in contemporary circus and aerial dance based in Saint Nazaire, the Drapés Aériens company promotes the development of aerial disciplines in France and internationally. The company performs its shows and organizes various workshops for both amateurs and professionals in the performing arts and entertainment industry.

For the last twenty years, Fred Deb' has fostered artistic creation and its development through her profound technical expertise in teaching aerial disciplines and creating innovative performance. A recognized expert in her field, Fred created the Aerial Dance Encounters, an internationally renowned aerial dance festival, which takes place every summer in Brittany, France.

Fred Deb' recently returned to France from performing and teaching in the USA. She was invited by Ninette Paloma during the Santa Barbara Contemporary Floor to Air Festival in Santa Barbara, CA in February to teach aerial fabric during the first workshop week at the festival. She also performed her new creation, "Frida", an aerial dance solo.

Because of this experience, Fred has now planned an extensive teaching and performing tour to the US and Canada in October-November 2014. This will be her second trip to the American continent in 2014.

Frida

A NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Two trips in 2014 affirming the company’s international calling. Two trips to enable Fred Deb’ to pursue collaborative work with American companies, and her commitment to sharing her pedagogical skills and knowledge.

Fred Deb’ first worked on American soil in 2004, when she was invited by Keith Hennessy to San Francisco to choreograph a group aerial fabric piece (www.circozero.org). Later, she met Suzanne Kenney, for whom she choreographed the work « Et voilà » (Pendulum Aerial Arts). Then, she was invited from 2005- 2008 to teach and perform at the Aerial Dance Festival in Boulder, Colorado by Nancy Smith (www.frequentflyers.org/).

Often accompanied by Jacques Bertrand, the company began to gain recognition and a reputation for the quality of their performance and teaching, largely because of the visibility of their unique duo, «The Woman in the Moon ».

In Montréal in 2012, Fred Deb' met Adam Wooley, member of Circus Now, (an American circus arts networking and advocacy organization). Adam offered to help her organize a master class season in North America in partnership with different American studios, in order to bring her knowledge and visibility to the emerging contemporary circus community in the USA and Canada. From those discussions, they committed to the project, which will occur this fall.

Following the 2013 Aerial Dance Encounters in France, Ninette Paloma, and American choreographer, recontacted Fred (they had known each other at the ADF in Boulder from 2005-2008). Ninette Paloma invited Fred to teach and perform at her Santa Barbara Contemporary Floor to Air Festival, in February 2014 where the two choreographers devised a collaborative project for a creation in 2015-2016. They’ll meet again in New York, where Fred will perform Frida as a part of the "Belline" evening organized by Ninette Paloma and La Petite Chouette on October 4, 2014.

Frida_santabarbara

This second 2014 trip to North America this fall represents the convergence of two projects on which the company has been working, and a unique opportunity to develop links with the American network. Its entire team has been working on preparations from the beginning in coordination with its American partners, putting in place a crowdfunding campaign, and planning the possibility of traveling to New York with Sabrina, its marketing manager, and Laure, its communications manager.

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The company hopes to capitalize on this important opportunity to perform in NYC by developing its visibility and connections there. It will also be an opportunity to further develop the solo Frida, performing it internationally, and possibly meeting professionals who may be interested in the programming the work in their theatres, or even creating new co- productions with the company.

Drapés Aériens has this exceptional opportunity to perform the show and to share Fred’s teaching expertise in a country open to innovation and eager to develop aerial dance this fall. This autumn, the company will have an opportunity to develop lasting international ties and possible co-productions with future partners.

DETAILLED TOUR PLAN

- October 3, 2014: Performance of Frida at the John Ryan Theatre in Brooklyn, NYC, an event organized by Ninette Paloma with La Petite Chouette Company as a part of the showcase “Belline”

- October 4, 2014: Aerial fabric workshops in Esh aerial arts studio in Boston, MA

- October 5-8, 2014: Travel of a part of the team to New York, networking in New York, visiting different teaching venues there, meeting with potential new partners and organizations such as Circus Now,

- October 9-12, 2014: Teaching in Atlanta, GA; workshops at the Canopy Studio and D'air Project,

- October 14-26, 2014: Arrival of Jacques Bertrand and Fred in Portland. Choreography and creation of an aerial solo for Suzanne Kenney, director of the dance company Pendulum Aerial Arts in Portland, Oregon, and teaching aerial dance workshops for her company

- October 24-25, 2014: "Frida" will be performed in Portland during an evening organized by Pendulum Aerial Arts.

- October 29-31, 2014 : Master class in aerial fabric in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

- November 1-3, 2014: Master classes and privates in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the Collective Space with Anandam Dance Theatre

- November 4-9, 2014: Teaching for a week in the professional training programs at the New England Center for Circus Arts, invited by Elsie and Serenity Smith, Brattleboro, Vermont.

La tournée américaine de la compagnie Drapés Aériens