Creation for the Acta Fabula Company, within the framework of the Portes du temps 2015 at the Palais de Compiègne, of a workshop/visit on the theme of dance, in connection with the exhibition “Napoleon I or the legend of the arts”. (More..)
Creation for the Acta Fabula Company, as part of the 2015 Gates of Time at the Palais de Compiègne, of a workshop/visit on the theme of dance, in connection with the exhibition “Napoleon I or the legend of the arts”. Sylvie De la Côte, ordinary chamberlain of the Palais de Compiègne, was commissioned by Napoleon I himself to welcome groups of young French people to discover the Palais. His imperial majesty wanted to get to know his youth, the future of the nation, better. To start the day, Sylvie De la Côte leads the audience to her dance class, proposed by the “God of dance” Mr Auguste Vestris (interpreted by the professional dancer Pierre François Dollé). He teaches them the musketeer salute, the curtsy and the French quadrille, the basics for Napoleonic youth. To continue the day, Sylvie De la Côte asked the public to help her check that certain works were present in the exhibition organised in honour of Napoleon I, who returned to the Palais with the imperial court in 1811. To reward them, she offered them an exceptional visit of the Palace flats with her accomplice Mr Auguste Vestris (Pierre François Dollé), who, as a wink to the dance of the time, interpreted a burlesque dance with the character of Harlequin, then tragedy with “Psyche” to finish with an Egyptian masquerade. To close this day at the gates of time, the audience is led into the ballroom where together they dance the French quadrille learned in the morning.
Photo credits: Cie Acta Fabula