Mathilde Monnier - Centre Chorégraph. Nat. de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon

How would you like a carefree summer's day? Then come and watch Mathilde Monnier's 'Tempo 76'. Nine dancers enjoy their freedom on a sun-drenched lawn. At least this is how it appears. However we soon realise that this natural/impetuous scene is not quite what it seems. The lawn increasingly begins to resemble an artificial, landscaped garden, a piece of nature that has been controlled. The dancers attempt to preserve their freedom but are engulfed by an environment that is alien to them. Mathilde Monnier masterfully uses a trivial occurrence to study man and society. Her choreography is based on the concept of unisono, or synchronism, in dance. This outmoded choreographic form is still used today in parades, musicals and classical ballet, with the aim of arousing a sense of the spectacular. In 'Tempo 76', performed to the rhythm of music by the Hungarian composer Ligeti, the French choreographer mainly criticises our uniform and artificial society. Everything appears to be perfect and harmonious but where is the catch? 'Tempo 76' is theatre of dance but with a knowing wink and full of subtle poetry and movement.