La Grande Remontée is a choreographic, sound and documentary piece. It takes as its starting point an investigation into the “Remontes-couilles toulousain”, a DIY contraceptive tool invented by Ardecom activists in the 80s in a context of feminist and anti-capitalist self-experimentation. (This investigation was the subject of a dissertation at EHESS in 2020, entitled testicules gesticulées ) The piece gather multiple presences: a ballsy mythological creature (the tanuki), men helping each other on their contraception, gender-transforming bodies and strange cabarets. Through the encounter of worlds, La Grande Remontée attempts to shape dissident imaginations around contemporary masculinities.

Choreography, interpretation : Pau Simon. Assistance and collaboration: Ana Rita Teodoro, Marion Henry. Costumes, set design: Darius Dolatyari-Dolatdoust. Sound design, live music: ELG. Theme-specific assistance: Maxime Labrit. Lighting design: Maureen Beguin. Production manager: Vénus Castro, Paul Lacour-Lebouvier. Support for first phase of research: Nitsan Margaliot.

Project partners : Buda KunstCentrum (residency, co-production), Charleroi Danse (co-production) CCNO, Centre National Chorégraphique d’Orléans – directed by Maud Le Pladec as part of the welcoming studio program (residency, co-production), Ménagerie de Verre, (coproduction) IFM-Institut Français de la Mode & CND Centre National de la Danse (research workshop, production), DRAC Ile-de-France as part of the choreographic project grant, Atelier 210, Brussels (residency), Association Antrepaux-Emetrop, Bourges (residency)

Created for the Almost Summer festival, June 2021, Buda, then presented at Atelier 210, Brussels, at the Centre de Wallonie Bruxelles, (Paris) at la Ménagerie de Verre, (Paris) for the Actoral festival (Marseille) at la Soufflerie, (Rezé.)

Pictures : Romy Berger