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Six propellers-dancer trace their trajectories across Stockhausen’s famous Helikopter-quartet. Holger Förterer’s videos projected onto the floor expose them to rotations of light. Angelin Preljocaj presents a radical, whirring dance before sharing his new creation, LICHT.

Your 2025 creation is coupled with a 2001 piece entitled Helikopter, can you tell us more about the theme?

Angelin Preljocaj: This year’s creation is indirectly related to Helikopter as I always try to come up with a dramaturgy and consistency in our evenings that present a number of different pieces. Helikopter is an old piece of mine, set to Stockhausen’s commanding, powerful music, and any piece set to his music has to be able to withstand that power. This is why I’m working on a lightfilled creation, with sunbeams escaping from storm clouds, as a sort of metaphor for our times that speaks to true human connections.

Can we call it a futuristic utopia?
A.P.: We are living in relatively dark times, but I can definitely see a glimmer of light. Through the anxiety, or the apparent darkening, I truly believe that it is possible to come to some irreversible realisations. Even though conservatism is boomeranging back on us, society continues to move forward, and the outcome has, in no way, been decided. This is a pivotal time in our civilisation, hence the feeling of instability. That is what I want to express through this creation.

How does this theme translate into your choreography?

A.P.: I always try to find a way into the theme I am dealing with. However, as the creative process itself unfurls, it dictates the outcome based on the ideas we just mentioned.

What music have you chosen?

A.P.: Well, given that Stockhausen is considered to be the “grandfather of electronic music”, I looked to his putative grandchildren, and the first one who came to mind was Laurent Garnier, who is, for me, a direct descendant of Stockhausen’s and someone I have already worked with. We get a vibration and an energy from the music that feels like the future, with a sort of immense feeling of freedom, as well as a need for respect, inclusion and tolerance that comes from the new generation.

In conversation with Agnès Izrine for La Terrasse, February 2025

Dates
Tuesday
13 May 2025 at 8pm
Wednesday
14 May 2025 at 8pm
Thursday
15 May 2025 at 8pm
Friday
16 May 2025 at 8pm
Saturday
17 May 2025 at 7pm
Place
Theatre du Pavillon Noir
Duration
1h20
Price
From 10€ to 25€

Distribution / Credits

HELIKOPTER Creation 2001
Piece for 6 dancers
Choreography Angelin Preljocaj
Music Karlheinz Stockhausen, "Helikopter-quartet’" performed by Le Quatuor Arditti
Scenography Holger Förterer
Lighting Patrick Riou
Costumes Sylvie Meyniel
Dancers (in alternation) (13, 14 and 15 May 2025) Liam Bourbon Simeonov, Clara Freschel, Paul-David Gonto, Verity Jacobsen, Beatrice La Fata, Leonardo Santini / (16 and 17 May 2025) Mar Gómez Ballester, Lucas Hessel, Verity Jacobsen, Yu-Hua Lin, Florine Pegat- Toquet, Valen Rivat-Fournier
Assistant, Deputy to the Artistic Direction Youri Aharon Van den Bosch
Artistic assistant Paolo Franco
Choreologist Dany Lévêque
Commissioned by Biennale Nationale de Danse du Val-de-Marne 2001
Coproduction 2001 La Criée Centre Dramatique National de Marseille, Biennale Nationale de Danse du Val-de-Marne, Maison des Arts et de la Culture de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne, Groupe Partouche Casino Municipal Aix/Thermal
Subsidized by Conseil Général du Val-de-Marne
Award Herald Angel Award by Edinburgh International Festival
"Helikopter-Streichquartett" is available on www.stockhausencds.com
Licht 2025 creation
Choreography Angelin Preljocaj
Original music Laurent Garnier
Light design Éric Soyer
Costumes Eleonora Peronetti
Video Nicolas Clauss
Excerpts from « STOCKHAUSEN - PRELJOCAJ / DIALOGUE » filmed by Olivier Assayas © MK2TV 2007
Assistant, Deputy to the Artistic Direction Youri Aharon Van den Bosch
Rehearsal assistant Paolo Franco
Choreologist Dany Lévêque
Dancers Angie Armand, Liam Bourbon Simeonov, Clara Freschel, Mar Gómez Ballester, Paul-David Gonto, Lucas Hessel, Verity Jacobsen, Beatrice La Fata, Yu-Hua Lin, Florine Pegat-Toquet, Valen Rivat-Fournier, Leonardo Santini
Coproduction Théâtre de la Ville-Paris
World premiere April 10 2024 at TDV-Sarah Bernhardt, Paris France
Photography Photographies 1 à 4 "HELIKOPTER" et 5 à 6 "LICHT" © Yang Wang / Video © Julien Bengel