The project
_p/\rc__ is a project that gives children with disabilities the chance to express themselves freely through dance. Following its launch at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Shonen company is developing its creation and going out to meet children in Morlaix, Marseille and Paris. _p/\rc___ is a choreographic score by Eric Minh Cuong Castaing, bringing together disabled children, dancers and telepresence robots on stage. On stage, the children move with grace and ease, guided by the dancers. Together, they dance, free and happy, forgetting their differences. The telepresence robots are piloted by other children or adults with physical disabilities.
In this great recreation, children with physical motor disabilities discover the joy of dance, thanks to the agility of professional dancers who become in turn their extensions and their supports. For those who can't make it to the stage, the robots offer a new way of interacting with the world and connecting with others. The stage is transformed into a large park with new standards, where specific dances are created.
The project is divided into two phases:
First, a 15-day "research" phase, each time dedicated to adapting the children and dancers to each new scene.
Then, once everyone has managed to find their feet, the performances follow with the children, carers and parents. For each town, the 60-minute show is recreated in situ with local children and renamed _ p/\rc___ #name inspired by the venue.
_p/\rc__ is a project that contributes to the inclusion of children with disabilities, by showing that they can take part in cultural and artistic activities. It also gives them the opportunity to feel valued and respected, and celebrates difference and the ability of everyone to express themselves through dance.
So, the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is pleased to support the relaunch of the project in 2024, benefiting 150 children with motor disorders through 60 workshops and 16 demonstrations from January 2024 to January 2025. In 2025, the Shonen Company will further develop this project in prestigious venues such as the Opéra de Massy and the Grand Palais in Paris, in collaboration with several medical and social educational centers in the Paris region (Paris, Garches, Essonne, Val-de-Marne). These workshops will take place from April to November 2025, totaling 70 hours of activities for 160 children.
Éric Minh Cuong Castaing créé en 2007 la compagnie Shonen signifiant "adolescent" en japonais. Basé à Marseille, il signe avec cette compagnie une quinzaine de créations, performances et films mettant en relation danse et nouvelles technologies. Il explore ainsi les modes relationnels des corps et ses représentations à l’ère du numérique.