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From 18th to 21st March we are celebrating in Poznan the 4th edition of the Festival of Spring. The Festival is unique on a world scale in that it is inspired by and devoted to only one work of art – Igor Stravinski’s “The Rite of Spring”. The composition, whose premiere in 1913 evoked a great deal of controversy, since its creation continues to be a source of inspiration for countless artists. It has been referred to by representatives of different arts and genres: dance, classical music, jazz or visual arts. The great potential of this timeless piece of music is indeed unprecedented!
Over the past three years the Festival has earned a well-established position in the local calendar of artistic events and has grown from a one-day show into a several-day event exploring new currents in various areas of contemporary art, all of them touching upon a single reference point.
Xavier Le Roy, a leading modern conceptual choreographer has embarked on his own version of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Le Roy’s “Le Sacre du Printemps” combines an original arrangement with a unique variation on conducting. The artist’s sensitivity, interests and imagination produce an exceptional interpretation of the piece which drives the viewers to become strongly involved. One of the major elements of the piece is Le Roy’s fascination with conducting. After a year and a half of intensive training with the renowned conductor Simon Rattle, an experience which was in itself a wonderful challenge for the choreographer, he produced a work greatly admired by numerous audiences worldwide.
Xavier Le Roy, born in 1963 in France. A microbiologist turned choreographer, labelled conceptual or even post-conceptual by critics. He began developing his own works in the mid 1990’s leading to “self unfinished” (1998) which brought him general acclaim. In his performances Le Roy not only plays a game with the viewers, but also conducts an essential dialogue with modern dance in an aesthetical, cultural and social context. He has developed a new dance system based on the premises of global economy. He is interested in the potential of the body and its mutations, its memory and the possibility of composing images that these provide, in addition to processing cultural icons. In his choreographies Le Roy seems to invariably ask: What is dance? How is it developed? What constitutes it? He willingly works with other artists whilst his works display and interdisciplinary approach to dance.