The project
Since its establishment in Biarritz in 1998, Malandain Ballet Biarritz has always wished to establish solid contacts with the Southern Basque Country and more particularly with the Gipuzcoan capital San Sebastián. In 2000, the company gained the support of the Diputación Foral de Gipuzcoa and the European Interreg IIIA programme.
In 2002, these cross-border relationships led to the creation of Dantzaz Association and a Choreographic Public Awareness Centre established in San Sebastián. In 2005, the Diputación Foral de Gipuzcoa and the Basque Autonomous Government gave a new impulse to the cross-border project, by supporting the creation of Ballet Biarritz Junior, which became independent under the name Dantzaz Konpainia in the end of 2008.
The Cross-border Choreography Centre project started in 2007, on the occasion of the Teatro Victoria Eugenia reopening. Malandain Ballet Biarritz established a partnership with the city of San Sebastián and the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, for which he received the support of the European Interreg IVA programme. From that date, Malandain Ballet Biarritz and the Teatro Victoria Eugenia defined the actions that need to be taken to make dance more accessible and to encourage the development of choreography on the Basque Country territory from both sides of the border.
The creation of Ballet-T, the first Cross-border Choreography Centre in Europe, was made official by the signature of a convention of objectives between Malandain Ballet Biarritz and the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, the city of Biarritz and the city of San Sebastián on the 26th March 2011. The Teatro Victoria Eugenia serves as headquarters for the centre, while Malandain Ballet Biarritz is in charge of its coordination and direction.
BALLET T objectives :
- To promote the choreographic cultures with a joint artistic project made as accessible as possible
- To encourage the creation of a cross-border Malandain Ballet Biarritz troupe
- To promote the dialogue between artists and audiences on the cross-border territory
- To create an unprecedented common repertoire shared between San Sebastián and Biarritz
- To initiate cooperation between the cultural institutions located on the cross-border territory
New convention 2015-2020
A new agreement 2015-2020 for the development of a Euroregional Choreographic Cooperation Centre (Pôle de coopération chorégraphique eurorégional)
Following the positive results and a new development project, the Malandain Ballet Biarritz and the Teatro Victoria Eugenia de Donostia / San Sebastián have renewed the agreement on objectives and finances for a term of five years. This agreement relates to the cultural cooperation project "Ballet T" that has been conducted in Northern and Southern Basque Country since 2007 thanks to the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which was initiated and developed by the France-Spain-Andorra Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme. Biarritz and Donostia / San Sebastián city officials who have been supporting the project since it began have also signed the agreement.
The signing took place at the Teatro Victoria Eugenia on Thursday 12th of March in presence of Michel Veunac, mayor of Biarritz, and Juan Karlos Izagirre, mayor of Donostia / San Sebastián, as part of dFeria, an unmissable event organised every year by the Teatro Victoria Eugenia. This event aims at displaying the latest creations from Basque, Spanish and international artists to six hundred professionals working in the performing arts sector. A ten-minute-long documentary recounting the activities of Ballet T and realised by Morgan Creativos was shown on this occasion.
DSS 2016
As part of the programming line "Conversations" Donostia / San Sebastián 2016 European Capital of Culture, « Le Bal de la Belle et la Bête » took place at the Teatro Victoria Eugenia Donostia / San Sebastián , Saturday, February 6.
With Arnaud Mahouy as dancing master, accompanied by the Malandain Ballet Biarritz’s dancers, participants celebrated in an original and friendly way "dance together" by being invited to cross the border between the auditorium and the stage, and to experience the show with a unique perspective.
After an initial warm-up and learning of choreographic phrases, participants were able to express in a festive atmosphere and live a unique experience on the Victoria Eugenia Theatre scene of Donostia / San Sebastián with of all our dancers.
Les Estivales 2018
In the framework of the Estivales 2018, Malandain Ballet Biarritz will propose 5 performances of Noah in Donostia/San Sebastián and in Biarritz.
- In San Sebastián, at the Victoria Eugenia Antzokia at 8pm, the 31st of July and 1st of August
- In Biarritz, at the Gare du Midi at 9pm, the 08th, 09th and 10th of August
And what if dance was inspired by the story of Noah's Ark and the Flood ?
Thierry Malandain has accepted the challenge and created an ode to mankind.
Reservations :
Performances en San Sebastián :
Tuesday 31 July on this link
Wednesday 1 July on this link
Performances en Biarritz :
Wednesday 08 August on this link
Thursday 09 August on this link
Friday 10 August on this link
Office de Tourisme de Biarritz - 05 59 22 44 66
Uhain Berria
Uhain Berria - New Wave Project
Artistic and societal or environmental commitment, a familiar refrain... Yet, the urgency and the intensity of environmental issues is ever increasing, among hundreds of other issues, global warming, which affects the planet and the coastlines with coastal erosion, flooding, drinking water sources polluted by sea water, rising water levels, warming of sea temperatures causing instability in ecosystems....
As a coastal region, the Basque Country (where Malandain Ballet Biarritz is located) is directly concerned as far as its lifestyle, businesses (tourism, blue economy, etc.), culture, etc.
Consequently, in conjunction with its 2017- 2019 artistic project, Malandain Ballet Biarritz with Victoria Eugenia Antzokia de Donostia/San Sebastian and the Surfrider Foundation Europe (NGO), have undertaken an “Art & Environment” programme to raise public awareness concerning the importance of coastal conservation. Beginning with a performance, an artistic gesture, like a “hummingbird”, the “Uhain Berria” project participants will try to raise public awareness and even change behaviour, as trivial as that may seem. The Noé ballet choreographed by Thierry Malandain is the first milestone of this initiative. In 2018, Martin Harriague (Artist in residence at the Biarritz CCN) created Sirènes and other creative artists will also take part in this project.
Concerned due to its local roots and aware of the interdependence connecting all of us, with the watchful eye of its public education, Malandain Ballet Biarritz is thus committed to coastal conservation via the Noé and Sirènes ballet performances based on its experience raising public awareness and cultural outreach.
Webdocumentaire sur la création de Noé de Thierry Malandain (réalisation : Morgan Crea)
Webdocumentaire sur les actions de sensibilisation autour du Ballet Noé de Thierry Malandain (réalisation : Morgan Crea)
Webdocumentaire sur la création de Sirènes de Martin Harriague (réalisation : Morgan Crea)
Asteroidea 2019
© JanPol
ASTEROIDEA is an experimental performance art piece created to celebrate World Oceans Day on June, 8th 2019, in Biarritz, Côte des Basques. It is the fruit of a new collaboration between environmental NGOs, a neoclassical ballet company, and numerous volunteers. Together they presented a poetic and militant piece of art mixing the elements, dance and surfing, choreography and beach art, video, photography, instantness and urgency...