To my dear professor Delphine for her strict teaching and taste for perfection… (Not her here-above nor down-below.)
2001: Présentation sur scène
Extract from Margaux Soumoy’s diary of May 28th 2001
Mériel, May 26th and 27th 2001
MARGAUX’S HOME. BATHROOM. SECOND FLOOR.
So glad, this is my first on-stage show tonight! I can’t wait! Mom just finished helping me put on my pink ballerina outfit (my favorite color!), and now she is combing my hair quite tightly because Delphine always wants a clear face and neckline! She then grabs the white eyeshadow to put it below my brows, and the brown one to apply it lower on the eye, before ending with some black mascara whose texture I do not like, as I have the sensation that ink is going to fall into my eyes. She didn’t notice I had brought a biscuit from the kitchen, and I am thus making a mess while eating it as she concentrates on making sure everything’s ready. She then asks me if I am happy that they have chosen Yann Tiersen to accompany us musically for this year’s show. “Any artistic reference to the 30s always excites me, you know that by now!”
7:01pm – 7:59pm
7:20: Last-minute hair fixing with some thick, smelly, but not unpleasant sprayer. 7:40: Last-minute make-up fixing with some red lipstick for grown-ups. 7:50: Last-minute warnings.
Show room of the Espace Rive Gauche, 8:04pm and 10 seconds
Act I. We are walking around with some hesitation following the rhythm of the music before graciously wrapping ourselves up to end up face down on the stage like embodied shells. I am a bit elsewhere. I have named this entry: From butterfly to caterpillar. Act II. We are reproducing an exercice entitled barre au sol. I am not quite aware yet of what should be avoided in public, and even more so during a show. I have named this entry: Butterfly (once again yes, but Mom likes it too). Act III. We are sort of imitating circus artists following the music, and after the signal, we are beginning to run artistically and let our arm guide us to what it has to show us. We then run backwards to let ourselves fall flat down on the floor like dramatic actresses. We get up once but not twice. I have named this entry: An artist’s brain. Act IV. We are totally free for this last entry. Turnarounds and grands jetés have become my new specialty. So I have simply named it: Improvisation.
SHOW ROOM OF THE ESPACE RIVE GAUCHE, 10:09pm
I think I am going to love a show’s finale from now on! A real gratification, (even though all these emotions made me lose track of the events at some point)! Everything is new to me!
10:19pm – 11:19pm
10:20. Back to the backstage feeling all the more excited. 10:40. Undressing. 11:18. A kiss for Delphine after long minutes of waiting in line.
MARGAUX’S HOME. MARGAUX’S ROOM.
I am getting to bed extremely happy of my first experience. Tomorrow, I will have to do it again! I have missed my toy animals during the day. Mom tells me I have done well, but she won’t say anymore. “We waved at you, did you see us?”. I don’t even have time to answer her because I am already asleep. The end. Reread by Mommy.
Of course I did not have a diary at the age of five. However, the photographs and video are true to the event!
I do believe in chance, except for when I write.
REFERENCES
SHOW
School
Art et Mouvement
Choreography / Musical research / Mise-en-scène
Delphine MOLLOT
Musical arrangements / Sound control
Stéphane REICHART
Lights control / Settings
Alain MULL
Stage control
Marie GOREKI
Eric GOUTRY
Christophe MOLLOT
Thanks…
…to the municipality
…to the Kim KAN Institute
…to Studios DAVOUT
…to Studio FLAMENT
…to Georges GOURDON
…and to all the volunteers
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Margot Trinquand, Tiphaine Lanvin
VIDEO: Catherine Legon, Bernard Legon (whom I thank!)