Presque Rien

Presque rien is a study of the complexity of love. In this intense piece, Jean-Christophe Maillot introduces us to two characters brought together in a tumultuous relationship that perpetually oscillates between attraction and repulsion. As the couple's chaotic love affair unfurls, a kind of 'theory of evolution' of romantic sentiment emerges, from its most primal form to its most poetic state of existence.

The choreographer begins by accentuating the reptilian aspect of this union: subjected to atavistic urges, the dancers embody an instinctive relationship in which predatory dynamics render love fragile, like the insect crushed under the heel of the dancer.

The harmony the two dancers aspire to achieve is painfully slow to come, and a flicker of hope is all too often dashed by the hard reality of their relationship. With this piece, Jean-Christophe Maillot throws out classical ballet's traditional depictions of love. The love that feeds our imaginations and enriches our stories is a cultural and literary invention. The reality is one of multi-faceted disillusionment. To love does not mean to taste the innocence of a springtime romance. To love is to watch, to spy, to observe, to understand, and to creep closer... For those who manage to hold love in the palm of their hand, this 'almost nothing' that emerges at the beginning of any relationship spreads its wings, blossoms, and becomes that which is dearest to us.

« … he gives us a relationship unfolding and dancers as human, sexual beings, going through raw emotions onstage. » DANCE EUROPE (jan. 2016)

Choreography and scenography: Jean-Christophe Maillot
Music: Bertrand Maillot
Costumes: Jean-Christophe Maillot and Jean-Michel Laine
Lighting: Dominique Drillot
Duration: 20 min

Premiere held on October 22nd 2015, Salle Garnier Opera de Monte-Carlo