STANS

Creation 2024

The encounter between two artists who truly recognize each other is a rare event. When it happens, it marks a decisive turning point in their careers. Such was the case with Ana Pérez, a flamenco dancer with strong contemporary leanings, and José Sanchez, a virtuoso of flamenco guitar who here plays the theorbo—a double-necked, 14-string baroque instrument from the lute family.

With this duo, José and Ana explore a particular state of being—one of physical and mental resistance that enables one to remain standing. To rise, to reveal the essence of each through awareness of the vertical axis. What remains of us? What keeps us upright? What does adversity awaken within us?

Driven by a shared desire for creative emancipation, and nourished by the many musical worlds they have traversed, the two artists question tradition, play with codes, and push boundaries to trace unexplored paths. After a first collaboration on the pieces Sonate and Concerto en 37 ½, Ana Pérez and José Sanchez embark on a new journey of musical and choreographic exploration, rooted in a baroque and mystical universe.

STANS, meaning “to stand” in Latin, is a first approach to a reinterpretation of the Stabat Mater, a medieval religious poem that evokes the figure of a woman who remains standing in the face of her torment—the loss of her child.

Choreography, performance: Ana PÉREZ
Composition, theorbo: José SANCHEZ
Lighting design: Arno VEYRAT
Sound technician: Lambert SYLVAIN
Outside eyes: Angel MARTINEZ-HERNANDEZ, Vito GIOTTA
Dramaturgical advisor: Audrey CHAZELLE
Costumes: in progress

Coproduction: Châteauvallon Scène Nationale, Ballet Preljocaj as part of its studio residency program, CCN Tours, Centre Soléa Marseille, Viavox Production, and the City of Orsay.
With the support of: KLAP Maison pour la danse, Marseille; CANAL, CN D Pantin; Théâtre Durance, Scène Nationale – Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban; DRAC PACA and the Bouches-du-Rhône Department.

Premiere: November 13, 14, and 15, 2024 at Châteauvallon-Liberté Scène Nationale, Toulon.