Guiding principles
La Briqueterie is a non-for-profit association whose mission is to promote choreographic creation and artist development (through co-productions, studio space and artists’ residencies), transnational programmes and participatory activities to foster and support dance at multiple levels. The organisation encourages the active involvement in dance for diverse audiences, through an extensive programme of workshops, encounters, studio showings and activities aimed at widening the audience experience. A place of collaboration, putting dance at the centre of a social project within an urban environment undergoing rapid changes, La Briqueterie underlines cooperation as an act of transformation.
History
La Briqueterie opened its doors in March 2013. It is home to the CDCN/Centre de Développement Chorégraphique National du Val-de-Marne, one of the 13 dance organisations that currently make up the national network of CDCNs in France. While the venue is young, the organisation – formerly known as Biennale de danse du Val-de-Marne – dates back to 1979 and was officially incorporated in 1980.
The building was renovated by architect Philippe Prost thanks to the support of the Departmental Council of Val-de-Marne, the French State, and the Ile-de-France Region.
Its annual ongoing programme comprises residencies, studio showings, commissions and co-productions, EU-funded collaborative projects, workshops and educational projects. La Briqueterie organises Excentriques (an annual 3-day festival for national and international companies) and an international dance biannual festival, called Biennale de danse du Val-de-Marne, in partnership with over 30 venues, including regional theatres, museums and other organisations. The Biennale reaches over 11,000 people across the Ile de France region.
Since 2003, La Briqueterie has been publishing a dedicated dance magazine, Repères, cahier de danse, available also on the online publishing platform Cairn.
Building and facilities
Situated in Vitry-sur-Seine in the outskirts of Paris, La Briqueterie is a former brick factory of 3,500m², converted into a dedicated dance venue. It features three dance rehearsal studios (studio Est – 171m², studio Nord 115 m² and studio oust 227m²), a fully-equipped performance space (383m²), a landscaped garden and a forecourt that can also turn into presentation spaces.
The European Dancehouse Network continues its EU-funded EDNext 2022-2024 programme with the theme of equity explored through activities co-organised and hosted by EDN members in 2023.
More