MADE in France

MADE in France, a Washington University Performing Arts Department summer study abroad program, engages students in a learning process that integrates diverse aspects of movement arts.
Our program offers a hands-on historical survey of European art, dance and design. Our courses are developed to stimulate collaborative engagement between young choreographers, designers (costume/scenic/sound), actors, experimental musicians and visual artists wishing to learn more about multi-disciplinary performance involving choreography. Participants collaborate directly with European artists and scholars.

The MADE in France program simulates the trajectory of a professional dance-theater ensemble's creative process, beginning with dramaturgical research in Paris and moving through conception to écriture, construction and performance in Mélisey. From start to finish, students experience immersion in the professional parcours of a French performance company. The program culminates in a performance of original student works attended by local artists and residents of the Burgundy region.

Dance for camera is our 2012 theme, inviting young choreographers to explore beyond the interior and technical constraints of theatrical staging, opening us to the nuances of site-specific choreography. We will take full advantage of Paris and the the French countryside in Burgundy, exploring a range of historic locations. The genre of Dance for camera often blends both dance and physical theatre, thus expanding the range of artistic materials, costumes, props and content we can explore. Our research and creative process will be supported by direct collaboration with French film-makers as well as art historian Lorraine Audric who will guide us through Paris' art collections, assist us in our dramaturgical process and participate in our seminar discussions. Our study of selected art works in the Paris museums will inform our dramaturgy and choreography for the camera..

The MADE in France voyage d'initiation goes well beyond training in performance, art history and creative process. We offer students an occasion to live and study abroad in both urban and rural settings, to train with professional European artists, to develop skills of collaboration with peers, and to hone French language skills. Finally, students are hosted in Bourgogne by the Au Cul du Loup company at Champs Mélisey.