After a first edition dedicated to the forgotten stories of the present, La Ville Dansée, supported by the Paris Dance Project and Benjamin Millepied, would this year explore the effects of technological revolutions on our cities and our lives. From June 5 to 8, 2025, seven free performances would take place in various emblematic venues in Paris and the Île-de-France region, accompanied by a cycle of reflections led by political scientist Asma Mhalla, in collaboration with committed intellectuals.
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The core of the La Ville Dansée 2025 project would be a choreographic creation inspired by Godfrey Reggio 's 1982 cult film Koyaanisqatsi, with music composed by Philip Glass serving as the score for this dance performance. A collective work, the choreography would be signed by five renowned artists: Benjamin Millepied, Jamar Roberts, Dimitri Chamblas, Pam Tanowitz and Emmanuelle Huynh. Fifteen dancers would move through the public space to give shape to a visual reflection on the acceleration of the modern world, the break with nature and the social mutations engendered by hypertechnology.
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The public could attend these performances at different times and places: on Thursday at La Défense at 12:30 pm, then at the Monnaie de Paris at 7:30 pm; on Friday at the Gare de Lyon (Hall 2) at 12:30 pm and at the Cité du Cinéma in Saint-Denis at 7:30 pm; on Saturday at the Géode esplanade at 12:30 pm, then at the AP-HP building site in Saint-Ouen at 7:30 pm; finally, on Sunday at 5 pm at the Hangar Y in Meudon. Before each performance, a montage of interview excerpts will be screened, introducing the issues addressed in the project.
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La Ville Dansée 2025 would appeal to a wide audience, from fans of contemporary dance to those curious about civic debates, as well as passers-by attracted by these open-air art forms. The event's open participation and urban roots would make it both inclusive and accessible. However, audiences unfamiliar with conceptual dance may find the performative format and lack of traditional narrative unsettling.
Echoing its commitment to diversity, ecology, inclusion and social cohesion, the Paris Dance Project is also planning to extend this initiative to other cities around the world, such as Los Angeles and London. Through its artistic and civic scope, La Ville Dansée 2025 seeks to turn public space into a contemporary agora, where dance becomes a common language.
This article is based on the available press kit. The show has not been viewed by the editorial staff.
Dates and Opening Time
From June 5, 2025 to June 8, 2025
Prices
Free
Official website
www.parisdanceproject.org
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