His name is synonymous with daring pieces and perfect dance, he caused legendary scandals and had a tragic life. This piece by French-born choreographer Sidney Leoni pays homage to Vaslav Nijinsky, who created such revolutionary pieces as L’après-midi d’un Faune and Le Sacre du Printemps before the outbreak of the First World War, which have become unparalleled classics of modern ballet. Together with Elias Girod and Linda Blomqvist, Leoni covers the highs and lows of the of the exceptional Kiev-born dancer’s biography: both live and in a film featuring Christine De Smedt, Eleanor Bauer and Mette Ingvartsen, among others. “I am the flesh”, Nijinsky is quoted in FLY. “I am a madman who loves mankind. My madness is my love towards mankind. I am love. I am God’s clown.”
Concept, direction and choreography: Sidney Leoni
Cast for live performance: Elias Girod, Linda Blomqvist & Sidney Leoni
Costume designers: Jennifer Defays & Rachel Lesteven
Light design for live performance: Tim Wouters
Film cast (in alphabetical order): Alain Siebert, Alexandra Cismondi, Andros Zins-Browne, Aurélia Bézia, Aurélia Guinta, Christina Vantzou, Christine De Smedt, Eleanor Bauer, Elias Girod, Emilio Tomé, Estelle Gautier, Fabrice Pio, Guillem Mont De Palol, Halla Ólafsdóttir, Jaime Llopis, Manon Santkin, Marco Herløv Høst, Mette Ingvartsen, Mikko Hyvönen, Miriam Balloussa, Olivier Valkeners, Sidney Leoni, Stav Yeini, Xenia Ingvartsen Charmatz & Zoë Poluch
Narration: Caroline Donnelly, Caroline Mozzone, Descha Daemgen & Alain Siebert
Cinematography: Artur Castro Freire
Original music score: Yoann Durant & Sidney Leoni
Makeup: Valko
Executive production: Caravan Production (Brussels, BE)
Administration: The Artist Cooperative Interim Kultur (Stockholm, SE) & Plate-Forme POLY (Paris, FR)
Coproduction: Weld (Stockholm, SE), Kunstencentrum BUDA (Kortrijk, BE), the National Choreographic Center of Caen (French Ministry of Culture and Communication, FR), Moderna Museet (Stockholm, SE) & Dansinitiativet (Luleå, SE)
Residencies: Kunstencentrum BUDA (Kortrijk, BE), the National Choreographic Center of Caen (FR), Weld (Stockholm, SE), Dansehallerne (Copenhagen, DK), Inkonst (Malmö, SE), STUK – House for Dance, Image and Sound (Leuven, BE), Pact Zollverein (Essen, DE), Howest – 'The level' / Campus for Digital Arts and Entertainment (Kortrijk, BE), the National Opera House of Toulon (FR), Dansinitiativet/Luleå dance residency (SE), Kunstenwerkplaats (Brussels, BE) & Kaap (Bruges, BE)
With the support of: the Swedish Arts Council, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, the Flemish Community, the French Ministry of Culture (Dance Delegation), the City of Stockholm, the French Institute in Sweden & the Arts Promotion Center Finland
