IADU - Initiatives d'Artistes en Danse Urbaines
Hip-hop choreographers support program

The IADU program received a grant to finance the training of hip-hop dance choreographers.

Interview de Anne Sanogo - IADU Artistic Advisor
Tell us about the IADU program and its young choreographers ?
IADU is a support program dedicated to hip-hop dance choreographers initiated by La Villette. It supports choreographers in the development of their work, provides technical residencies, co-production support, and also allows for the dissemination of productions at La Villette, and within a network of partner structures and venues. IADU is also a two-year incubator program, open to 10 artists. It offers training to better structure projects (legal, administrative, professional). The class of 2022-2024 is composed of choreographers from different fields and with styles ranging from breakdance (Marlene Gobber, Arnaud Deprez) to waacking (O'Soul) through to krump (Emilie Ouedraogo).

How do you view your profession today ?
The hip-hop choreography scene is dynamic, rich, and very unified. It is prolific and there is still a great deal at stake in the distribution of productions and the visibility of works. IADU is part of this same approach.

How do you see yourself in 5 years ? In 10 years?
Still side-by-side with artists and creativity.

The choregraphers supported in 2022/2023 :
Arnaud Deprez - Allongé Company
Emilie Ouedraogo alias Lady Madskillz
Marina Gomes - Hylel Company
Marlène Gobber - La Piraterie Company
Virgile “Amour” Garcia
Ndoho Ange
Mariana Benenge, Martine Mbock, Samtou - Compagnie O'Soul
Evan Greenaway - Diving Leaf Company
Nicolas Huchard - La Diva Aux Pieds Nus Company

Interview conducted in 2023
Photography credit: Julie Glassberg