Photo : Cécile Bouffard
Dance performance: Such a Devoted Bunch by Ruth Childs and Cécile Bouffard
Discover the contemporary dance program of the Atelier de Paris / CDCN, at the Cartoucherie in the Bois de Vincennes!
Atelier de Paris / CDCN (Paris 12th)
About
Such a Devoted Bunch by Ruth Childs and Cécile Bouffard
Anglo-American choreographer Ruth Childs and French visual artist Cécile Bouffard explore our quirks, body memory, and the survival of folklore in the contemporary world. Part installation and part performance for three dancers, Such a Devoted Bunch questions the mechanisms of devotion and obsession through gestures and objects.
Upon meeting, Ruth Childs and Cécile Bouffard were struck by the complementarity of their work. Since then, physical contact with Cécile's sculptures has profoundly marked Ruth's body. Guided by these forms and signs, she draws from them a freedom to play and reinvent gesture. Together, their universes dialogue around genres and manners in a sensory experience where matter, sound, and movement intertwine. This new creation from the duo brings together a whimsical community, a bunch of bodies animated by the same fervor, the same devotion. How is collective enthusiasm formed? How are our ways of belonging to one another woven? Such a Devoted Bunch sketches a community of bodies and objects that embrace and repel each other, between intimacy and collectivity, belief and letting go.
Thursday, November 19 and Friday, November 20, 2026, at 8:00 PM
Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM, followed by a talk with the artists
Our take on this event
Witness a captivating fusion of dance and visual art where performers move in constant interaction with mysterious sculpted objects. This piece dives deep into the rituals of human obsession and the invisible threads that weave us into communities. Prepare for a hypnotic exploration of devotion that shifts effortlessly between intimate intensity and shared movement.
From November 19 to 21, 2026, Atelier de Paris / CDCN presents Such a Devoted Bunch, a collaborative performance by choreographer Ruth Childs and visual artist Cécile Bouffard. Featuring three dancers, the work delves into themes of collective obsession, physical memory, and the intersection of sculpture and movement. This sensory experience is open to audiences aged 12 and up and is fully wheelchair accessible. With tickets available at special rates, including a 12€ Culture Pass and a 10€ youth ticket, it offers a unique opportunity to explore how personal devotion translates into shared gestures within a contemporary setting.
Choreographer Ruth Childs and visual artist Cécile Bouffard bring their latest creation, Such a Devoted Bunch, to the Atelier de Paris / CDCN. This performance for three dancers examines the relationship between physical memory and inanimate objects, blending choreography with plastic art to investigate the nature of obsession and collective enthusiasm. The dancers engage with Cécile Bouffard’s sculptures to create a sensory dialogue where sound, form, and movement intertwine.
Performances are scheduled for Thursday, November 19 and Friday, November 20, 2026, at 20:00. An additional matinee takes place on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 17:00, followed by a post-show talk with the artists. A dance-based childcare service is available during the Saturday 17:00 show, allowing children to participate in dance activities while parents attend the performance.
The show is suitable for ages 12 and over, and the venue provides full wheelchair access. Ticket pricing includes a 10€ youth rate and a 12€ Culture Pass rate. Please visit the Atelier de Paris / CDCN website to manage your bookings and confirm reservation details.
