Photo : Conservatoire Nadia et Lili Boulanger - crée avec l'aide de Microsoft IA (Copilot)
Poetry in Gestures
In partnership with the Bibliothèque Louise Walser-Gaillard, the Conservatoire presents an original project at the crossroads of arts and cultures. Accompanied by LSF interpreter Périne Paniccia, students experiment with new ways of conveying poetic emotion and making texts accessible to all audiences.
Bibliothèque Louise Walser-Gaillard (Paris 9th)
Part of the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Conservatory Events programme
About
The stage becomes a space for experimentation where the body tells stories, suggests, and brings the imaginary to life. This evening invites you to discover a collective creative work, where gestures become words and silence becomes theatrical material.
In partnership with the Bibliothèque Louise Walser-Gaillard, the Conservatoire Nadia et Lili Boulanger offers an artistic meeting centered on Deaf culture, sign language, mime, and movement.
Using a selection of poems, students will explore different ways to bring poetry to life: through voice, mime, movement, and French Sign Language (LSF).
LSF interpreter Périne Paniccia will accompany the students in this process and work with them to raise awareness about the specificities of LSF and the recreation of texts in sign language.
Because poetry is not translated literally into LSF: it is recreated in space, through gesture, gaze, rhythm, and movement. A true visual writing that offers another way to make words resonate.
Coordination: Florencia Avila & Alain Gintzburger
Our take on this event
Forget spoken language and let your eyes interpret the raw emotion behind every movement in this captivating performance. Poetry comes to life through a delicate blend of sign language and mime, transforming classic verses into a powerful visual landscape. It is the perfect chance to witness how silence can speak louder than any lecture.
On Tuesday, June 8, 2027, the Louise Walser-Gaillard library hosts Poésie en gestes, a unique artistic performance from 19:00 to 20:30. Students from the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Conservatory present a collective work that blends mime, movement, and French Sign Language (LSF) to transform poems into visual experiences. Coordinated by Florencia Avila and Alain Gintzburger, the event explores how gestures and silence can create theatrical meaning. This free event is fully accessible to wheelchair users and provides an inclusive environment for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to experience the beauty of sign language poetry in the heart of the 9th arrondissement.
The stage becomes an experimental space where the body narrates and suggests, bringing imagination to life. In partnership with the Louise Walser-Gaillard library, the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Conservatory invites you to an artistic encounter centered on deaf culture, mime, and movement. Coordinated by Florencia Avila and Alain Gintzburger, students explore diverse ways to animate poetry, utilizing voice, mime, physical motion, and French Sign Language (LSF).
LSF interpreter Périne Paniccia guides the students throughout this creative process, raising awareness of the specific nuances of sign language. The performance highlights that poetry cannot be translated literally; instead, it is recreated through space, rhythm, and gesture. This visual writing offers a fresh perspective on how words can resonate beyond sound, turning silence into a vibrant theatrical medium.
The event takes place on Tuesday, June 8, 2027, from 19:00 to 20:30. Attendance is free of charge. The venue is fully accessible to wheelchair users and is equipped to welcome deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, ensuring an inclusive experience for all visitors.
