Meet the artist: Rachid Ouramdane

The French-Algerian choreographer Rachid Ouramdane talks about, among other topics, his artistry and work as the director of Chaillot – Théatre National de la Danse, the role of the art institutions in society, and working with artists of different mediums. Ouramdane is interviewed by dance dramaturg and writer Riikka Laakso. The discussion is held in English. The event can also be watched via livestream on the Dance House Helsinki website. At the age of twelve, Rachid Ouramdane discovered dance through hip-hop. He also took intensive courses in classical and modern dance. In the early 1990s, he dropped out of his studies in biology to devote himself fulltime to dance and joined the Centre national de danse contemporaine in Angers. As a performer and choreographer, he has worked with Meg Stuart, Odile Duboc, Hervé Robbe, Alain Buffard, Christian Rizzo, Julie Nioche and Emmanuelle Huynh. Rachid Ouramdane's creations are often marked by the seal of testi- mony and intimate experience (refugee children, victims of torture or natural disasters, amateur athletes, etc.) from which he weaves a structured choreography. Rachid Ouramdane collaborates with circus artists, authors, visual artists, and musicians for his own creations as well as for commissioned works and workshops. With an ambitious project based on diversity and hospitality, he has been director of Chaillot - Théâtre National de la Danse in Paris since April 2021. The event is implemented in cooperation with the French Institute of Finland.