Damien Jalet
The Franco-Belgian dancer and choreographer Damien Jalet began studying theatre at INSAS in Brussels before focussing on contemporary dance and completing his training in New York and Brussels. Babel 7.16 is another milestone in a long line of collaborations with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui: Jalet danced in many of Cherkaoui's pieces (Rien de Rien, Foi, Myth, Shell Shock...) and co-choreographed several—notably, D'avant (2002) with two dancers from Sasha Waltz's company and Bolero (2013), made with Marina Abramovic for the Paris Opera Ballet. He works regularly with Icelandic choreographer Erna Ómarsdóttir. His appetite for cross-arts encounters has led to collaborative adventures with artists from very different backgrounds: theatre director Arthur Nauzyciel (L'image, Ordet, Jan Karski, la mouette, Splendid's...), American visual artist Jim Hodges (yama, THR(O)UGH), fashion designer Hussein Chalayan (gravity fatigue) and philosopher Giorgio Agemben (il cielo sulla terra). In 2013, he explored the possibilities of working in a symbolic space steeped in history by creating a site-responsive nocturnal promenade piece, Les Médusés–performed by 23 dancers–for the Louvre Museum. Currently artist-in-residence at the Villa Kujoyama in Japan, he is working with sculptor Kohei Nawa. He was awarded the title “chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres” in 2013.
