Susan Buirge

Career

Reference points

Bibliography & filmography

Main works

Career

After studying with José Limón and Louis Horst at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, she joins the companies of Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis (1963-1967).

As of 1967, she takes an independent path, begins to work with repetitive processes and explores various media.

In 1970, she settles in France where she has developed most of her works, such as Patch of Sky (1985) which established her notoriety. A conceptual, she joins the abstract minimalist movement yet defends a sensual dance.

In 1989, she travels to encounter other traditions (Ethiopia, Greece, Syria, Japan, Taiwan and India). Resident at the Villa Kujoyama in Kyoto (1992), she found in Japan the possibilities to enhance her research on the relationships between traditional and contemporary art. The Cycle of the Seasons (1994-1998) is a work in four parts for contemporary Japanese dancers and a group of gagaku musicians.

Upon returning to France she re-establishes a company for which she has choreographed The Day Before (1999) then The Day After (2000), The Eye of the Forest (2002), an homage to the Montagnais Indians of Lake Saint John in Quebec, Soli (programme of four solos from 1976 up to 2004), A l'abri des vents (2006) and At a Cloud Gathering, two works made in collaboration with composer Jonathan Harvey.

Reference points

In 1970, Susan Buirge settled in France. Her "Danse-Théâtre-Expérience" becomes in 1975 the Susan Buirge Projet, then in 1994 Ma To Ma and in 1999 la Compagnie de Susan Buirge.

First choreographer elected commissioner for the French authors' society, SACD, in 1991.

First choreographer in residence at the Villa Kujoyama-Institut franco-japonais of Kansai in Kyoto (1992-1993).

Associated artist at l’Arsenal, in Metz (1997-2000).

Founder and artistic director of the Center for Choregraphic Research and Composition of the Fondation Royaumont (since 2000).

Bibliography & Filmography

Books by Susan Buirge

L’Œil de la forêt (The Eye of the Forest)- note book from Québec 2001, Le Bois d’Orion editions, 2002.

Dans l'espace des saisons (In the space of the seasons), preface de Michel Wasserman, Le Bois d'Orion editions, 1998.

Ubusuna, with Bernadette Bonis, Mémoire Vivante collection, Lansman editions, 1998.

En allant de l'ouest à l'est (In Going from West to East)- Note books 1989-1993, Le Bois d'Orion editions, 1996. 

Films about Susan Buirge's work

L'atelier de Susan (Susan's Workshop), film by Catherine Shan, Injam Production/Mezzo/Fondation Royaumont, 52 minutes, 2006.

L’Œil de la forêt (The Eye of the forest), film by Catherine Shan, Injam Production/Mezzo/Fondation Royaumont, 26 minutes, 2006.

Le Cycle des saisons (The Cycle of the Seasons), four 26 minute films by Catherine Shan, Mezzo, 1999.

Susan Buirge, l'aventurière de la danse, (Susan Buirge, the adventurer of dance) film by Marie-Hélène Rebois, Musiques au coeur, France 2, 1994.

Parcelle de Ciel (Patch of Sky), film by Robert Cahen, La Sept, 1986.

Main works

2006 - At a Cloud Gathering, music by Jonathan Harvey, Le Toboggan/ Biennale Musiques en scène, Lyon, France

2006 - A l'abri des vents, music by Jonathan Harvey, Le Toboggan/ Biennale Musiques en scène, Lyon, France

2005 - Soli, program with In Going from West to East danced by Nicole Piazzon; Dance North danced by Taoufiq Izeddiou, Moon Shadow Terrace danced by Young-ho Nam and The Hunter of the Lake danced by Larrio Ekson, Centre des arts, Enghien-les-Bains, France

2004 - Le chasseur au lac (The Hunter of the Lake), solo for Larrio Ekson, in silence, Théâtre de la Ville, Paris, France.

2003 - Ao no kaze/Vent vert, traditional japanese music, for the kagura Takatsu ensemble, Cultural Centre of Masuda, Japan.

2002 - L’Œil  de la forêt (The Eye of the Forest), music by Jean-François Laporte, Le Corum, Festival Montpellier Danse, France.

2000 - Le jour d’après (The Day After), music by Patrick Marcland, L’Arsenal de Metz, France.

        - Danse Nord (Dance North), solo for Bernardo Montet, music by Susan Buirge, CCN Montpellier, Festival Montpellier Danse, France.

1999 - Le jour d’avant (The Day Before), music by Patrick Marcland, with la Maîtrise de Radio France, Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris, Festival Agora d’Ircam/Centre Georges Pompidou-Paris, France.  

1998 - Cristaux d’hiver, music by José Evangelista, for the Avignon Opera Ballet, Avignon Opera, 20th festival Les hivernales.

        - Hi no hashira (Summer Dance), music by Tomihisa Hida, Cloître des Célestins, Festival d’Avignon, France.

1997 - Mizu gaki (Spring Dance), music by Tomihisa Hida, Montpellier Opera, Festival Montpellier Danse, France.

        - Pour la fin de l’été, music by Fabrice Kastel, with 38 non professional dancers and l’Harmonie militaire Région Est, for the Esplanade, L’Arsenal, Metz, France.

1996 - Ubusuna (Winter Dance), music by Tomihisa Hida, Alti Hall, Kyoto and l’Arsenal de Metz, France. 

1995 - La terrasse à l’ombre de la lune (Moon Shadow Terrace), solo for Hsiu-Wei Lin, traditional Chinese music, Festival de Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, France.

1994 - Hattaressar, music by Dan Dediu, for the Centre d’Expression Artistique, Théâtre Odéon, Bucarest, Roumania.

        - Kin-iro no kaze no kanata (Autumn Dance), music by Tomihisa Hida, Cloître des Célestins, Festival d’Avignon, France.

1993 - Sas (new version), music by Roman Sienkiewicz, Alti Hall Kyoto and Festival Montpellier Danse.

        - Matomanoma, music by Tomihisa Hida, Alti Hall Kyoto and Festival Montpellier Danse, France.

1990 - Mana, for 7 choreographers/invited dancers, ordered by Festival de Châteauvallon for the inauguration of François Delsartre studios, in Châteauvallon, France.

        - Lystro opéra, choreography of musical show for the City Hall Theater, Addis Abeba, Ethiopy.

        - Grand Exil, solo, music by Marian S. Kouzan, Théâtre de la Bastille, Paris, France.

1988 - Voyage à Ephèse, based on a text by Marianne Alphant, music by Brian de Martinoir, Théâtre de l’Agora, Evry, France. 

        - Artémis, based on a text by Marianne Alphant, music Steve Lacy, Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris (France).

1987 - Suzanne au bain, based on a text by Marianne Alphant, music Brian de Martinoir, Théâtre 14, Paris (France).

1986 - Parcelle de Ciel (Patch of Sky), 3rd part, Théâtre de l’Agora, Evry, France.

1985 - Parcelle de Ciel (Patch of Sky), based on a text by Marianne Alphant, music Brian de Martinoir, 1st and 2nd part, ordered by the Compagnie Dominique Bagouet, Opéra de Montpellier, France.

1984 - Les yeux de Mathieu, music Luc Ferrari, film la Sept, Centre Beaulieu, Poitiers, France.

1983     - En ac ou en ille, in silence, for the Compagnie Dominique Bagouet, Château de Bonnier de la Mosson, Festival Montpellier Danse, France.

            - Des sites, inspired by Savannah Bay, a book by Marguerite Duras, music by Ragnar Grippé, vidéo Don Foresta, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.

1982 - Sas, music by Roman Sienkiewicz, painting Jean-Luc Poivret, costumes Clémentine, Maison de la Danse, Lyon, France.

        - Charge alaire, music by Jean-Yves Bosseur, planes by Jean-Luc Poivret, for the aerodrome of Aix-les Milles, Festival Danse à Aix, France.

1981 - Divertissement pour un acte pudique, music by Roman Sienkiewicz, Festival Montpellier Danse.

1980 - Pré-l’aire, solo, music Ingram Marshall, Halle aux Grains, Toulouse, France.

        - Tamis, music by Ragnar Grippé, Halle aux Grains, Toulouse, France.

        - Ci-delà, music by Ragnar Grippé, scenography by Didier Stephant, Maison de la Culture, Chalon-sur-Saône, France.

1979   For the Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris :

        - Restes, music Ragnar Grippé, scenography by Didier Stephant.

        - Home and variations, music by Scott Johnson.

        - Areb, solo, music by J.S. Bach.

1978 - Lapse, music by Ragnar Grippé, lights designer Jean-Luc Poivret, costums Paco Rabanne, CAC Noisy-le-Grand, France.

1977 - Les empreintes, music Steve Kleinmann, paintings by Jean-Luc Poivret, Théâtre de Sartrouville, France.

1976 - En allant de l’ouest à l’est (In Going from West to East), solo, music  by  Philip Glass, Maison de la Culture-la Rochelle, France

1975 - Rite chorégraphique, solo, in silence, Théâtre de Sartrouville, France.

        - Autour d’un arbre, music Steve Kleinmann,  Maison de la Culture, Bobigny, France.

1973 - A la lueur de la lampe, musical set-up, Théâtre de la Cité Internationale, Paris.

1972 - Les petites choses, musics by Jolas, Glass, Partach and traditional, Théâtre de l’Ouest Parisien, Boulogne, France. 

1970 - Cutoff, solo, music by J.S. Bach, Maison de la Culture, Vichy, France.

1968 - Televanilla, solo, music Philip Glass. Martinique Theatre, New York City, USA. First dance performance to include video in real time.  

        - 10.000.000 g1, solo in silence with the participation of the audience, for a golf course, Los Angeles, USA.

1960 - Trilogy, solo, music by David Voss, Scott Hall, Minneapolis, USA.