Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Luxembourg Showcase

Tell us about your shows. What can audiences expect?

Choreographer and Artistic Director of Z Art Dance, Giovanni Zazzera: Our show NEGARE at Edinburgh’s C Venues (C Arts - C Aquila) is a sensitive, intriguing dance-theatre piece that oscillates between the absurd and the touching to examine the complex self. NEGARE explores the journey of a peculiar character who perpetuates the need to both observe himself, and to feel observed, in order to expose his own identity to others. 

Artistic Director of JC movement production, choreographer and performance, Jill Crovisier: The Hidden Garden is a solo performance that was created in 2016, that will have its UK premiere at Summerhall. In the performance, I invite people to enter into an intimate dimension with me; embarking on a journey full of contrast and colours, informed by their own feelings and memories. The Hidden Garden offers the possibility to reconnect with one-self and our environment. In that way it becomes like a reflection in a mirror. It makes space for what we tend to miss in the rush of our competitive and demanding lives. It makes space for humanity.

Choreographer and founder of Simone Mousset Projects, Simone Mousset: The Passion of Andrea 2 is a sequel to a work I never made, but I like that people might think there is a The Passion of Andrea 1. It will be presented at Assembly @ Dance Base and audiences can expect to be surprised, while never knowing what will happen next. They can expect to be infected by the contagiousness of hilarity and laughter, as the show unfolds.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your work, both in terms of creation and performance?

Zazzera: I am fascinated by the complexity of human beings. My work explores the identity of movement through the poetic, through into the absurd, emotional, social, and temporal topics, to materialise it in space, time, and moments. What inspires me is the present: be it a noise, a movement, an energy, or a whole entity. Movement is a human necessity, and the multidisciplinary approach I bring to my work focuses on trusting the body as it moves through its inherent energy where images, motions, and emotions appear. 

Crovisier: In general my creations are all strongly connected to each other. They combine themes surrounding existentialism, heritage, nature, architecture and the human mind, with a cinematographic aesthetic. With my work, my aim is to empower people to find ways to express themselves and to reconnect with simplicity, as I would say that I am closely connected to people, the world, and life in general. I take inspiration from everywhere and ideas come to me naturally. In general, I also like to dive into my imagination and am passionate about exploring the intersections between choreographic writing, music and cultural exchange collaborations. 

Mousset: I'm interested in the fabrication of fantastical worlds, and I am often inspired by forms of popular narrative and culture such as fairy tales, documentaries, poems, songs, video games, TV shows, ballets, operas, and other conventions and tropes related to the world of performance. Overall,  my influences are very eclectic. I think I am looking for a certain type of humour and silliness, combined with a sense of poetry, as well as striking visual experiences.

Negare / Marco Pavone

What are your thoughts on the festival in general and how do you feel about being a part of it this year?

Zazzera: I feel honoured and so pleased to have been selected among Luxembourg's artists to represent our country's beautiful dance and choreographic performance culture. I'm delighted to share my work and my choreographic universe with a new audience that is vast, diverse, and international! 

Crovisier: Positive and excited, as I’ll be presenting a UK premiere during my first time at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! I feel privileged and grateful to be playing in Summerhall which is such a great venue, and to be part of the Luxembourg selection. Overall, I hope to leave the festival full of gratitude and inspiration. 

Mousset: I hear that the festival is very intense and I am excited to be a part of it for the first time!

Why is this an important story to tell?

Zazzera: In NEGARE, we question and re-interrogate the identity that defines us -  the one we ascribe to ourselves and, above all, the one our environment ascribes to us. Whether through our visible or invisible appearance - or our beliefs and convictions - we construct a constantly evolving identity that enables us to adapt to our environment. This identity takes on various shapes and colours throughout our lives, influenced by the way we look at the world and how it looks back at us. Our show probes this important thinking point: we explore humanity’s complex quest for identity whilst existing in a state of constant flux. 

Crovisier: Our world moves quickly, with a lot of expectations and pressure. From time to time we need to be reminded, with a touch of humour, that we should connect to ourselves and cherish the present moment. I place a strong emphasis on creating work that is inclusive and emotionally engaging, even for those who may not be familiar with contemporary dance or other forms of physical expression. 

Mousset: For me, it is important to tell this story because it is about how people can find themselves stuck in black or white, fight or flight behaviours without necessarily intending to. To me, it speaks of the ways in which arguments can become extremely heated, extremely quickly, leading to the feeling of having to choose sides without having all the information, in a polarised, constantly threatened and threatening society. And how that leads no one anywhere.

How do you feel about the current arts landscape in your country and your part in it? Does it excite you and inspire you to keep pushing the boat out?

Zazzera: We are very fortunate in Luxembourg to have a wealth of culture. The country's inherent diversity, and the mix of cultures that constantly rub shoulders thanks to its openness, makes it a place where discerning artists and new talents meet. Luxembourg's cultural scene is eclectic, diverse and varied. This diversity is an integral part of the country's identity and inspires us, as artists, to constantly discover and rediscover new approaches. It pushes us to question our choreographic work and to colour it in a multitude of ways – it’s a vibrant cultural scene that certainly stimulates my creative approach as a choreographer.

Crovisier: In Luxembourg we have great support for the arts and they are very accessible, especially compared to other countries. I am able to create freely  and explore topics with collaborators of my choosing, without judgement. I particularly enjoy that I have a platform to include diverse participants into my practices, which allows me to expand the potency of contemporary dance to a larger audience. 

Mousset: I am extremely grateful for the support there is in Luxembourg for the arts, and the fact that support has enabled me, the team and the work to come to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For me, it is a powerful and hopeful thing when a government believes in the importance of art.

The Passion of Andrea 2 / Kalene Jeans

Why are arts festivals such as the Fringe so important for international exchange?

Zazzera: Festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe offer international artists the opportunity to share and discover work being made all over  the world. Events like these are essential to create cultural connections and new artist encounters by openly mixing all sorts of arts, disciplines, and reflections. These relationships are important and essential in multiplying and impacting the number of people who seek, in art and culture, the possibility to pose broad and diverse questions or perspectives. 

Crovisier: A festival such as the Fringe is important because it offers a platform of accessibility and visibility to exchange ideas and visions. The programme includes many different forms of  performing art, so it appeals to many national and international visitors. It creates a place of connection and diversity, a moment where many people can gather to celebrate and enjoy the arts. 

Mousset: Beyond the exchange, it is really sobering and freeing to see the range of aesthetics, topics, people, and the sense of urgency that there is at festivals such as the Fringe. It is so great to step out of my own world and artistic bubble and look at my work with some perspective. It makes me re-evaluate what I have made, and where I situate myself in the wider artistic landscape.

What show are you most looking forward to seeing in August, and why?

Zazzera: This will be my first time in Edinburgh and at the Festival! I can't wait to discover this extraordinary event and I will take advantage of this experience to discover as many shows as possible, and nourish myself with the diversity of shows offered during the Fringe.

Crovisier: It’s going to be very hard to choose who to see! In general, I will try to get an insight into the festival and see performances in theatre and dance, focussing on UK artists. It will be my UK premiere and I am eager to learn more about the UK scene in general, so am intrigued by the work of the Here & Now Showcase – performance created in England – and the Made in Scotland Showcase.

Mousset: Obviously I'm looking forward to seeing my friend’s work within the Luxembourg Showcase. Outside of that, I'm very much looking forward to supporting all the other great artists at Dance Base, like Charlotte Mclean who presents Futuristic Folktales for example!

What’s next for you and how are you feeling about the future in general?

Zazzera: For me, exciting new projects are underway such as MURMURES – a project presented as a performative installation that invites dancers, as well as spectators, to go on an interactive journey between movement and the sound universe.

Crovisier: I am currently working on a new creation with eight performers which premiers in February 2025. It’s the result of three years of research involving both professional performers and other participants, such as those imprisoned. A few other projects are also ongoing, and I have some projects that are currently on tour as well. The future is always a little bit uncertain I guess. Let’s see where life will guide me to. 

Mousset: I am working on developing the wider mythology of the Ballet National Folklorique du Luxembourg, a fictional company I am now directing together with the infamous Mr Chevalier. We’re working on two light solo shows, The Great Chevalier and The Pigeon Dance. Follow Mr Chevalier on Instagram: @__chevalier!