An unforgettable gala for the Art-Dance section of Suzanne-Valadon High School in Limoges
Three days in a school year, three unforgettable days, three days out of time, where we forget lessons, teachers, homework.
From January 10 to 12, students at the Suzanne-Valadon high school in Limoges practice and dance at the Jean-Moulin cultural center (Limoges), presenting the fruit of their commitment, work and passion.
With the contribution and support of CHAD students (arranged dance classes) Renoir (Limoges too) supervised by Séverine Dalher, they more than seventy paraded on stage under the demands, kindness and no doubt also tempered by Caroline Delage, professor of EPS , who is in charge of the Art-Dance section of Valadon.
Suzanne-Valadon Middle School is the only one in Limoges academy that offers Art-Dance and specialization options for high school students. In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine area, other companies offering this orientation are in Biarritz and La Rochelle. Caroline Delage’s photo
Choice and specialization
“It was intense, he explained, we rehearsed on Tuesday, the next day we did the generals without an audience and on Thursday afternoon, we did two shows, one for school kids and one for the public.”
Valadon High School’s Art-Dance section is the only one in the Limoges academy. Optional in second grade, may be selected by students as a specialization in first and final years. Eighteen second year students benefit from three hours of dance instruction as part of their electives. The top ten junior and senior high school students have four to six teaching hours per week. “There are dance hall rehearsals in choreographic institutions and culture, explains Caroline Delage. Students know why they dance a certain way. We also work in co-teaching with professors of philosophy, French and art history. »
There is no selection at the entrance of the second year for students who choose the Art-Dance option. “The most important thing is motivation and open-mindedness,” explains Caroline Delage, PE teacher, who is in charge of class hours with high school students. “We are here to develop their curiosity, their choreography culture and also teach them how to be creative. » Photo © Steve Barek/Opera Limoges
Partners and supporters
Within this purely educational context, for Caroline Delage and her entourage there is the support, support and cooperation of several organizations, institutions and people without which nothing would be possible.
The DRAC (Department of Regional Cultural Affairs) and the Limoges Opera Dance Stage are important, if not essential, partners. Both entities also allow students to meet artists, dancers and choreographers who actively participate in creative work. For the performance earlier this year, three choreographies, two creations and one variation, received an enthusiastic and well-deserved reception from the public that will leave lasting memories for all of today’s protagonists.
Jean-Christophe Bourdin
