It starts with a vague sensation. Vertigo, malaise. Then comes a nauseous sensation that takes over the body, sending it reeling. Seasickness. Filipino-Swiss choreographer Mélanie Gobet came to know that state of being during her residency aboard the Bise Noire sailboat, but also ashore, in her relationship with her mother. The artist doesn’t know much about the latter’s experience of uprootedness, beyond the series of traits that she has inherited, like the urge to dance.
Mal de Mère merges the two women’s respective physical practices, country dance and performance, opening a space for dialogue, meeting and belonging. It is a way of walking in one another’s footsteps, and of reclaiming history through one’s body.

Laurence Wagner, Belluard Bollwerk

Contemporary Dance, 60′
Festival Belluard Bollwerk, Fribourg, 27.06.23 (première)

concept and choreography with the collaboration of the team Mélanie Gobet performance Janeth Gobet, Mélanie Gobet original music Annie Aries dramaturgical support Natasha Stegmann choreographic support Rebecca Weingartner light Mario Torchio production Maxine Devaud / oh la la – performing arts production production structure mg cie support Stiftung Anne-Marie Schindler, Schweizerische Interpretenstiftung SIS
residencies Bise Noire – Résidences en mer granted by Belluard Bolwerk, Résidence « Recherche et développement »in Nouveau Monde, granted by the City of Fribourg coproduction Belluard Bollwerk created thanks to a Cultural promotion contribution of Canton de Fribourg, presentation with the support of Pro Helvetia

photos Julie Folly

i’m a loner is simply about the chance encounter of Mélanie Gobet who uses balloons in her artistic practice and a community of balloon fetishists. This experience tinged with humor and humanity translates into an immersive spatial and sound performance, like an ode to balloons and their enthusiasts. Against a backdrop of fetishism and voyeurism, the performance also addresses the themes of solitude and the encounter with the other, the pure joy of simple pleasures, childhood and the setting of inner movement.

Performance / Danse contemporaine, 50′

Espace Nuithonie, Villars-sur-Glâne, 01.07.21 – 04.07.21 (première)
Biennale des Arts Fribourgeois, Espace Nuithonie, Villars-sur-Glâne, 10.09.2022 – 11.09.2022
Biennale des Arts Fribourgeois, Bicubic, Romont, 18.09.2022

Concept, text and chorégraphiy, in collaboration with the team Mélanie Gobet Performance Jade Albasini, Sarah Bucher, Eléonore Heiniger Voice over Mélina Martin Sound design and control Frank Bongni Light design and control Mario Torchio Stage manager Luc Perrenoud
Dramaturgy Jean-Daniel Piguet Scenography Antonie Oberson Costumes Marie Romanens Set sewing Sandra Baudois Set sewing assistant Julia Yerly Production structure mg cieProduction Maxine Devaud / oh la la – performing arts production Coproduction Equilibre-Nuithonie – Fribourg Withe the support of Etat de Fribourg, Loterie Romande, Fondation FLUXUM, PREMIO, Fondation suisse des artistes interprètes (SIS)

Photos Nicolas Brodard (1-2),Yuri Pires Tavares (3) Teaser Cristina Gagnebin Müller

Charivari is the first collaboration of Jade Albasini and Mélanie Gobet, who met during their respective artistic residencies in Berlin. During an improvised evening, they questioned the notion of “what makes a performance” and fantasized about making a live one that destructures the codes of a traditional show to imbue it with “destroy” effluvia, building a gloriously failed parade before the eyes of the audience.

An old rave party beat. Lacking a disco ball, they get fired up by construction site lighting, revealing the delicate overlap between “uneasiness” and “euphoria” of entering the dance. Their penchant? To awaken something related to a dark joy, a sense of belonging that drives the crowd to join the feast! Welcome to their twilight party.

Performance / Contemporary dance, 25′

Festival Hasard, Teatro Virtual, 12.12.20
Les Chorégraphiques#6, L’Oriental-Vevey, 13.01.21 (première)
Fête de la Danse Vevey, 08.05.21
Artist’s Choice – Curated by Mélanie Gobet, Fri-Son, Fribourg, 11.12.21.
Musée Laténium, Hauterive, 11.08.22
Théâtre Benno Besson, Yverdon-les-Bains, 04.10.22
Skatepark de Bouleyres, Fête de la Danse Bulle, 13.05.23

Concept and choreography Jade Albasini & Mélanie Gobet Performance (in alternation) Jade Albasini, Léna Bagutti, Yel K. Banto, Johanne Closuit, Mélanie Gobet, Federica Normanno, Alex Kabuebue Musical arrangements My Name is Fuzzy Lighting design John-Michael Schaub Lighting technician (in alternation) Mario Torchio, Logan Duc Sound technician Frank Bongni Production structure mg cie Production Maxine Devaud / oh la la – performing arts production Coproduction L’Oriental-Vevey Special support Fri-Son – Fribourg
Residencies Dansomètre, CCDanse With the support of Etat de Fribourg, Loterie Romande, Fondation Nestlé pour l’art

Photos Romain Do Teaser Guillaume Levallois et Jade Albasini