Air is present at each and every instant of our lives; it flows through our bodies and supplies us with oxygen. Air means movement, it becomes wind that blows almost uncontrollably over water and land and each wind carries its own story.

In her works, Phia Ménard playfully considers the wonders of nature and the elements and explores the power of imagination and transformation. In the simple setting of an inward-facing circle of electric fans, the protagonist of ›L’après-midi d’un foehn‹ remodels colourful plastic bags into charming, graceful little characters which, caught in the rising air currents, start to drift, swirl and soar in a delightfully idiosyncratic aerial choreography full of freedom and joy. As if by magic and accompanied by music drawing on works by Debussy, the puppet-like bag figures fly through the space, sometimes quickly and sometimes timidly, dancing alone or meeting in a brief pas de deux and becoming more human with every movement. ›L’après-midi d’un foehn‹ is nothing less than a magical fairy tale-like story that invites young and old to let their imaginations run wild.

Performance: Silvano Nogueira Artistic direction, choreography, Scenography: Phia Ménard Music: Ivan Roussel mit Werken von Claude Debussy Light design: Alice Rüest Wind design: Pierre Blanchet Set: Phia Ménard Costumes, props: Fabrice Ilia Leroy Co-direction, production management, administration: Claire Massonnet Technical director: Olivier Gicquiaud

The company Non Nova / Phia Ménard is supported by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication - DRAC Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs of Pays de la Loire, the City Council of Nantes, the Conseil Régional des Pays de la Loire, the Conseil Département de Loire-Atlantique, the Institut Français and the BNP Paribas Foundation. The company is based in Nantes.