14.11.25 — 15:30
MC93 — maison de la culture de Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny
For several decades, bodies that are considered “different” and do not conform to dominant aesthetic norms have been challenging the vocabulary of contemporary dance. Driven by various forms of otherness, these unique bodies are redefining the codes of choreographic creation and opening up new avenues in the history of art. To mark the 20th anniversary of the 2005 law on equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities, the National Center for Adapted Creation (CNCA) is organizing a series of discussions, including this meeting, which aims to assess the contributions of new forms of body expression, identify the obstacles that still exist, and highlight the changes underway in the field of choreography.
Magali Saby
Actress and dancer Magali Saby has spent the last 15 years pursuing an international career dedicated to promoting recognition for artists with disabilities. She has collaborated with Jérôme Bel, Perrine Valli and Sylvère Lamotte, and plays the lead role in the television film Danse ta vie (France 2, 2025). Founder of Be Together Académie and All Moov, she is an active advocate for artistic inclusion.
Alice Davazoglou
Trained at the Laon Conservatory and co-founder of ART21, Alice Davazoglou is involved in numerous educational and inclusive projects, leads workshops and gives talks in schools. She has danced in various productions, including Universalice by Nathalie Hervé, We Wonder by Xavier Lot, and De Françoise à Alice by Mickaël Phelippeau. In 2020, she published ‘Je suis Alice Davazoglou/Je suis trisomique normale mais ordinaire’ (I am Alice Davazoglou/I am normal but ordinary with Down syndrome) and received a grant from the Centre National de la Danse. In 2024, she created her first project as a choreographer called ‘Danser ensemble’ (Dancing Together).
Françoise Davazoglou
Françoise Davazoglou has been working for more than twenty years to promote arts education and inclusion in contemporary dance. An expert in ‘Dance at School’ projects and a dance instructor for the Amiens Academy, she supports students and teachers through programmes combining practice, theory and encounters with numerous choreographers. Through her collaborations (notably with the Echangeur CDCN des Hauts-de-France and the ART21 association, created with her daughter Alice), she has developed the module ‘Le parcours chorégraphique en 10 principes’ (The choreographic journey in 10 principles), promoting access to creation for all. Her commitment is also based on sharing artistic practices and reflecting on the social and political issues related to intellectual disability, which are the subject of her thesis ‘Dance and disability: what powers to act?’, defended in 2025.
Mickaël Phelippeau
French choreographer Mickaël Phelippeau builds his work around encounters, diversity and otherness. Since 1999, he has been developing the ‘bi-portrait’ series, which highlights unique stories and atypical journeys, and has created inclusive pieces such as De Françoise à Alice and Majorettes. His work, co-produced by the CNCA, directly questions the representation of different bodies and new choreographic styles: he explores how the stage can welcome all bodies, renew codes and contribute to greater artistic and social recognition for everyone.
Marie Le Sourd
A specialist in international artistic exchange and mobility, Marie Le Sourd has been secretary general of the On The Move network since 2012. She supports artists, companies and cultural operators in their cross-border cooperation and mobility projects, while promoting cultural accessibility for all. Thanks to her expertise, she actively contributes to the evolution of cultural policies towards greater openness and inclusion.
No Anger
Artist, researcher and winner of the 2023 Utopi·e Prize, No Anger (Noémie Aulombard) explores disability, feminism and anti-ableism in her performances. With a PhD in political science, they combine writing, performance, video art and lectures to question the place and recognition of marginalised bodies in public and artistic spaces. Winner of the 2023 Utopi·e Prize, No Anger transforms anger and vulnerability into creative and political force, exploring the links between creation, identity and inclusion. Their approach, both artistic and activist, proposes new imaginaries and invites collective reflection on the advances and obstacles in the field of choreography with regard to inclusion and diversity.
Thierry Schaub
A sports instructor at the IME Le Tremplin (Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis), Thierry Schaub helps young people prepare for group projects such as the dance parade organised in partnership with the MC93. He is committed to sharing and ‘doing things together’ in sport and art, alongside the young people at the IME. A pharmacist by profession, he has also spoken publicly about his personal battle with psoriasis and Crohn's disease, sharing his experience of resilience in the face of autoimmune diseases and his renewed hope thanks to recent treatments.