Art of Performance at The Ringling | MazelFreten Playbill

MazelFreten Rave Lucid

FEB 22, 11:00 AM FEB 23 & 24, 7:30 PM

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Photo by Jonathan Godson

RAVE LUCID (2022) BY MAZELFRETEN Run time: 55 Minutes, no intermission Laura Defretin and Brandon Masele created MazelFreten to reinvigorate the codes and techniques of electro dance while reflecting on the early 2000s and emergence of internet culture. The work they produce is spontaneous, committed, visceral and largely inspired by the world of dance battles.

This performance, Rave Lucid, is a tribute to electro dance. It was the first French urban dance created in the clubs of the 2000s, before migrating to the street world.

From trance to flight, Rave Lucid brings together ten electrifying dancers with strong personalities to the stage. The dance allows for originality even while being a highly choreographed performance that combines a movement speed of 120 bpm with the demands of unfailing concentration. With hypnotic arm games, these dancers deploy both the world of “rave”—conceived as a celebration, a party, an organic trance—and a “lucid” state that requires extreme control to achieve perfect synchronization of this new kind of electro ballet corps.

ARTISTIC DIRECTION DESIGN + CHOREOGRAPHY Brandon Masele & Laura Defretin DANCERS Alice Lemonnier Maneula La Daeron, Emrose Thea Haggiag Meier Marie Levenez Oceane Marechal, Haja Adrien Larrazet, Vexus Achraf Bouzefour Teo Cellier, Le Mino Filipe Silva Pereira, Filfrap Jeremy Hoyaux Jonahtan Lutumba

COMPOSITION NikiT & Midnight Girls LIGHTING DESIGN Judith Leray COSTUMES Sting Masele CO-PRODUCTIONS CDLD P.DOUSSAINT GPS&O, LA VILLETTE, COMMON POINTS 95, CITY THEATRE, BALLET NATIONAL DE MARSEILLE, DCA - Philippe Découflé, DRAC island of France, Caisse des dépôts

ABOUT THE COMPANY Founded in 2016, French dance company MazelFreten brings electro-dance and dance battle culture to the concert stage. Directors Brandon Masele, world champion electro dancer, and Laura Defretin, award-winning hip-hop artist garnered reputations in their distinct dance scenes, working respectively with Christine and the Queens as well as with Stromae and Angèle. The two combine their individual forms to create a universe of movement language that celebrates the innovation, excellence, and individuality born from club dance culture.

The company has toured in cities all over France and Europe and are on their first tour of the United States. They’ve partnered with institutions throughout France including Toulouse Conservatory, Gaite, Points Communs New National Scene, and the Fratellini Academy.

In the fashion industry this atypical and innovative young duet has created content for Sarenza, Givenchy, Tommy Jeans, and performed in the Etam Fashion Show at Paris Fashion Week haute couture fashion shows.

Additionally, they’ve each created distinct training programs for the next generation. In 2020, Brandon created La Planke for electro dancers and Laura created INTRO training, a free professionalization course in urban dance for women. Their goal is to create vocations for young people and to give back to the form that has brought them success.

LAURA DEFRETIN (A.K.A. LAURA NALA) is a highly recognized multidisciplinary dancer.

She’s the only female member of French dance collective Criminalz crew and is known for her strong, feminine and unique style. She has won world titles in international dance competitions and performed in musicals and live events. Defretin is an ambassador of Nike Women and Diesel, valuing dance as a universal practice.

As a choreographer, she’s created work for musical artists Black M, Léonie Pernet, Elia, and her own company Undercover. Her show Sakalapeuch won two French championships. As a performer, she’s danced with singer Angèle on tour, Criminalz Crew, Swaggers Company b Marion Motion, the musical Résiste by France Gall, and Ladislas Chollat’s film Let’s Dance, produced by Pathé.

BRANDON MASELE is a world-renowned electro dancer and choreographer. In 2012, he was crowned world champion alongside Alliance Crew and #1 solo world champion in 2019. From battle to prestigious stages, Brandon has worked on several projects with Marion Motin, (La) Horde, Ryan Hellington, Ayo, Celine Dion, Stromae, Ninho, Gérard & Kelly, and more.

In 2014, he became Talent Danse ADAMI in Bliss for Rêvolution Dance Company. In 2017, he founded dance company, MazelFreten with Laura Defretin where they create work that brings electro-dance and dance battle culture to the concert stage through spontaneous, committed, visceral movement.

He performed in the world tour of Christine and the Queens, choreographing a solo to Doesn’t Matter, the musical Résiste by France Gall, and Ladislas Chollat’s film Let’s Dance, produced by Pathé. Additionally, Brandon has performed in advertising campaigns for Louboutin, L’Oreal, Saint-Laurent, Kenzo, JPG, Uniqlo, Fendi, Pull&Bear, Diesel, and Hermes. As a teacher he trains the next generation at the Purple Love project at Toulouse Conservatory, Palais de la Porte Dorée, and his own program, La Planké.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2023/24 ART OF PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

This program is supported in part by the Art of Performance Fund, Arthur F. and Ulla R. Searing Endowment, Dorothy Jenkins Endowment at the John and Mable Ringling Museum, Ellin Family Art of Our Time Endowment, Ed & Elaine Keating Endowment, Ringling Art of Performance Endowment, Selby Foundation Ringling Museum Endowment, Cowles Charitable Trust, Huisking Foundation, David and Mary Benfer, Michael and Kathy Bush, Warren R. and Marie E. Colbert, Leon and Marge Ellin, Judith and Stephen Shank, and Marge and Irv Weiser.

THE RINGLING’S ART OF PERFORMANCE delivers broad access to provocative and timely performing arts that reflect a wide range of experiences, disciplines, and relevant cultural expressions. The series embodies The Ringling’s values of inclusion, inspiration, and excellence through programs that elevate community engagement, equitable partnerships, and the plural exchange of ideas in tandem with visiting artists. Besides public programs, we support Florida-based, national, and international performance makers in developmental residencies and creative research.

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the State Art Museum of Florida administered by Florida State University. It features an art museum, historic mansion, circus museum, historic theater, conservation laboratory, arboretum, and research library, situated on 66-acres of bayfront property in Sarasota. The Ringling is an extraordinary center of art and culture engaging with the local, state, and global communities, and is accessible to and inclusive of all.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Ringling respectfully acknowledges that we are located on the traditional Homelands and the ancestral territories of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, as well as the ancient tribes of the Calusa, Uzita and Tocobaga. We also acknowledge the local freedomseeking community called Angola, and the people later known as Black Seminoles.

We honor the resiliency of Indigenous communities, and we extend our gratitude as we live and work on their Homelands. We pay our respect to the Elders, both past and present, who have stewarded these lands and waters through generations since time immemorial.