Théo Mercier & François Chaignaud

Théo Mercier

Théo Mercier is a visual artist and stage director whose work lies at the crossroads of anthropology, ethnography, geopolitics, and tourism. While in residence at the Villa Medici in Rome, he wrote his first show, “Du futur faisons table rase”, which premiered at Nanterre-Amandiers in 2014. That same year, Mercier was nominated for the prestigious Marcel Duchamp Prize. 

His work has been exhibited at major institutions including the Palais de Tokyo, the Moscow Biennial, the Centre Pompidou, the Hamburger Bahnhof, and MACVAL. His stage productions include “La Fille du collectionneur” (2017) and “Affordable Solution for Better Living” (2018), created with Steven Michel, for which they were awarded the Silver Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale. He lives and works between Paris and Mexico City. 

François Chaignaud

After graduating from the Conservatoire de Paris in 2003, François Chaignaud performed with renowned choreographers such as Boris Charmatz and Emmanuelle Huynh. Since his debut in 2004, he has approached dance as a form of global expression, characterized by the fusion of singing and movement and a profound dialogue with history. This is evident in both his solo work and his many collaborations with artists such as Théo Mercier, Marie Caroline Hominal, and Cecilia Bengolea.

In 2021, he founded Mandorle Productions to foster cooperation with diverse artists, including Marie-Pierre Brébant and Akaji Maro. In addition to intimate pieces, he creates works for large ensembles, such as Soufflette (2018), t u m u l u s (2022), and In absentia (2024). In 2025, the prestigious Festival d’Automne à Paris dedicated a portrait to his impressive body of work.

As of 2026, Chaignaud serves as the director of the Centre chorégraphique national de Caen en Normandie. He is also an associate artist at Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse in Paris, as well as the Maison de la Danse and the Biennale de la danse in Lyon.

Marie-Pierre Brébant

Marie-Pierre Brébant is a classically trained musician specializing in harpsichord and basso continuo. Since graduating in 1995, she has performed Renaissance and Baroque repertoires in various forms, from chamber music to choreographic projects for the Centre national de la Danse. 

Driven by a vision of music as an autonomous artistic object, Brébant frequently collaborates with avant-garde artists. Since 2005, she has been a regular collaborator with the Zerep company, performing on instruments such as the Celtic harp and clavichord. Her collaboration with François Chaignaud and Théo Mercier began with Radio Vinci Park (2016). In 2019, she co-created Symphonia Harmoniæ Cælestium Revelationum with Chaignaud, a performance inspired by Hildegard von Bingen in which she plays the Ukrainian bandura. 

Cyril Bourny

Professional stunt rider Cyril Bourny got his first motorbike at the age of four. He subsequently practiced motocross, supermotard, and freestyle. He is just as comfortable performing breathtaking tricks on rear wheels and stoppies as he is jumping over lines of cars, crossing walls of fire, and tumbling for cinema or safety campaigns. He has been the leader of the “Motards de l’impossible” shows since 2002.

In 2008, he set his first motorbike jump record with a leap over 12 cars without a landing ramp. In 2012, he set a new record with a jump at 130 km/h over 13 cars on the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit. In 2014, he achieved a new feat with a jump of almost 40m over a moving Tigerli steam locomotive.