PRÉLUDE

Marie-Ève Barbier
Trained on the asphalt in the 1980s, Kader Attou, originally from the suburbs of Lyon, became the first hip-hop choreographer to direct a National Choreographic Centre in France — the CCN of La Rochelle — where he left a lasting imprint over thirteen years. After this remarkable journey, he embarked on a new chapter in Marseille: since January 2022, his company Accrorap has been based at La Friche la Belle de Mai.
Having settled in Marseille, a city with a powerful hip-hop culture, Attou saw the opportunity to anchor his company there. The first thing he did was organize auditions to discover the wealth of local talent. Nine dancers, including two women, joined him in the creative adventure of Prelude.
The piece was born from the idea of performing outdoors, to reach audiences who do not usually attend theatres. Following the success of this short open-air version, Prelude Out, a second version was created — Prelude In — designed for indoor stages. The title Prelude itself is a nod to his arrival in Marseille, marking the beginning of a new chapter.
The ensemble of dancers becomes a metaphor for a dancing humanity — one that reflects both harmony and struggle, mirroring the challenges of our times. The final half hour unfolds like a firework display, an emotional release where the dancers give themselves entirely, leaving the audience breathless. Above all, Prelude is a moment of genuine connection.

Véronique Hotte
Kader Attou is a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director of Compagnie Accrorap — one of the major figures of French hip-hop dance. Guided by a humanist approach that is open to the world, blending influences and breaking down boundaries between genres, he has helped transform hip-hop into a new choreographic language — an auteur’s dance form with a distinctly French identity.
This “all-terrain” piece reaches out to all kinds of audiences, taking hip-hop dance to unexpected places, to the very edges of choreographic writing, while weaving connections between local communities and artists. Prelude Out, the shorter version of Prelude In, tells the story of the encounter between Romain Dubois’s music and the dancers’ physicality. The electronic score, with its rhythmic and melodic crescendos, builds a growing tension. The virtuoso dancers take flight with the music — quite literally — arms and legs lifted, bodies breaking and reforming, leaping or being propelled to the ground by one another, heightening the audience’s attention with each movement.

Maryvonne Colombani
Prelude brings together the music of Romain Dubois — built on endless crescendos in an infinite upward spiral — and the dancers’ bodies, swept into a surge of energy. A true homage to hip-hop, Prelude, performed by nine dancers, is structured around the language and steps of the genre, urging each artist to surpass themselves through solos of dazzling virtuosity. The ensemble sequences, facing the audience, reaffirm gestures freed from all constraint, infused with the very sap of life. Breath shapes the movement, yielding to the rhythm and infusing the work with exhilarating intensity.

Mireille Davidovici
After Les Autres — a baroque and poetic work that stood apart from his usual aesthetic — Kader Attou returns to the roots of his inspiration. Having settled in Marseille with his company Accrorap after leaving the National Choreographic Centre of La Rochelle, he invited around ten professional hip-hop dancers from the South of France to inhabit his artistic world.
Prelude takes shape through Attou’s memories, built in dialogue with the dancers. He recalls his childhood in the suburbs of Lyon and his discovery of boxing at the age of seven, which revealed to him the beauty of bodies in motion: the gestures of the arms, the footwork — the boxer as a dancer in potential, “a butterfly ready to take flight,” as he says.
Forty-five minutes of pure, uninterrupted dance follow. The group radiates a fierce energy to the music of Romain Dubois — a single continuous composition that poses a true challenge. The dancers’ virtuosity and the uninterrupted rhythmic and melodic pulse sweep the audience into a captivating visual and sonic maelstrom.

Figure de premier plan de la scène hip-hop contemporaine depuis le milieu des années 1990, Kader Attou attise ici sa passion musicale en collaborant avec le compositeur Romain Dubois. Sur une partition groove, dont les rythmes rappellent la formation de pianiste de Dubois venu de la bossa-nova et du jazz, neuf danseurs s’enroulent dans la vague sonore qui les propulse. Enjambant des paliers d’intensités de plus en plus forts, la troupe joue avec les notions d’endurance, de transe et de plaisir, en conservant serré le lien collectif. Annoncée « tout-terrain », Prélude se joue tantôt sur les scènes des théâtres, tantôt en extérieur. Avec en ligne de mire le désir de rassembler le public au plus près de la tension joyeuse des interprètes.

La pièce Prélude, jouée samedi 3 août au festival Vertical’été, a touché les festivaliers au plus profond. L’idée du chorégraphe Kader Attou était de créer une pièce pour aller vers les publics, une pièce tout terrain, explique Cathy Chahine, administratrice de la compagnie Accrorap. Prélude était née. Neuf danseurs, 35 minutes et une montée en puissance impressionnante sur la musique de Romain Dubois. Cette pièce, c’est beaucoup d’émotions, une grande complicité entre les danseurs, ils ne font qu’un! Les danseurs viennent de tous les horizons, break, hip-hop, contemporain… À la fin du spectacle, le public a souvent envie de prendre les danseurs dans leurs bras. Et ils ont tellement donné qu’à la fin, ils sont là, en relation directe avec le public.

Christine Eouzan
The 600-seat hall at Scala Provence sold out on opening night. It was in front of this large audience that Kader Attou shared his reflections. Sitting at his work table, he spoke of the creative process — the “preludes” to a new piece and the moments before a premiere. Gradually, he opened up about his life, shaped by struggle, and the importance of breath, both for the individual and the dancer. He recalled an injunction from his mother at birth, when he arrived unexpectedly as the second twin after a difficult delivery: “Breathe, my son!” This command became a guiding thread for the performance: breathe to move forward, breathe to fight, breathe to dance, breathe to live and embrace the gift of life.
The nine hip-hop dancers radiate an extraordinary energy. Their dance is joyful, positive, full of life and solidarity. Above all, it is a celebration of human connection — a shared pulse that draws both performers and audience into the same breath.

Nathalie Simon
Kader Attou revisits his life alongside a remarkable ensemble of dancers. From his birth in Saint-Priest, considered one of the birthplaces of French hip-hop, to his discovery of boxing — experienced both as a school of life and a school of dance — he reflects at 51 on the necessity of passing the torch. He can no longer celebrate life through dance in the same way he once did; instead, he transmits his flame to his dancers. On stage, hip-hop unfolds with dizzying virtuosity and abundant energy. For those who believe that too much movement can never be excessive, this is a revelation. In Prelude, Attou also demonstrates his mastery of ensemble work, a skill he has perfected over years of choreography. The piece is a celebration of life, rhythm, and collective artistry, where every movement contributes to the strength and cohesion of the group.

2022

2 July
Festival de Marseille, MUCEM — Marseille

12 July
Été culturel, Istres

14 October
Fos-sur-Mer

22 October
Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône

10 September
Friche la Belle de Mai, Marseille

2023

5 February
Festival Les Élancés, Grans

6 June
Festival Couleurs Urbaines, La Seyne-sur-Mer

22 April
Festival Impulsion, Aubagne

8, 9, 10, 11 June
Trois-Rivières, Festival DANSEncore, Québec

13, 14, 15 June
Tunis, Le 4ème Art

24 June
Marseille, Cité des Arts de la Rue (R.I.R.)

30 June
Ollioules, Châteauvallon-Liberté

1 July
Entreveaux, Arts et Culture (R.I.R.)

15 July
Marseille, Festival L’art Attrape, Parc Longchamp (R.I.R.)

21 July
La Londe les Maures, Tournée Mosaïque-ARSUD

22 July
Clermont-en-Genevois, Château de Clermont

26 July
Biot, Musée Fernand Léger, Tournée Mosaïque-ARSUD

27 July
Aix-en-Provence, Un Air de Danse #2, Ballet Preljocaj - Pavillon Noir

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 September
Cavaillon, Nomades (R.I.R.)

20, 19 September
Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf Festival!

22 September
Vitrolles, Domaine de Fontblanche (R.I.R.)

12, 13 October
Caluire-et-Cuire, Radiant-Bellevue, Karavel

14 May
Nice, Le 109, Temps-Danse Extérieur

17 June
Londres, Bell Square

28 July
Marseille, Esplanade du Mucem, Tournée Mosaïque-ARSUD

31 July
Marseille, Jardin du Pharo, l'Été marseillais

1 August
Marseille, Parc de Bonneveine, l'Été marseillais

2 August
Marseille, Parc du 26ème centenaire, l'Été marseillais

3 August
Marseille, Parc de la Mirabelle, l'Été marseillais

4 August
Marseille, Théâtre de la Sucrière, l'Été marseillais

2024

1 March
Prélude Out, Espagne, Sabadell, Dansa Metropolitana

31 March
Prélude In, Autriche, Innsbruck, Festival de Danse

4 April
Prélude Out (Scolaire), Salon de Provence, Collège Joseph d’Arbaud

6 April
Prélude Out, Velaux, Artonik 13 en jeux

4 May
Prélude Out, Marseille, Archives Municipales

17 May
Prélude Out, Cluny, Festival Cluny Danse

23 May
Prélude Out (Scolaire), Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Théâtre de la Durance

11 June
Prélude Out (Scolaire), Fos sur Mer, Collège André Malraux

12 June
Prélude Out, Marseille, Art Explora

19, 20 June
Prélude Out, Villeurbanne, Festival Les Invites

27, 28, 29 June
Prélude Out, Draguignan, Théâtre en Dracénie (R.I.R.)

11 July
Prélude Out, Marseille, centre pénitentiaire de Marseille-Baumettes

31 July
Prelude In, Italie, Civitanova, Theatro rossini

3 August
Prélude Out, Mont-Dauphin, Vertical'été

7 August
Prélude Out, Roquebrune-sur-Argens, Festiv'arts 2 Rue

14 September
Prélude Out, Port de Bouc, Théâtre le Sémaphore

26 September
Prélude Out, Creil, La Faïencerie, Festival Mosaïque

27 September
Prelude In, Grasse, Théâtre de Grasse

28 September
Prélude Out, Venelles, Festival 13 en jeux

28 September
Prélude Out, Draguignan, Place du Marché, Théâtre en Dracénie (R.I.R.)

4 October
Prelude In, Boulogne-Billancourt, Carré belle feuille

11 October
Prélude In, Mornant, Festival Karavel, Théâtre Cinéma Jean Carmet

12 October
Prélude Out, Dunkerque, Festival Allure Folle

15 October
Prélude In, Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, Théâtre Le Rive Gauche 

17 October
Prélude In, Lillebonne, Centre Culturel Juliobona

14 November
Prélude Out, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Salle de l'Alpilium

21, 22 November
Prélude In, Châlons en Champagne, La Comète, Scène Nationale

27 November
Prelude In, Aulnay sous bois, Théâtre et Cinéma Jacques Prévert

13 December
Prélude In, Portugal, Viseu, Teatro Viriato

2025

24 January
Prélude In, Castres, Théâtre Municipal

3 February
Prélude In, Oyonnax, Centre Culturel Aragon

5 February
Prélude In, Divonne-les-Bains, L’Esplanade du Lac

7 February
Prélude In, Saint-Martin-d’Hères, Hip Hop Never Stop Festival

12 February
Prélude In, Rueil-Malmaison, Théâtre André Malraux

2 April
Prélude In, Allemagne, Francfort Mainz

8 April
Prélude In, Agen, Théâtre Municipal Ducourneau

19 April
Prélude In, Marseille, Friche la Belle de Mai, Festival La Society

3, 4 May
Prélude Out, Montpellier, Le Domaine d'O, Festival Saperlipopette

25 May
Prélude Out, Paris, Festival Onze Bouge

26, 27, 28, 29 May
Prélude Out, Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Les Échappées, Théâtre Durance, Scène Nationale

21 June
Prélude Out, Cabannes

26 June
Prélude Out, Noisy-Le-Sec, Théâtre des Bergeries

5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 July
Prélude In, Festival off d'Avignon, La Scala

5 July
Prélude Out, La Roque d'Anthéron, Soirs d'été à Silvacane

19, 20 July
Prélude Out, Festival Chalon Dans la Rue, Chalon sur Sâone

19 September
Prélude Out, Malakoff, Scène nationale

20 September
Prélude Out, Sannois, Square J. Mermoz

8 October
Prélude In, Narbonne, Théâtre + Cinéma, Scène Nationale du Grand Narbonne

10 October
Prélude Out, Paris, Montmartre, Fêtes des Vendanges

26 October
Prélude In, Tenerife, Auditorio

3 November
Prélude out, Arménie, Erevan

8 November
Prélude Out, Septèmes-les-Vallons, Espace Culturel Jean Ferrat

17 November
Prélude In, Le Perreux-Sur-Marne, Centre Des Bords de Marne

22 November
Prélude Out, Trégueux, Bleu pluriel