A Biennale of Butoh, Bach, Hip-Hop, Robots and Touches of Dakar
by JOHN ROCKWELL for the New York Times
published: September 18, 2006

LYON, France, Sept. 17 — The Biennale de la Danse continues in theaters all over town until Sept. 30, and there is much of interest to come. But it must be said that most of the festival’s first week — after the venturesome opening night, with the hip-hop Pockemon Crew and two quasi ballets by Rachid Ouramdane and Tere O’Connor, and before the grand parade, or Défilé on Sunday afternoon — fell disappointingly flat.

At Lyon’s Dance Festival, a Pageant Takes Conceptual Spins on a Theme to Joyful Extremes
by JOHN ROCKWELL for the New York Times
published: September 19, 2006

Unlike the professional companies on the Biennale’s formal schedule, the groups in the Défilé come from the neighborhoods of Lyon and, by now, from increasingly far-flung regional cities. The dancers vary in age, race and talent, but they all promenade with spirit. Each group chooses a professional choreographer, the Biennale approves, and the city and region and commercial partners kick in the financial support, about $1 million this year.