The Young Company
of CCNR/Yuval Pick
Since he joined CCNR as director in 2011, Yuval Pick has spearheaded an artistic and cultural project whose primary focus includes promoting and developing the place of the dancer as one who interprets, transmits and creates. As part of this action, CCNR seeks to address a gray area on the road to professionalization: supporting dancers in their integration into the profession. YuPi, the young company, is the culmination of this unique project.
Two groups of four dancers who recently completed their advanced training will join YuPi on 15-month contracts. From October 2021 to December 2022, Axel, Mio, Jade and Simon, the first YuPi promotion, joined the CCNR’s team, participating into artistic and cultural projects, discovering the Practice method, interpreting part of the company’s repertoire and a brand new creation of Jérôme Oussou. From October 15, 2023, the CCNR welcomes three female dancers and two male dancers who make up the second class of YuPi: Lucie Besançon, Johanna Ekström, Florian Homs-Roger, Laurie Kokoreff-Brütt and Raphaël Quintanel.
YuPi, the young company of the CCNR/Yuval Pick is part of the Parcours Emploi Compétences scheme and is supported by the French Ministry of Culture (DRAC Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and DGCA) and the City of Rillieux-la-Pape.
“YuPi will enable young dancers to develop their stagecraft and relationships with audiences, and to affirm their experience as artists who interpret, transmit and create.”
Yuval Pick
Lucie
Besançon
Lucie began classical and contemporary dance at the Conservatoire Musique et Danse in Montauban, before continuing her training at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional (CRR) in Toulouse. In 2021, she joined the Atlantique Ballet Contemporain (ABC) - La Rochelle, then, the following year, La Faktoría, in Pamplona. She works on creations and repertory pieces by Marta Coronado, Olivier Dubois, Yuval Pick and the Sine qua non art company, among other choreographers. In October 2023, Lucie joins the new class of YuPi, the young company of CCNR/Yuval Pick.
Johanna
Ekström
Johanna began training as a dancer at the Balettakademien Stockholm (Sweden) in 2020. She works with choreographers such as Betty Mansion, Örjan Andersson, Jeanette Bolding and Roger Lybeck, and embarks on her first European tour. She graduated with a jazz specialization in summer 2023. At the same time, Johanna dances for music videos. In October 2023, she joins the new class of YuPi, the young company of CCNR/Yuval Pick.
Florian
Homs-Roger
After traversing several choreographic disciplines, such as urban dance, flamenco and reggae dance hall, Florian joined the Toulouse CRR in 2019, where he was introduced to contemporary dance. He then followed several pre-professional training courses at CFD désoblique in Lyon, then at Ballet Junior de Genève (BJG), where he worked on the repertory of Hofesh Shechter, Marcos Morau and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. After his final year at BJG, Florian joined the new class of YuPi, the young company of CCNR/Yuval Pick.
Laurie
Kokoreff-Brütt
Laurie took her first steps in ballet at the age of 4 in Paris. For 13 years, she underwent intensive training there, alongside a violin course at the Conservatoire. Laurie's later encounter with contemporary dance confirmed her desire to experiment with this mix of disciplines and diversity of artistic expression with a new freedom. After studying at the Conservatoire du 12e arrondissement de Paris, she joined the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD) in 2021. In October 2023, Laurie will join the new class of YuPi, the young company of the CCNR/Yuval Pick.
Raphaël
Quintanel
Raphaël began dancing in Normandy, alongside teachers at the EIMD Erik Satie. In 2021, he joined the stage training of the Centre Chorégraphique Calabash, as well as its Jeune Ballet, where he worked on creations by Jonathan Sanchez, Carl Portal, Tarek Aït Meddour, Nawal Aït Benalla Lagraa and Marion Alzieu. He also founded Cie OMNIA with four dancers, with whom he created his first piece, NOMAS. In October 2023, Raphaël joins the new class of YuPi, the young company of the CCNR/Yuval Pick.