Centro Danza Matadero, a space within the Area of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, continues to establish itself as a social reflection and coexistence point for dance in all its disciplines. From March 26 to 29, French choreographer Mourad Merzouki, with the Käfig Compagnie, will turn the new theater in Madrid dedicated exclusively to dance into an international epicenter of hip hop with Zéphyr, a creation that showcases a new poetic approach to space.
Following Vertikal, which propelled hip hop to new heights, Zéphyr will demonstrate, through a 90-degree rotation, a creation that uses natural forces, especially the wind, to generate a choreographic experience full of movement and transformation. The creative process of this piece is based on the Vendée Globe regatta, a solo, non-stop, unassisted sailing race around the world.
Artistic Director
Choreographer Mourad Merzouki, a key figure in the hip hop movement since the early 90s, places his work at the intersection of multiple disciplines. Circling around hip hop dance explored in all its styles, elements of circus, martial arts, visual arts, video, and live music are interwoven. Without losing sight of the movement’s roots, its social and geographical origins, this fusion opens up new horizons for dance and reveals fresh perspectives.
At the age of seven, Merzouki began practicing martial arts and circus arts in Saint-Priest, east of Lyon. At 15, his encounter with hip hop culture led him to the world of dance. He delved into choreography and in 1989, co-founded his first company, Accrorap, with Kader Attou, Eric Mezino, and Chaouki Saïd. In 1994, he presented Athina at the Lyon Dance Biennial, a resounding success that transitioned hip hop dance from the streets to the stage. The company’s early international performances took them to uncharted territories, including a refugee camp in Croatia.
Mourad Merzouki sees dance as a powerful means of communication. To develop his own artistic universe linked to his history and sensitivity, he founded the company in 1996, taking the name of his debut piece: käfig means ‘cage’ in Arabic and German, symbolizing his inclination towards openness and refusal to confine himself to a single style. From 1996 to date, he has created 32 pieces, with distribution continuously expanding.
In total, over two million spectators have experienced his company’s creations through 4,000 performances in France and abroad, across 65 countries. To support hip hop creation, he designed the Choreographic Center Pôle Pik, which opened in Bron, France, in 2009.
Centro Danza Matadero
Centro Danza Matadero, a municipal center under the Area of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, is a pioneering venue in Spain, a new theater dedicated exclusively to dance in all its forms. Its programming encompasses flamenco, contemporary, classical, Spanish, and urban dance.
Directed by choreographer, dancer, and Princess of Asturias Award winner María Pagés and playwright El Arbi El Harti, this space is born with the aim of integrating all audiences and their diverse aesthetic tastes and concerns. It also advocates for every profession within dance: from the dancer to the choreographer, including ushers, lighting technicians, stage managers, and sound engineers.
Centro Danza Matadero is located in Matadero Madrid, the Contemporary Creation Center of the City Council, with the exhibition hall situated in Nave 11. /
More information and tickets at www.centrodanzamatadero.com
