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Montpellier: They swore to themselves that they would dance “all their lives”. The choreographic piece “A bras-le-corps”, created thirty years ago and presented at the 43rd International Festival Montpellier dancein the south of France, passed the years of a strong friendship between dancers Boris Charmatz and Dimitri Chamblas.

“Because we were friends we wanted to make it together. But because we chose not to stop with this piece, our friendship grew,” the two artists told AFP, a famous French singer, backstage at the festival.

On a stage overlooked by a rectangle of neon lights, two powerful bodies, dressed in white, fit together, collide, follow each other, separate, then meet again at a steady pace, punctuated by solos. A bras-le-corps has become in three decades physically challenging with the test of time falling on the dancer’s body, and friendly in the face of life’s trials.

Dimitri Chamblas and Boris Sharmatz met on the benches of the ballet school at the Paris Opera, at the age of ten and twelve. Then, when they found themselves, almost adults, at the National Conservatory of Lyon, another great French school, their desire to work together initially led to the birth of a film and then this duo, created in 1993.

From the premiere, “We pledged to grow old in this choreography”, to “It’s All Dance + Our Lives +”, or “At Least Until 65”, remember those with various professional experiences, to Los Angeles for Dimitri Chamblas, and most recently Towards the famous Wuppertal Pina Bausch Theater by Boris Scharmatz.

From the score written in 1993, “They Kept It All”. No change was made in spite of the dangers involved in the impulsive falls, throws and muscular lifts, which he so fondly imagined when they were 17 and 19 years old, when their bodies were so trained and supple.

“We still believe in him.”

When the performance approaches, the friendly command returns. In the studio, the two friends warm up together while talking to each other, laughing, “like two friends finding themselves.” Then, naturally, their bodies draw closer together, reconnect, and rediscover the movements of adolescence, both in fluidity and in strength.

“At the time, we were already aware that we were doing something a little bit rough and violent,” recalls Boris Sharmatz. Thirty years later, bodies have changed.

“Playing + A arm-the-body + is more dangerous than before,” he admits. Dimitri and Boris are now 48 and 50 years old, and they also confront their pasts on each show. “Some of the moves that looked great to us when they were created seem ridiculous to us today, but they’re just plain bad. That’s also what this piece is about… There’s just something unique about it.”

If we fear that a movie will age badly, “A bras-le-corps,” danced more than 170 times, will arouse no fatigue.

Aerial arabesque contrasts with a slide deeply embedded in the ground. Rolls back then projects. One arm comes to hold the other arm. Two bodies, massive, agree and support each other. “A bras-le-corps” is a corrosive series of moments.

It reveals to the viewer the – often hidden – physical challenge of dancing. Sometimes, in the harsh light, Boris and Dmitry gasped. They join the sound of their efforts with their gestures and the audience is surprised to breathe with them.

The scenic rectangular space defined by a few rows of seating allows for such close proximity. As the piece progresses, the audience becomes supportive, offering the knee as support, and even leaving room for the dancers in the stands to take a break.

In 2017, the piece, carried by the Terrain structure, entered the Paris Opera Ballet’s repertoire. “It’s a youthful dance,” Boris Sharmatz is still amazed. “We wanted to make a masterpiece. We always believed in it, and we still believe in it very much.”