Oyonnax. The Col’Jam company sets up to energize culture

“They have been working with us since 2022, but the idea of ​​an association established here germinated at the time of Oyoka (Editor’s note: haka artistic project which brought together 10 classes from Oyonnax)â€retraces Mounira Cherraben, new director of the company Col’Jam Oyonnax, created last March.

The Moroccan contemporary dance company Col’Jam had already been in the area, for school projects, notably “Racines Métisses†, which dealt with the identity of the French population at the Aragon cultural center in February 2023.

But a new association, directly established in Haut-Bugeywill allow Col’Jam to boost culture by strengthening its international partnerships (France, Spain, Tunisia).

“This will facilitate administrative procedures and, above all, it is a real added value for the region. We are landlocked, stuck between Lyon and Geneva, in a not very dynamic cultural territoryeven if the programming of the cultural center is very good »explains Mounira Cherraben.

A first project with schools

Col’Jam Oyonnax will benefit from the reputation, talents and vision of the company run by Ahlam El Morsli and Wajdi Gagui.

“We are best known for the Casablanca Choreographic Encounters, which will bring together companies from the Middle East and the Arab, African and European worlds for the twelfth edition in October.â€recalls the first.

Mounira Cherraben, teacher at Louis Lumière college and artist, will be responsible for develop the company locallyaux côtés by stylist Isabel Souto.

A first project will be launched with schoolchildren from the start of the school year in September: “Dancing beyond borders”.

“Professional dancers and choreographers will come to the classes for practical workshops, also with technical workshops around light, sound and digital arts. A restitution will take place at the end of the year with performances »details the director of Col’Jam France.

“The link with schools is logical, because it is a company open to researchers, which has intellectualized its art”explains Mounira Cherraben.

For now, at least five establishments volunteered to host the project: the La Forge primary school, the Saint-Joseph and Louis Lumière colleges and the Paul Painlevé and Arbez-Carme high schools.

Beyond the school workshops, the Col’Jam company will pass through Oyonnax, on December 15, for the international premiere of its new play “Au bord du bord†at the Aragon cultural center.

Before perhaps seeing Col’Jam Oyonnax shows on stage one day.

“We are going to launch memberships in September, with courses for the general public. We hope to shine in the Jura. We are a company: we can put on shows.”concludes Mounira Cherraben.