CCNN
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INTRODUCTION
Located in the chapel of the former Capuchin friars’ convent, the CCNN (Centre Chorégraphique National de Nantes) is a place where dance is created, shared, and passed on.
Built between 1873 and 1875 by architects Constant and Louis-Prudent Douillard, the building draws inspiration from Italian Romanesque art. Occupied by Capuchin monks from 1874, the convent remained a place of religious life until 1984. Purchased by the City of Nantes in 1985, the complex was gradually repurposed: the park became a public garden, the convent housed a child and adolescent psychiatric medical center, and the chapel—initially used for exhibitions—was transformed into the National Choreographic Centre of Nantes in 1992.
Led by Claude Brumachon and Benjamin Lamarche for twenty-three years (1992–2015), the CCNN asserted a strong artistic identity centered on research into the “right gesture—necessary and never gratuitous,” at the crossroads of a physical and emotional dance focused on human relationships, group dynamics, and solitude.
Since January 1, 2016, Italian dancer and choreographer Ambra Senatore has directed the CCNN. She develops a project in which dance is conceived as an art of relationship, a space for sharing and collective living. In her works, everyday life is “observed under a magnifying glass,” shifted and overturned. Fond of surprises, cuts, and repetitions reminiscent of cinematic editing, she recomposes reality like a filmmaker.
“I seek a dance that meets people and proposes a human relationship, leaving room for fragility, doubt, sharing, and humor.” — Ambra Senatore
Ambra Senatore promotes a generous and inquisitive dance practice: site-specific creations in parks, markets, schools, museums, heritage sites, train stations, and more. Dance becomes a means of sharing and self-discovery, open to the city and its inhabitants.
CREATIONS AND REPERTOIRE
In Ambra Senatore’s creations, every gesture is carefully conceived and mastered. She builds choreographic scores in which a succession of clues unfolds throughout the performance, constantly shifting meaning. Her dance—playful and mischievously attentive to human behavior—remains full of surprises.
Her research inhabits a delicate space between the construction of action, fiction fueled by repetition, non-linear montage of scenes, and the truth of presence on stage. Play and improvisation, collage, displacement, and fragments of narrative are integral to her creative process.
Taking dance beyond the stage, stepping outside, engaging with the elements of a territory and a city: Ambra Senatore “seeks a dance that meets people.” Markets, museums, libraries, parks and gardens, and classrooms become genuine playgrounds. By playing with words and gestures, inventing bridges with audiences, and renewing the relationship between dance and the surrounding world, she imagines an “all-terrain” dance—one capable of reaching audiences and weaving itself into every corner of the city.
SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS
The CCNN is a space dedicated to artistic creation. It supports companies from diverse backgrounds and showcases the many facets of contemporary choreographic creation.
As a close companion to the choreographers it hosts, the CCNN provides concrete support—both material and logistical—as well as assistance with production, residencies, and touring. A place for creation and mentorship, it supports six to eight companies in residence each year and organizes events such as Primavera – Jour de danse, the Trajectoires festival, and the Curieux Jeudis, enabling audiences to discover dance in many different forms.
Associated Artists
The associated artist program responds to several objectives:
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supporting independent companies and accompanying choreographic careers;
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weaving a choreographic network through collaboration between artistic teams;
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contributing to cultural decentralization and territorial outreach through a dual artistic presence in a single territory.
Associated artists at the CCNN:
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Satchie Noro – 2020/2022
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Marion Blondeau and Gabriel Um – 2022/2024
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Wanjiru Kamuyu – 2024/2025
TRAINING
Each year, the CCNN’s mediation department develops training programs in close collaboration with the French Ministry of Education, Nantes Université, and dance schools. These programs are intended for professionals and future professionals (teachers, dancers, dance instructors, students).
Designed beyond a purely technical approach, these trainings create spaces where choreographic art meets the sensitive body, encouraging exchange, renewal, and critical reflection on practice.
By responding to the specific needs of each participant and addressing current pedagogical challenges, these educational pathways anchor dance within the school environment and encourage collective practice (primary and secondary schools, universities, teacher training institutes, higher education in performing arts, conservatories, etc.).
CULTURAL OUTREACH
The CCN of Nantes positions itself as a space for experimentation for all: professional or amateur dancers, children or adults—everyone can find opportunities to move and explore their own dance.
Dance workshops in hospital settings, immersive programs in schools, guidance for high school students, awareness workshops for seniors, performances in the heart of neighborhoods… The CCNN deploys an ambitious cultural outreach program in partnership with numerous organizations (schools, community centers, medical and social institutions, neighborhood associations, and more).
Season after season, it works to bring communities closer together and to weave an inclusive and inspiring future, while respecting the specific characteristics of the territory it serves.
At the CCNN, dance is conceived as a vector of social connection, emotion, and imagination—one that transcends barriers.
ÉCHOS
The universe of Ambra Senatore and its many resonances with the art world.
Conceived as an extension of—or a preparation for—the spectator’s experience, this digital journey unfolds through slideshows, videos, articles, playful and danced interactions, testimonials, and educational resources.
Structured around six themes (Origins, Composition, Play, Body, In Life, Perspectives), ÉCHOS offers deeper insight into Ambra Senatore’s work while creating dialogue with the history of dance and the arts. Visitors explore emblematic works by the choreographer, analyses, games, practical tools, and pathways for further exploration of choreographic culture.
