Everything begins with a workshop, where raw and natural materials are shaped to design costumes and creatures, then mingling visual arts like stilt performance, dancing and, obviously, music. Three mainstays, each one developed after the other, to create this dreamlike world where the Company evolves. Rooted in Breton forests and Celtic legends, the road is also headed towards onirical paths: Tan Elleil is a visual and musical poetry Company.
Each Company member, according to her or his skills, plays a part in the creative process, and she or he gets involved in each one of the three mainstays : workshop, visual art and music.
The workshop, a place dedicated to creativity and sharing, is somehow an essential member of the Company. There, craftsmanship and know-how meet, to bring the Company's creations, characters and stories to life. Many materials are used: linen, cotton, leather, feathers, golden leafs, linden and beech wood, papier, bronze and brass... Materials that are processed from sketch to the finished piece through different techniques: drawing, sewing, embroidery, leatherwork, woodwork and metalwork, sculpture, modeling... Every step of this long creative process, both conception and production, are carried out in this place where patience is required.
Even though the traditional celtic music certainly is a great inspiration, it isn't omnipresent in Tan Elleil's repertoires. Breton music is completed with a significant majority of original scores composed by the Company's musicians, following their inspiration with celtic harp, nyckelharpa, hurdy gurdy, drums and singing. Music is the voice of each performance and it is specifically written for each one.
Visual arts, puppets, dance and stilt performing, enable a link to be created between the workshop and the music. It is what invigorates the creations, from the paths of dreams to the walking acts and performances that are attended.
Tan Elleil consists of:
- Aela: design and creation – choreography – stilts, dance, singing, puppetry
- Dolorès: choreography – dance, singing, drums, puppetry
- Benoît: composition – nyckelharpa, singing, dance
- Léonie: composition – celtic harp, singing, drums
- Sabrina: composition – hurdy gurdy
