The best definition of the Ninth school is likely this one from a fictive dictionary by Ariane Chapelet, member of the Ninth school.
According to the HaMot dictionary the Ninth school is:
- Popu. Legend appearing in the student world in scenography during the year 2018. The legend says that one student from each school out of 8 schools of scenography in France has managed to enter this “ninth school”. Several versions and endings of the legend exist, the most well-known holds that these 8 students may never return from their trip to the Prague Quadrennial.
- Admin. Name given by ARTCENA and the education directors to the group of 8 students in scenography coming from different schools. Within this Ninth school was devised the “schools” pavilion of France’s presence at the Prague Quadrennial. These eight students are accompanied by Philippe Quesne.
- Place. Name given temporarily and occasionally to one of the creation spaces at Nanterre-Amandiers, commonly known as “the aquarium”. The walls of this theatre possess a unique sound isolation quality that gives the space a studious ambiance.
Brought together under the auspices of ARTCENA - the National centre for circus arts, street arts and theatre, the pedagogic directors of eight higher education institutions teaching scenography in France dreamt of a "Ninth school", a utopia that brings together students from each school in order to build a team for the thought, conception and production of the pavilion, accompanied by Philippe Quesne. Since October 2018, the eight students are meeting up in Nanterre-Amandiers, National Drama Centre, to create the pavilion, workshop after workshop.
The Ninth school consists of :
Ariane Chapelet from the ensa Nantes,
Bianca Da Costa from the EnsAD,
Camille Ranson from the ENSA Paris-La Villette,
Clothilde Valette then Léa Chardin from the HEAR,
Estelle Baverel from the ENSA Paris-Malaquais,
Lucie Mazières from the Sorbonne Nouvelle,
Shehrazad Derme from the ENSATT,
Simon Restino from the TNS.
Workshops dates:
20 October 2018,
23-24 November 2018,
10-14 December 2018,
17-18 January 2019,
8-9 March 2019,
15-18 April 2019.
Their research and though process are documented in the Logbook.