Our story
Foundation of Compagny AMA – 2017 –
2018 – Beginning of the creation of "Exquisite Corpse"
2019 – Creation of "Artistic Intervention"
2020 - Premiere of "Exquisite Corpse"
Beginning of the creation of Professional (De)formation
Project of artistic and cultural education with Cirque Théâtre d'Elbeuf
mediation projects with patients and detainees in Rouen
Second project of artistic and cultural education with Cirque Théâtre d'Elbeuf
Health and Culture Project with patients from the addiction
service in partnership with the Rouen University Hospital
Artistic residency and action research project Infusion/Effusion
Lockdowns
Postponements
Cancellations
2022 – Laboratory and creation of "Contorted Journey"
Launch of the research project
on circus performers
2024 – Premiere of "(De)formation Professionnelle"
Artistic and Cultural Education Project with the Carré Magique
Video creation "Perspectives"
for ARTE EN SCÈNE
Participation in the Avignon Festival IN
for ARTE EN SCÈNE
Video creation "Contortion" for Artcena
Residencies in schools with Ay Roop and in hospitals
with Le Plongeoir for "Professional (De)formation"
2025 ...
And more precisely...
2017
Foundation of Company AMA
In 2017, after several years as a contortionist, actress, and singer, Elodie Guézou founded Company AMA to create a space where she could further her artistic research.
The company quickly structured itself around the idea of exploring contemporary circus as sensitive, committed art, deeply rooted in everyday life. From its beginnings, the company envisioned circus creation as a sensitive gesture, where aesthetics are never separated from social and human realities.
AMA is above all a project nourished by human encounters. Elodie Guézou builds her works through dialogues with people from diverse backgrounds: a medical specialist, a historian, a sociologist, an 8-year-old niece, and a 37-year-old neighbor. These exchanges form the foundation of creations that explore profound human questions, where each artistic gesture becomes a vector of reflection and sharing.
The company has made its mark in France while leading cultural mediation projects in local communities.
2018
Beginning of the creation of "Exquisite Corpse"
In 2018, Company AMA launched its first major collective project: 'Exquisite Corpse, a piece for one circus performer and eleven directors.'
This show brought together Elodie Guézou and eleven directors, each offering their unique perspective on the performer, the body, and the performance.
The show was scheduled to premiere in March 2020
2018
Start of creation of
Exquisite Corpse
The Artistic and Cultural Education Project in collaboration with the Cirque Théâtre d'Elbeuf allows students to immerse themselves in the world of contemporary circus, in particular through creative workshops during the Academic Circus Festival .
During their public performance , the AMA Company intervenes specifically to support the students. On that day, it provides artistic and technical support , ensuring that the young artists can give the best of themselves on stage.
At the same time, she also provides support to teachers , offering them advice on how to optimise the performance and help manage the stage and technical aspects of the show.
2019
Creation of Artistic Intervention
In 2019, the Company AMA is launching surprise performances in public spaces with the " Artistic Intervention " project. The goal is to captivate passers-by with spontaneous artistic interventions, while questioning the relationship between art and public space. This project is part of the desire to make the circus accessible to all, by going beyond traditional stage spaces.
2019
Cultural mediation at the University Hospital and the Rouen Prison
AMA undertakes cultural mediation projects with patients at the Rouen University Hospital and prisoners at the Rouen Prison in partnership with Le Festival Spring and the Rouen Metropolis . These projects aim to reconnect these distant audiences with art, by offering moments of sharing around and expression through circus performance.
2020
Start of the creation of Professional (De)formation
" Professional (De)formation - solo documentary about the art of bending over backwards " is an autobiographical work by Elodie Guézou. This show questions the journey of a contortionist, exposing the physical and personal challenges that such a career imposes. The piece also questions the notion of success and the sacrifices linked to performance at work.
2020
Premiere of Exquisite Corpse
After two years of creation, " Exquisite Corpse - piece for a circus performer and eleven directors " is presented at the Trident, Scène Nationale de Cherbourg as part of the SPRING festival. This collaborative show is a key moment for the AMA Company, marking the culmination of an ambitious and innovative collective work.
2020
Contorsion video creation for ARTCENA
The video " Contorsion " by Elodie Guézou, made for ARTCENA as part of the Nuit du Cirque 2020 , is a performance created around the word "contorsion" from the ARTCENA thesaurus. This video is part of the series " Figures libres ", where circus artists appropriate a word to explore it through a short performance, designed specifically for a video format.
In her vignette, Elodie Guézou questions the relationship of the body with space and the physical limits of contortion, while evoking the psychological issues of this discipline.
Her performance, like many of her works, highlights the tension between constraint and release that characterize contortion. This work captures the essence of this discipline, where extreme physical effort is transformed into a delicate and poetic art form.
2021
Perspectives video creation for ARTE EN SCÈNE
In " Perspectives ", Elodie Guézou takes us to the top of the Kerbel lighthouse in Riantec, a symbolic place between sky and sea. Exploiting all the verticality of this unique setting, she plays with interior and exterior spaces, and disrupts perceptions by running perpendicular to the walls and projecting herself into the void. Through this filmed performance, Guézou questions the notions of confinement and escape, inspired by the experience of the first lockdown. Contortion here becomes a means of reinventing space, navigating between the narrow and the infinite, the circular and the vertical. Directed by Matthias Castegnaro and produced by La Blogothèque , this work, supported by Adami, questions the boundary between the body and space in a search for visual and physical freedom.
2021
Performance at the IN Festival in Avignon for ARTE EN SCÈNE
In 2021, Elodie Guézou participated in the Avignon IN Festival as part of ARTE en Scène , with a performance created especially for the Lambert Collection.
For this project, ARTE invited three choreographers and dancers, including Elodie Guézou , to design performances inspired by the contemporary works of art exhibited in this emblematic place in Avignon.
Elodie's performance is part of her usual approach, combining contortion and exploration of space, while responding to the work presented by Théo Mercier .
2021
Culture Santé Project with the addiction department of the Rouen University Hospital
In collaboration with the Rouen University Hospital , AMA runs artistic workshops with the addiction department. The aim of these projects is to reconnect patients with their bodies and their creativity through the practice of circus, offering them a space for expression and release.
2021
Artistic residency and action research Infusion/Effusion
The Infusion/Effusion project, developed by the AMA Company in partnership with the Juliobona Theater , is an 18-month action-research project set up by L' Odia Normandie . Its main objective is to create a dialogue between circus artists , particularly contortionists, and professionals from sectors far removed from the artistic world. This project explores everyday gestures and the physical and emotional efforts linked to various professions, while highlighting the similarities with the discipline of contortion.
One of the highlights of this project is the photo exhibition entitled " The Art of Bending Over Four ", which highlights portraits of local workers alongside contortionists. This exhibition aims to visually illustrate the link between performative demands in all professional environments.
Infusion/Effusion also includes surprise performances in unexpected locations, such as factories or local markets, in order to open the circus to new audiences and break down the barriers between artistic practices.
This project is part of the Company AMA 's desire to reintegrate art into everyday life and to reveal the beauty of ordinary gestures through the prism of the circus and contortion.
2022
Launch of the INTER-CIR research project on circus performers
The research project on circus performers, in which the AMA Company is participating, is an initiative launched in collaboration with institutions such as La Brèche and the CNAC , under the direction of Magali Sizorn , teacher-researcher, and Elodie Guézou , associate artist. This project is supported by the Ministry of Culture and aims to explore the specificities of the profession of circus performer, in particular the physical, mental, and emotional dimensions of this practice.
The research focuses on several axes, including the impact of the repetition of gestures on the artists' bodies, the place of the circus in contemporary performing arts, and the evolution of circus artists' careers over time. It includes participation in colloquiums, conferences, as well as publications to disseminate the results of this study.
One of the strengths of this research is to document and promote the know-how of circus performers, often overlooked in the academic world. The project also highlights the importance of sharing experiences between artists and researchers to enrich the reflection on the unique challenges faced by these professionals.
This work will result in the organization of seminars, exhibitions, video clips and interviews available online and the publication of an academic work and a creative notebook around the show Cadavre Exquis , in which the main discoveries and reflections resulting from this artistic and scientific collaboration will be recorded.
2022
Laboratory and creation of the Contorted Course
In 2022, AMA initiated the Contorted Course , a project bringing together four contortionists who, through intimate portraits, explore the notion of professional success. Between voices and movements, this creation stages personal testimonies in an urban environment, in a 45-minute ambulatory performance
2023
Participation in the Academic Circus Festival at the Cirque Théâtre d’Elbeuf
The Artistic and Cultural Education Project in collaboration with the Cirque Théâtre d'Elbeuf allows students to immerse themselves in the world of contemporary circus, particularly through creative workshops.
During their public performance, on the occasion of the Academic Circus Festival, La Compagnie AMA intervenes specifically to accompany the students. On that day, it provides artistic and technical support , ensuring that the young artists can give the best of themselves on stage.
At the same time, she also provides support to teachers , offering them advice on how to optimise the performance and help manage the stage and technical aspects of the show.
2023
Residences in schools with Ay Roop and in hospitals with Le Plongeoir
The AMA Company's residencies in schools and hospitals, as part of the creation of Professional (De)formation , allowed Elodie Guézou to carry out in-depth artistic mediation work.
In schools, in partnership with AY-ROOP , Elodie supervised workshops where students could discover the practice of circus and explore questions around effort and success. This residency also allowed students to actively get involved in the creative process related to the themes of the show.
At the same time, as part of residencies with Le Plongeoir, the national circus centre in Le Mans , the hospital dimension of these residencies offered caregivers a space to explore the impact of contortion on the body, and the subtleties of the art of bending over backwards.
These residencies have therefore enriched the artistic creation of Professional (De)formation , while opening a dialogue between art, education and health.
2024
First year of professional (de)training
After several years of creation and residencies, the premiere of " Professional. (De)formation " is scheduled for 2024.
This show, led by Elodie Guézou, delves into the physical and emotional challenges faced by a contortionist throughout her career. Inspired by years of experimentation on the body and its limits, this documentary show questions the way in which the discipline imposes sacrifices, both personal and professional.
With an authentic and sensitive approach, Professional (De)formation invites the public to reflect on the notions of perfection and resilience, while revealing the underside of a practice often perceived only through the prism of spectacular performance or, as they say, " The Art of Bending Over the Head ".
2025
New Roots and Horizons for AMA Company
In 2025, the AMA Company continues its commitment to innovative artistic projects with several notable events.
Among them, the company is sowing the seed of its next creation , a major collective project that will bring together six contortionists . This new show will be the result of an in-depth exploration of contortion, extending the reflection begun with its Parcours Contorsionné . This creation will seek to push the limits of the body even further while questioning the personal and professional journeys of the artists.
At the same time, AMA is organizing a Contortion Convention in 2025, an event that will bring together artists, researchers, and circus professionals around this unique discipline. It will be a time for exchanges and sharing of knowledge through workshops, performances, conferences, and open stages .
Finally, the company will develop a major cultural mediation project around sailors' stories , with a participatory approach on the Breton and Normandy coasts to follow up on the video " Perspectives " created in collaboration with ARTE EN SCÈNE .
The year 2025 will also be marked by a strengthening of the structuring of the company, allowing it to grow and achieve new artistic and institutional objectives.
To be continued...