Compagnie Zion
Compagnie Zion · Dance · Locking · Groove · Transmission
Supported by Women Active, Compagnie Zion develops the choreographic work of Julia “Funky-J” Ortola, a leading figure on the international locking scene.
From the stage to the battle, from archives to local communities, Zion creates performances, events and transmission programmes rooted in funk and hip-hop cultures, exploring movement as living memory.
More than a company, Zion is an ecosystem: a space where groove flows, stories are passed on and new generations find their place.
Four ways in
Discover Zion through its productions, transmission projects, events and creative partnerships.
Theatres, festivals, local authorities and schools each bring a different project. Here is where to start.
Book a production
Touring productions, works in development and choreographic formats available for booking or creative support.
Explore the productionsArts engagementDevelop an arts engagement project
Workshops, danced lectures, exhibitions, arts education projects and transmission programmes exploring locking, groove and memory.
Research & TransmissionEventsBring a community together
Battles, jams, participatory formats and local initiatives that bring communities together through groove, the circle, and funk and hip-hop cultures.
Explore the eventsSupportSupport a new production
Residencies, co-productions, advance performance bookings, research, archives, emerging artists and local partnerships.
Invite ZionProductions to book / support
A quick guide to the repertoire: touring productions, works in residence and performance projects to follow.
Les Tisaneurs
A choreographic quintet unfolding as a collective ritual: through rhythm and trance, a new generation seeks a remedy for the exhausted, overwhelmed bodies of its time.
Discover Les Tisaneurs
Nexus
A choreographic trio spanning three generations of locking: a passing of the torch in which memory and heritage are transformed on stage.
Discover Nexus
Danced lectures
Embodied storytelling that brings history, groove and transmission into direct contact with audiences.
Explore the approachPlanning your programme?
Events & community projects
Showcases, battles, gatherings and workshops that keep the stage connected to international communities.
Active memory
Locking is explored as a living archive: a language to document, practise and share.
“Groove is a way of thinking. Zion approaches locking as a contemporary choreographic language: precise, collective and rooted in history.”
- Arts education
- J Clan
- Lectures
- Archives
Coming up
A few recent highlights from the calendar, with the full programme just a click away.
- Sep 2026Lighting residency · NexusThéâtre de Suresnes Jean Vilar · 30 Sep → 3 Oct 2026
- 6 Oct 2026G20 · Les PlateauxThéâtre Jacques Carat · Cachan (94)
- Oct 2026Lock Is Not A Joke documentary releaseA look back at the project and locking culture
- Nov 2026Creation residency · Les TisaneursThéâtre de Suresnes Jean Vilar · 16 → 27 Nov 2026
- EventBattle Suresnes Cité DanseThéâtre de Suresnes Jean Vilar
Five highlights — discover more in the full calendar
Four dynamics: Creation (developing choreographic works shaped by groove, rhythm and funk cultures), Circulation (bringing works, knowledge and stories across stages, places and generations), Community (creating spaces to meet, practise and gain recognition, from the circle to the theatre), Trust (sharing tools that help people participate, find their place and bring new voices forward). The circle is a school, sharing is strength, respect is the foundation.
On the Road to Zion
Zion is not a destination. It is a journey.
From the circle to the theatre, from groove to transmission, from history to new generations.
A network of allies
Institutions, theatres, venues and local partners supporting Zion’s productions, transmission projects and events.
Confirmed partners / supporters
Venues that have hosted or supported our projects
