Choreographer · performer · artistic director
Julia Ortola · Funky-J
A leading figure on the international locking scene, Julia Ortola develops a choreographic language with Compagnie Zion shaped by groove, live music, the memory of funk cultures and the practice of transmission.
In motionLocking is my foundation: a social, political and musical history transformed into choreographic material.
Artistic vision
Living memory
Through Compagnie Zion, I develop work rooted in funk and hip-hop cultures, locking, live music, the circle and the social practices of funkstyles dances.
My journey began in battles, clubs, community spaces and direct transmission. These experiences shaped the way I think about dance: as a language of connection, energy, memory and self-affirmation.
That journey taught me to claim my place without waiting for it to be given to me, then to create spaces where others could find theirs.
Today, this energy drives my choreographic research into rhythm, organic movement, transmission, collective bodies and connections between generations.
Locking is my foundation. It carries a social, political and musical history, born from a need for visibility, freedom and joy. In my work, that energy becomes choreographic material, a means of connection and a force for transformation.
With Nexus, I explore transmission between generations and how a culture can remain alive without becoming fixed. With Les Tisaneurs, I continue this research with a new generation of performers, in an age of overload where bodies are exhausted, isolated and constantly under pressure.
Through performances, festivals, community projects, arts engagement and hybrid formats, I seek forms that are alive, accessible and deeply human, where groove becomes a shared language and a way of setting life in motion again.
Creation · Research · Transmission
Compagnie Zion
Founded in 2017 by Julia Ortola, Compagnie Zion develops projects at the intersection of dance, music, transmission, and funk and hip-hop cultures.
Based between Creuse and the Paris region, the company combines choreographic creation, performance, research into rhythm and groove, the memory of hip-hop and funkstyles dances, arts engagement and community projects.
Zion brings funk and hip-hop cultures into a wide range of settings: theatres, festivals, unconventional venues, schools, public spaces, rural communities and international stages.
The company is equally committed to creating work and building the conditions for it to travel: training, connecting, documenting, sharing knowledge and nurturing emerging artists.
Alongside its productions, the company promotes funk and hip-hop cultures through international events organised with Women Active, including Lock Is Not A Joke, a recognised gathering on the international funkstyles scene.
Journey
Milestones
Originally from the south of France, Julia Ortola discovered drumming and tap dance as a child before turning to locking in her teens. She trained with leading figures of the dance in Los Angeles and soon built a career spanning battles, stage performance, teaching and choreographic creation.
A locking specialist, she established herself on the international scene and became the first woman to win the locking category at the international Juste Debout championship.
Her journey makes her a rare bridge between locking’s historical figures, international scenes, cultural institutions and a new generation of dancers.
With support from
Partners
Confirmed partners / supporters
Venues that have hosted or supported our projects
