FRANÇOIS CHAIGNAUD

Since graduating in 2003 from the National Superior Conservatory of Paris for Music and Dance, François Chaignaud has danced for many choreographers including Alain Buffard, Boris Charmatz, Emmanuelle Huynh and Gilles Jobin. He made his debut in 2004 and has continued to carve out a career guided by the principle of viewing dance as a global expression. Chaignaud’s work is characterized by blending song, dance and a profound relationship to history, evidenced in his own art as well as in collaborations with multiple artists, including Jérôme Marin, Marie Caroline Hominal and Théo Mercier. Between 2005 and 2016, he collaborated with Cecilia Bangolea and created a series of noteworthy shows that were presented worldwide. In 2021, he founded Mandorle Productions, whose artistic ethos is based on the cooperation with other artists such as Nina Laisné, Marie-Pierre Brébant, Akaji Maro, Dominique Brun and Sasha J. Blondeau. Chaignaud also creates pieces for large groups of performers: Soufflette in 2018 for the ballet Carte Blanche and t u m u l u s in 2022 and In absentia in 2024 with Geoffroy Jourdain. He recently created the shows Mirlitons with Aymeric Hainaux and Petites joueuses. In 2025, he developed the show Último helecho with Nina Laisné and Nadia Larcher. A portrait is devoted to him at the Festival d'Automne à Paris 2025. In 2026, Chaignaud was appointed director of the Centre Chorégraphique National de Caen en Normandie.

AYMERIC HAINAUX

With a background in the visual arts, (he first created cartoon strips at the Beaux-arts d'Angoulême, then expanded into painting) Aymeric Hainaux is interested in a very personal approach to the human beatbox. Creating machine-like sounds as precise as the famous Roland TR909,  Hainaux’s singular technique makes him one of the world’s foremost  beat boxers. Hainaux “plays what happens,” and his performances are a music of the present moment, attentive to silence and movement. Hainaux does not use a loop pedal, instead working with a microphone, bells, harmonica and, occasionally, a cassette player — all exclusively played in real time. He has collaborated with Christine Quoiraud, Tanya Tagaq, Kenzo Kusuda, Oguri, Erik M and Anne Lise Le Gac. In 2005, he began a solo tour by hitchhiking. This adventure lasted eight years during which he traveled forty thousand kilometers each year — from Meknes to Copenhagen and from Tallin to Rome — and staged 700 performances on three continents. In 2013, Hainaux created the music brut duo Cantenac Dagar with banjo player Stéphane Barascud and together they released the album un rituel pour l’invention d’une sensibilité radicale (Sonic Protest Festival, 2017). The group has gone on to release a dozen records and remains Hainaux’s main musical project. The diversity of Hainaux’s work often brings him everywhere from the backrooms of restaurants to major art venues. These include Mixart Myrys, the CND (Centre National de la Dance), Les Siestes Électroniques, the Palais de Tokyo and the Sonic Protest Festival. His label Isola Records, which he has been running since 2011, makes books, cassettes, CDs and records of artists and groups working in the performing arts space. Hainaux also regularly writes and publishes poetry. In 2023, he contributed to the soundtrack for Clément Cogitore's film Goutte D'or.

UCLA Nimoy Theater is located at 1262 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024. For GPS, use 10866 Wilshire Blvd to reach the parking structure. The entrance is on Glendon Avenue — look for either entrance marked VISITOR. Parking is $4, beginning at 5 pm for evening performances and 12 pm for matinees. Arriving before these times will incur the $30 day parking fee.

The box office is open Monday–Friday, 10 am–4 pm, and opens 60 minutes before showtime on show nights. The box office is cashless and accepts all major credit cards. For day-of questions, call 310-206-8655. For general inquiries, contact info@cap.ucla.edu or call 310-825-4401.

All late seating is based on availability and at the discretion of house manager.

Accessible seating and assistive listening are available. Ask any house staff member for assistance. For additional accommodations, contact info@cap.ucla.edu.

Beer, wine, mixed beverages, water, soda, and coffee are available in the lobby. Valid ID required for alcohol. Credit cards and cash accepted. For nearby restaurant options, visit the UCLA Nimoy Theater page.

A digital house program for this performance is available to view or download before the show. Find it on the CAP UCLA Program Notes page.

If the performance is sold out, join the standby line at the box office on the night of the show. A waitlist may also be available — if tickets are released, you will be notified by email with a window to purchase.