France (法国)

Atypical alchemist, he enjoys the crossroads between Arts & Sciences, seeking a certain unity beyond all the different aspects of life, through trans-disciplinarity.

In that spirit, he studied fields such as Engineering, Complex Systems, Strategic Foresight, Knowledge Ecology, Design Thinking & Cognitives Sciences.

Beside this formal curriculum, its artistic stream has always been there, as a Yang is along a Yin (or vice versa), and both grew nurturing each other.

Autodidact at heart since childhood, Damien first experienced, in a jumble, Plastic arts, Close-up Magic, Music, (Copy)writing, Theater, Cooking & Poetry.

Juggling has been revealed to him in the early 2000’s, during high school, by means of initiations to all the different props (in the way of the Bateleur).

Then, he discovered the flow arts, which has leaded to an intensive Poï & Staff spinning/swinging practice for years : a turning point for him, so to speak 😉

 Around 2007, he started to work on a comprehensive (mathematical) study of the geometric & kinetics properties of such motions, curves made of cycles of circles.

This has led to the design of a notation system, called SpiNote, in order to facilitate composition, memory & knowledge sharing between players, out of the langage barrier.

For 10+ years now, he decided to follow its path with Clubs & Swing Torches, transmuting other fields such as body contact & toss juggling into its own research & practice.

As an example, circa 2010, he has been the inventor of the Eolian 3 clubs manipulation motion : the first ever fully renewable energy juggling trick ! 🙂

 As well, Damien contributed to several video projects made by Metlili (like Smodje), and supported him more actively in the development of both editions of Visual Juggling.

He also had the opportunity to live perform into results of collective laboratories, in some festivals, & even for the Fire Conclave at Burning Man Festival (back in 2007).

Currently, he is elaborating its own creation process and composing its first number, so that he could present it to you guys at Dali Flow Festival, hopefully.

 As an eternal learner, he has also been trained, on the shoulders of Giants, by Johan Le Guillerm, Sean Gandini, Denis Paumier, Mikel Ayala & Ben Richter, among others.

Reciprocally, he teaches back his knowledge from time to time, during french juggling conventions, & even during some EJCs (European Juggling Conventions).

He is at the moment refining its pedagogical material about what he calls « Swingling » (Swinging & Juggling), in order to offer you the best possible ! 

WORKSHOP