Dimitri Chamblas’s work examines the body and its representation in various concrete or imaginary contexts. His choreographic work springs from his perception of his immediate environment. One of his underlying goals is to invent new dance forms and their transmissions.
His work has been performed in venues such as Tate Modern (London), Centre Pompidou (Paris), Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles), Opéra national de Paris , St Mark’s church (New York), among others.
Captivated by dance, Dimitri Chamblas joined The Paris Opera’s celebrated dance school at age ten. During his career, he notably collaborated with various creators such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Karl Lagarfeld, composer Heiner Goebbels, artists Chrisitian Boltanski, Andy Goldsworthy, Dan Colen, Xavier Veilhan, choreographers William Forsythe, Boris Charmatz, Lil Buck, Mathilde Monnier, Benjamin Millepied.
In 1992, Chamblas is co-founder of EDNA with choreographer Boris Charmatz. Together they conceive performances, organize events and exhibitions, publish books. Their duet “A bras le Corps” has been performed on every continents in world-renowned theaters and festivals. This duet is part of Paris national Opera ballet repertory since 2017.
In 1996, he creates with Mathilde Monnier (at that time Director of the Centre chorégraphique national in Montpellier, France) the "research and writing residence”, an occasion for artists to create personal creative space outside of the traditional production process.
In 1999 Chamblas funds Same Productions that invents and produces advertising campains for luxury and fashion brands , music videos and art films. The cie had offices in Paris , Brussels and Los Angeles.
Dimitri Chamblas frequently works as artistic director and choreographer for brands such as Chanel , Dom Perignon , Longchamps and Nike amoung others.
In 2013, as artistic director and digital curator, he invents “Mutant Stage” together with curator and producer Amélie Couillaud: a series of 10 art films for the french Lafayette Anticipations – Fondation d’entreprise Galeries Lafayette, all shot in the building designed by OMA / Rem Koolhaas.
In 2014 Dimitri Chamblas is appointed artistic director of the Paris Opera’s 3rd Stage. In collaboration with Benjamin Millepied, he founds the creative digital platform for which he invites artists such as Glen Keane, Xavier Veilhan, Bret Easton Ellis, Julien Prévieux, William Forsythe, Rubber Legz, United Visual Artists, Lil Buck, Barbara Hanigan, Jonas Kaufmann… to create original artworks inspired by Paris Opera.
Always curious about technological advances and their possible applications, he creates in 2015, through a partnership with Google cultural institute, the first immersive dance film captured in 360-degree, based on an original dance piece choreographed by Benjamin Millepied.
In 2017 he launches Studio Dimitri Chamblas in Paris and Los Angeles, a structure that hosts all of his projects and collaborations, including a duet with the étoile dancer Marie-Agnès Gillot, his participation in the creation of Boris Charmatz « 10 000 Gestures », a creation with architect François Perrin for the Performa Biennale in New York, or a duet with artist and musician Kim Gordon.
This same year, he becomes the new dean of dance at California Institute for the Art (CalArts) in Los Angeles and creates HHUMANN, a 75 dancers work presented in the streets of Down Town Los Angeles and at Hauser&Wirth Gallery.
In 2018/2019 Dimitri Chamblas creates « Slow Show » a 50 performers choreography and « Los Angeles » a solo done in collaboration with painter Claire Tabouret and dancer Spenser Therberge. They were performed in Los Angeles at Museum of contemporary art, at Redcat theater, MAK Center for Arts and Architecture at the Schindler house and in France at Luma foundation in Arles, Lafayette Anticipation in Paris and MC93 in Bobigny France, in Ouagadougou Burkinba Faso…
As part of the LA Phil program, Chamblas directs “Crowd out” a 1000 singers opera by David Lang in June 2019. The monumental opera took place at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
In 2019 he was made a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture.
In 2020 Chamblas starts a new work within the Los Angeles State Prison in Lancaster California. It is the first time in the US history that contemporary dance enters in a maximum security male prison. 10 inmates incarcerated for 30 years to life are part of the piece. Several revews are written and a film ( A_Yard) is shot taking this initiative as the subject.
Chamblas is currently working with United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (unhcr) to build a worldwide dance practice program that will take place in various refugee camps around the globe.