BIOGRAPHY​

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A multidisciplinary artist

It would be difficult to classify Ivan Larson Ndengue in a single artistic category, so much so that for the past ten years he has been noticed for his versatility, his curiosity and his interest in dance in its entirety.

Ivan Larson explores different artistic activities with enthusiasm and passion, wearing many hats: professional dancer, choreographer, dance teacher, school director and DJ.

After a stint at the Centre de Formation Professionnelle d'Arts Appliqués de Genève, dance category, in 2016, Ivan Larson danced for renowned artistic institutions and structures such as La Cie Junior Le Marchepied de Lausanne (2015-2016), Neopost Foofwa (2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021), the Zurich Opera (2018- 2019) and the Cie Gilles Jobin (2022).

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Choreographic work

With a wealth of experience as a dancer- performer, Ivan Larson also experiments with the creation, direction and staging of dance pieces. Thus, he first worked as an assistant choreographer for the Cie Urbaine ZUP (2017), then as a choreographer for the Festival Afrodyssée (2017, 2019), for which he conceived and directed the traditional opening show, as well as for the Apéros Opéra of the Grand Théâtre de Genève (2020).

Ivan Larson pushes his creativity to the point of co-founding, in 2014, the dance company Cie Caractère, in which he officiates as choreographer, manager, designer and artistic director, among other things. With this company, he represents Switzerland in 2017 at the International Games of the Francophonie in Abidjan, creative dance category. He will also participate in the creation of The Showroom Event in 2018, the first event that puts choreography at the heart of its activities.

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Hip-Hop and House

At the same time, he developed another dance style, a founding style: hip-hop.
This one will allow him to illustrate himself during different events around the world and to win many prizes: winner of the "Hip Hop Hooray Vol. 3 Ter-tiary" (Hong Kong, 2015), winner of the "Street Dance Consortium 5&6" (Geneva, 2014), House finalist at the "Juste Debout Suisse" (Geneva, 2013), winner of the "Death Match Contest" (Zurich, 2013) and winner of the "Festival Tambour Battant" (Geneva, 2013).

The same year, he leads the female crew Diamonds, composed of young people from 11 to 14 years old, who became in 2016 the Swiss champions of hip-hop dance at the Swiss Ido Championship.

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An experienced teacher

In the midst of his various activities as a choreographer and performer, Ivan Larson also finds time to pass on his broad knowledge of dance through hip hop and house classes throughout Switzerland.

Thus, he became the youngest hip hop teacher at the Conservatoire populaire de Genève and taught in various renowned schools, such as the Dancefloor school in Geneva or the Contemporary Music Academy of Beijing, China, for six months (August to December 2017).

In 2021, he co-created the Lar&Lev dance school with tap dance champion Daniel Leveillé.

With time and experience, Ivan Larson has developed a style of his own and has created his own brand of dance that blends African, hip hop, house and contemporary dance.

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The decompartmentalization of cultures

In terms of his artistic approach, Ivan Larson is driven by the belief that, from a cultural point of view, it is possible to nurture each other, and that this enrichment is achieved through benevolence and respect for cultures, regardless of their similarities and differences.

Indeed, Ivan, Cameroonian by origin and Swiss by adoption, systematically tries in his works and in his associative commitment to bring these two cultures into dialogue and to make the points of collusion transparent. By placing his culture of origin in parallel with his host culture, he succeeds in deconstructing prejudices and creating a universe free of prejudices and stereotypes. This is what motivated the creation of structures in favor of intercultural exchanges (notably the Association On Est Ensemble).

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The impregnation of social issues

Ivan Larson's work also focuses on the issue of gender. He is committed to questioning gender norms by exploring socially accepted gender roles. His fight against gender inequality, violence and oppression runs through his entire artistic production.

Through dance, he invites the spectator to question his or her role and place in society and to question his or her own achievements and privileges.

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For a healthy cohabitation through movement

Ivan Larson advocates above all the gathering of individuals around the pleasure of listening, feeling, and living the movement, through various tools such as dance and turntables. The act of moving allows him to contribute to a reflection about the establishment of a community animated by the desire and the strength to rise up against discrimination of all kinds. That's why he doesn't limit himself to dancing but actively integrates people through his activities as a teacher and DJ.

Music and dance are for him privileged media to express this ideal. In short, cohabitation is at the heart of Ivan Larson's artistic approach, whose credo is "Peace, Love, Unity and havingfun".

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Recent works

- Choreographic artist in "Virtual Crossings" by the Gilles Jobin Company (Geneva)
- Choreographer and dancer in "Dancing Cello" (Vernier)
- Choreographer and dancer in "Le baiser du Minotaure" (Neuchâtel)

- Dancer in various Dancewalks with the Neopost Foofwa Company (Geneva, Valais)
-Choreographer and dancer for "Dancing Words" (Chur)
- Videoclip "Playground" - le Roi Lézard

- Advertising @Choum - HUG application - Puerto Mate advertising campaign

-Films and short films: Et maintenant ça (RTS), For what it is (Anna Chiedza Spörri), A la recherche d'Aline (Rokhaya Balde), L'autre côté de son âme (Kathrin Schweizer), Ubuntu (Cubique Presents), Helvet (Johan Perruchoud)