French choreographer and movement artist Mackenzy Bergile describes dance as an “eternal breath”, it is simply a continuation of our emotional expression and activity in daily life. Bergile, who began his practice with Hip Hop and traditional Haitian dance, collaborated with photographer and filmmaker Jeanne Lula Chauveau on Être et Faire et Être to explore the question: where does dance begin?

“The idea was to create a space where Bergile expresses his vision of the word ‘sensitive’ and his gaze on the human condition,” says Chauveau, whose film is part of a portrait series on the dancer. “We wanted to get away from virtuosity in order to question what is an essential movement and when does the dance begin.”

With bare feet firmly planted on Iceland’s volcanic earth, Bergile’s movements are an intoxicating mix of strength and delicacy, amplified by the silk negligee that ripples across his toned physique.

“With the simple idea of improvising movements in response to the purity of the Icelandic landscape,” says Chauveau, “Bergile’s body was confronted with the cold to better understand the strength and importance of our environment.”