In 1887, Master Jigoro Kano, founder of the Kodokan Judo, gave birth to one of the first katas in the history of judo, the Nage No Kata. In judo, katas, which are sequences of highly codified techniques, are essential and inseparable from the passing of grades. Every judoka who has earned his or her first dan black belt can perform at least one kata: the Nage No Kata. Each time a new grade or dan is passed, a new kata must be mastered. This project is structured around five katas:

• Nage No Kata
• Kimeno Kata
• Gonosen No Kata
• Katame No Kata
• Goshin Jitsu Kata

Two Japanese composers, Noriko Baba and Misato Mochizuki, and three French composers with close ties to Japan, Yves Chauris, Aurélien Dumont and Yann Robin, will compose an original musical work for the soloists of the Ensemble Multilatérale, based on the structure, temporality and 'dramaturgy' of these five fundamental katas, which will be performed by two pairs of judokas: Stephen Roulin and Antoine Bidault.

Wherever these five works are performed, together or separately, there will always be a dojo and judokas capable of performing one of these katas. And then a shift occurs: each kata becomes a choreography, the judokas dancers and Master Jigoro Kano... the great choreographer.