Medieval Ball

Fri 4 Dec

Hear ye, hear ye! On the fourth day of December, in the year 2026, the French invite you to a grand medieval ball in their little fiefdom of South Kensington.

Knights and ladies, minstrels and magicians, noblemen and commoners are invited to cross the Channel — and the centuries — for an evening of music, dancing and revelry. No conquest intended.

Come dressed in your finest medieval attire and compete for the title of best-dressed guest. Lancelot or Morgan le Fay, Robin Hood or Richard the Lionheart, Esmeralda or Eleanor of Aquitaine: the choice is yours!

An extraordinary gathering of performers will bring the festivities to life. Meet Jax the Jester, a wandering juggler or Sidonie the Witch, who will read your tarot cards and reveal what the future holds.

Fresh from a performance at the Royal Albert Hall, French singer IRIS, a finalist on The Voice France in 2024, will enchant guests with medieval songs. British-Burundian bard Muco, accompanied by his inanga, will breathe new life into traditional songs and ballads in Middle and Old English.

Dancer and choreographer Emma Poyer, currently touring internationally with Marina Abramović’s Balkan Erotic Epic, will lead a special workshop introducing guests to the steps of la carole, a medieval communal dance.

As the evening unfolds, the Middle Ages will give way to more contemporary rhythms. DJ Florian Sailer will take to the decks, while VJ Kelly Budges transforms the walls of the French Institute with spectacular visuals.

Bookings

 

About our guests

IRIS

IRIS is a French singer-songwriter and musician based in London, blending powerhouse vocals with pop, soul and classical influences. A finalist on The Voice France 2024, she has performed alongside renowned artists including Loreen, Bigflo & Oli and Soprano, while continuing to develop her own artistic project. In London, she has made her mark by creating and hosting Gigi, Iris & the Girls, a live event supporting female artists, and by headlining her own sold-out shows. In 2025, she released her debut EP, IRIS PART I., a cinematic blend of vulnerability and quiet strength, where nostalgic melodies meet raw reflections on identity, doubt and the longing for something more… Her connection with audiences extends beyond the stage, with her cover of Creep (Radiohead) gaining international traction and surpassing 11 million views across social platforms. Continuing to expand her musical world, IRIS takes to the stage at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2026 to perform an original seven-minute composition arranged for orchestra and choir.


Emma Poyer

Contemporary Dancer, Model and Choreographer, Emma Poyer lives between London, Paris and Réunion Island, where she was born.
She danced at the Brit Awards alongside Rosalía and Björk, choreography by (La)Horde, is currently touring internationally for Marina Abramović's Balkan Erotic Epic, set to continue over several years, toured with VERVE company performing works by (La)Horde, Joy Alpuerto-Ritter and Matteo Marfoglia, and has worked twice with the two-time Olivier Award-winning James Cousins Company. On screen, she appears in The Choral, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Ralph Fiennes, and in HMLTD's music video Blitzkrieg. As a choreographer and movement director, she created Cycles with Ventcislava Nekova (Frameless, London), co-produced the exhibition Choreo-Graphic Systems (Copeland Gallery, London), and choreographed and performed in Laurence Cooper's music video Kaleidoscope. She has extensive editorial and fashion modelling experience for photographers and designers. She often teaches her practice at dance and musical theatre schools in London and Leeds.
She trained at the Conservatoire of La Réunion and the Conservatoire of Boulogne-Billancourt (Paris) before continuing at London Contemporary Dance School and then Northern School of Contemporary Dance, where she developed a hybrid movement language drawing on Ballet, Gaga, Floor work, Kathak, Physical Theatre and her Maloya heritage. Her dance is rooted as much in improvisation and partnering as in long durational performance.


Muco

Muco is a singer, songwriter and composer of British-Burundian heritage whose music is inspired by a love of language, storytelling & history. Through his reimaginings of medieval folk songs in Middle and Old English, Muco has cultivated a passionate audience online with his unique interpretations. In these performances, he uses his voice and the inanga, a Burundian zither, and has been studying long, epic Burundian ballads known as whisper songs that his great-grandfather sang and accompanied on his inanga.
His work not only revives these ancient pieces for modern audiences but also expands ideas of historical musical performance. For Muco, the global idea of balladry ties to his Burundian roots and to medieval music. He seeks not to recreate but to make the voices of the past understood, appropriate to a new time.
His projects, Soþlice and Summer Crossing, combine lyrics and influences from Old, Middle, and Modern English, as well as French, Swahili, and Kirundi, reflecting his deep interest in the interconnection of folk traditions across cultures.
Recent performances include main support for Liana Flores across UK + Europe, Medicine Festival, Broadstairs Folkweek, Black Shuck Festival, Deer Shed Festival, Campfire Club, Rest is History Fest, SXSW London, neoAncients, London Kings Place (headline for SONGLINES), 4 Ecluses (Dunkirk).


Florian Sailer

Florian Sailer, a Creative Director based in London, is a DJ, floral designer, and photographer known for crafting unique atmospheres worldwide. As a DJ, he has curated music for top venues like Hotel Ermitage in St. Tropez, FOLIE London, and Manko Cabaret, as well as brands such as Dior, or Vogue Paris. His soundscapes span from Studio 54 disco to vintage Hollywood tunes. With a portfolio including Château de Versailles and Cannes Film Festival, Florian blends elegance, emotion, and creativity.


Sidonie The Witch

Sidonie reads your cards the way you would listen to your story. Author of a book on tarot (2012), she treats each card as an image to be met and questioned. Expect a creative moment combining symbolism, philosophy, and visual storytelling, where the cards offer a reflection rather than a verdict.

You can learn more on her Instagram: @soyoubecome

  • Picture: Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry : mois de mai © Frères de Limbourg, Bibliothèque et Archives du Château de Chantilly

 
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