Jump* Dancer's Lifestyle MAGAZINE n° 2 by Jump*

Jump*

DANCE MAGAZINE biannual publication FREE n° 2

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William Forsythe

festival

Sebastien Bertaud

dancer’s city

paris opera ballet

Make’up essentials

ART

This magazine is free and may under no circumstance be sold

choreographer

www.art-of.net

E D I T O R I A L Jump* International Dance Magazine

I am very happy to present the second edition of our

Founded in 2014

A magazine of which the first print has travelled the

A bi-annual worldwide free publication english digital version available at www.jump-magazine.net Writers, especially former or current professional dancers are welcome to present their freelance contributions. Every candidate writer is kindly asked to submit a short article or review of a dance performance together with a CV. Pictures should be sent to us in 300 dpi and should be clearly captionned in a Photoshop file. Copying and posting content of Jump* Magazine is strictly forbidden and constitutes a breach of the international copyright laws and other intellectual property laws.

magazine.

world, Europe, America and Asia and has found its way into your bag, your studio, your company. It has been a great year, our third ART of Ballet Summer Course BERLIN was a true success with new and returning teachers. We are now very busy working on new exciting projects, so keep checking our website and Facebook page. This issue of Jump* Magazine is featuring some big stars: Jiri Kylian shares his opinions on different aspects of life, David Dawson gives us an insight into his world and Jiri Bubenicek reveals us his creation process.

Postfach 10 03 37 01073 Dresden Germany

Ever wondered how »outsiders« experience the ballet world? We did, with two articles giving us an

+49 (0) 351 272 90 547 contact@jump-magazine.net ads@jump-magazine.net www.jump-magazine.net

inside out look of our profession.

Founder & chief editor Oleg Klymyuk

our city trip, a bustling city with art deeply rooted

Editor Boris Richir Contributors Milan Madar Istvan Simon Lara Richir © Jump* Magazine 2015 COVER | Pas./Part | S. Bertaud in a ballet of W. Forsythe | Photo: J. Benhamou

We are also taking you to Antwerp in Belgium for in it’s DNA. Have a great read and keep dancing. Warm regards, Oleg Klymyuk

JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 03

Photo: Ian Whalen Photo: Patrick Wamsganz

Photo: Wout Van de Venster

CON WEEKEND TRIP 08

04 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

AMERICAN GIRL 36

DAVID DAWSON 24

Articles 11

Dancerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s City Antwerp

Dance Salad Festival

43 Hellerau center for the arts 46

William Forsythe black flags

Lifestyle 20

Faster | Higher | Stronger

My girlfriend is a ballerina

Make Up tips from the experts

Albertinum Dresden

Interviews & profiles 12

Sebastien Bertaud paris opera ballet

16 Jiri Bubenicek dancer & choreographer 33

Yvgeny Feldmann behind the piano

Jiri Kylian

in conversation with

Lipsiusbau Dresden Photos: Jump* JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 05

W E E K E N D

T R I P

Statue of Brabo

06 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

Photos: Wout Van de Venster

Panorama

Antwerp

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ven though I have been living

abroad for many years now, I

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love

back

HISTORY OF ANTWERP HISTORY OF ANTWERP

century it was one of Europe’s

shops

most important cities. Today it

Antwerp

inhabitants

is Belgium’s second biggest city

enjoy

life

and one of the most important

feel

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ports of Europe. It is Belgium’s

stepping

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Despite many historical disasters

cool,

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great

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life. to you

immediately

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the

and

club

the city retains an intriguing

art

lovers

and

WWII

city.

magnet for vibrant fashionistas, queens,

severe

night

diamond dealers. It does not

medieval

home to Antwerp! The city is

only

lanes, a riverside fortress and

the best place to unwind, do

collections, exceptional artists,

some great shopping, experience

one

Today,

cutting edge culture and party

academies and the first diamond

draws are its vibrant fashion,

trade in the world, it is above

entertainment

Antwerp is older than Belgium

all

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city bustling with cafés, unique

there

and

tomorrow.

the

mid-16th

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the

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WEEKEND TR IP ANT WERP?

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truly

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top

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architectural cultural

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CIT Y OF ART!

S T R O O M

Photo: Wout Van de Venster

Antwerp is the home of the Royal Ballet of Flanders. Founded in 1969 it is Belgium’s only classically Antwerp Dances trained ballet company. With a very wide repertoire they perform at home in the Antwerp DeSingel Theatre is definitely worth checking out. Opera House and the Gent Opera House The building houses many stages and invites as well as on tours abroad. the world’s most cutting edge dance companies. 08 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

NEW COURT HOUSE

BORIS’ ANTWERP

orn in Antwerp, Belgium, Boris Richir graduated from the Paris Opera Ballet School in 2009. He joined the Semperoper Ballet Dresden, under the direction of Aaron S. Watkin, as a corps de ballet member the same year. Since 2014 he has been dancing with the Boston Ballet. He has performed in corps de ballet, soloist and lead roles in ballets of George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, John Neumeier, John Cranko, Stijn Celis, Auguste Bournonville, Jiri Bubenicek, Aaron S. Watkin, Alexei Ratmansky, and William Forsythe, among others. Photo: Wout Van de Venster

and even a haircut. Kloosterstraat 90 2000 Antwerp www.your-antwerp.com EAT Ellis Gourmet Burgers The best burgers in town in young and cool »Eilandje« neighbourhood. Sint-Aldegondiskaai 52-54 2000 Antwerp www.ellisgourmetburger.com

Meir-Nationalestraat-Kammestraat Giving just one shop would not do Antwerp justice, these three streets and surrounding neighbourhoods are filled with high street brands and insane unique shops you will only find in Antwerp.

De Foyer In the centre of Antwerp, I love to get a bite here when in need of a shopping break. The restaurant is located in the foyer of the Bourla theatre and looks like a huge piece of red and gold opulent scenery with massive chandeliers. Komedieplaats 18 2000 Antwerp www.bourlaschouwburg.nu

DRINK Korsakov I love going here for a drink. It is the artist lair by excellence and is always very busy. A plus is that all bars around are equally cool so you won’t be home before dawn. Sint-Jorispoort 1 2000 Antwerp

SLEEP Antwerp Central Youth Hostel With its sleek and modern rooms, the Antwerp Central Youth Hostel will make you feel like sleeping in a design hotel in the city centre. Recently built, it is cheap, clean and serves a good breakfast but most importantly hosts young people from all the world. Great fun guaranteed. Boogaardeplein 1 2000 Antwerp Les Nuits Feeling very fancy and the budget to match? Then this one is for you. Les Nuits is in the city centre and has in my opinion the most stylish rooms of Antwerp. Lange Gathuisstraat 12 2000 Antwerpen www.hotellesnuits.be SHOP Your A concept store that sells the coolest things you can imagine. This is your place everything unique and quirky, bikes, clothes, accessories, home wear

Hopper Hopper is the music bar in Antwerp. A wide range of drinks and good live music. Leopold de Waelstraat 2 2000 Antwerp www.cafehopper.be SEE Plantin-Moretus Museum The first industrial printing press, this house and atelier dating from the 1600’s looks like it has stopped in time. I always bring visiting friends here as I have never seen anything like this house anywhere else. Vrijdagmarkt 22-23 2000 Antwerp www.museumplantinmoretus.be MOMU The Fashion Museum Europe’s leading fashion school (who gave birth to the famous Antwerp 6) houses a fashionmuseum in it’s walls. No permanent collection on view but exceptional temporary exhibitions in an impressively renovated period building. Nationalestraat 28 2000 Antwerp www.momu.be JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 09

INNOVATIVE BALLET MASTER CLASS

Photos: Costin Radu

www.art-of.net

Photo: Grischa Olizeg

The idea behind »ART of«, is to convey to the participants the direct connection between classical and modern DANCE.

10 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

F r i e d r i c h

N i e t

z s c h e

JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 11

Paris Opera

emi-soloist Sébastien Bertaud took part in the ART of Ballet Summer Course BERLIN 2014. We checked in with him and asked him to answer a few questions on his experience in Berlin. Born in 1982, Sébastien Bertaud started to dance in Bordeaux after which he entered the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris in 1997 and in 1998 the Paris Opera Ballet School. In 2000 he joins the Paris Opera Ballet as a corps de ballet member and is promoted in 2013 to the rank of Sujet (demi-soloist). He has danced in classical, neoclassical and contemporary repertoire and performs in various galas on an international level. - What made you decide to take part in the ART of Ballet Summer Course BERLIN 2014? I had to dance a leading role in William Forsythe’s Pas./Parts scheduled at the very beginning of Paris Opera’s 20142015 season. After our season break, I had to get myself back in to excellent shape in order to dance this very demanding role. Because of the exceptional array of teachers and coaches present at the ART of Summer course, it was the only place that would allow, as well as help, me in my preparation towards the beginning of my season. On top of this, staying in Berlin is a very regenerating artistic experience.

- As an established professional dancer, what did you experience from the ART of Ballet Summer Course? The international dancing community present during the Summer Course was very interesting to meet. It was great to discover new people very involved in their work and it was also challenging to experience different ways of training. - How was the atmosphere of the course? Friendly and studious at the same time, which is in my opinion the best combination. - Did you work with any ART of teachers and coaches previous to taking part in our course? I had of course worked with the teachers coming from the Paris Opera Ballet, but I had a very inspiring experience with teachers I had not had the opportunity to work with before, such as Heather Jurgensen and Laura Contardi. I was also very happy to discover the workshop of Raphael Coumes-Marquet which I met as a dancer during Gala performances where we were both invited to. It is very interesting to witness what these wonderful artists have to give off stage when they are not dancing themselves.

B n tie s a b Sé Photo: Julien Benhamou

12 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

d u a ert

- Which classes did you prefer and why? This is hard to say as all the classes are very different and complementary. I experienced that the choice of teachers was very well made by the direction of ART of, but for me, working with someone as passionate as Laura Graham is, beyond dance, a real lesson of life. - Would you recommend the course to fellow dancers? I would definitely recommend the course to other dancers. In our short and demanding career, regardless of your age and at the point you are in your career, it is always necessary to receive and experience new advice from people working outside of your own artistic biotope. Check the art-of.net website for updates on the next courses.

BALLET LEGENDS Philippina »Pina« Bausch (27 July 1940 – 30 June 2009) was a German performer of modern dance, choreograher, dance teacher and ballet director. With her unique style, a blend of movement, sound, and prominent stage sets, and with her elaborate collaboration with performers during the development of a piece (a style now known as Tanztheater), she became a leading influence in the field of modern dance from the 1970s on. She created the company Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch which performs internationally.

Photos: Costin Radu

Jirí Kylián (born 21 March 1947) is a Czech contemporary dance choreographer. Kylián studied in Prague and, at the age of 20, won a scholarship at the Royal Ballet School in London. He joined the Stuttgart Ballet in 1968 and worked under John Cranko, where he began to work as a choreographer. Kylián became Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater in 1976. His best known works include Symphony of Psalms (1978). His style include exploring the limitations and capabilities of space, body parts, entrances and exits, contrasts, and humor. In 1992, he started his own chamber company for dancers over 40.

Google research JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 13

Photo:

Rebecca

Hoppe

I N T E R V I E W

iri Bubenicek is a well-known name to all ballet enthusiasts. His magnetic presence and unparalleled immersion in every role he tackles has left his audience breathless. He is one of the most sought after dancers of our century, guesting with the biggest companies all over the world. In more recent years his talent has expanded into the field of choreography, with his works in the repertoire of major companies such as the New York City Ballet, the Vienna State Ballet and the Hamburg Ballet. He has also created, together with his twin brother Otto Bubenicek (principal dancer with the Hamburg Ballet) Les Ballets Bubenicek, their own touring company featuring handpicked dancers from around the world. Jump*: Jiri, why did you start to dance? Did you immediately know it was going to be your career? J. Bubenicek: »I come from a well known acrobat family who performs in different circuses around the world. When I was about ten, my father, my twin brother and I were practicing in one of the studios of the athlete school in Prague when a teacher of the Prague Dance conservatory,

Mrs. Martincova approached my father and told him that we both had a talent for dance and that we should join her school. We quickly were accepted in the second year of the best dance school in the Czech Republic. The school has eight levels and it takes eight years to graduate. It is in the fifth level, when working with the greatly respected teacher, Andrej Halasz that I realised dance could be my future«. Jump*: Who had the biggest influence on your career? J. Bubenicek: »This is a difficult question… There were many people during my 21 year long career. In school, it was my teacher Andrej Halasz. He had a wonderful way of combining hard work with a true love for dance. During that time, me and Otto, my brother, spent most of

Dancer Choreographer his future

Jiri Bubenicek The Nutcracker

Jiri Bubenicek in a ballet of Aaron S. Watkin

16 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

Photo: Costin Radu

out time watching VHS dance videos. We would spend hours watching Baryshnikov and Nureyev but also ballets such as Mats Ek’s »Giselle« as well as many great artists of that time. We then both moved to Hamburg where I was working a lot with Kavin Haigen, Ilse Wiedmann and John Neumeier. It was that great combination of people that made me understand what true artistry is. Later in Dresden I worked with many different choreographers who all influenced me in some way«.

Jump*: Your favourite choreographers? J. Bubenicek: »John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, just to name a few.«

Jump*: Which was a defining moment in your career? J. Bubenicek: »I guess I was lucky to have had many. For example, in the Hamburg Ballet I danced the lead role of Vaslav Nijinsky in John Neumeier’s creation, »Nijinsky«. This was an unforgettable time. Dancing with the Paris Opera Ballet is also a great memory. I was invited by Brigitte Lefèvre to dance six performances of »Lady of Camellias« of John Neumeier with Agnès Letestu and Aurélie Dupont. Dancing Joseph in Stijn Celis’ creation of »Joseph’s Legend« in the Semperoper Dresden as well as many, many other great moment«. Jump*: What was your most memorable moment on stage? J. Bubenicek: »It is always after an important premiere when you can feel that the audience enjoyed the ballet as well as my own feeling to have achieved something. When the performance goes well, it is an indescribable feeling. But also just working with the great legends of our art such as Natalia Makarova and many other great personalities«. Jump*: Your favourite role? J. Bubenicek: »There were so many it is difficult to name just a few… Armand in »Lady of Camellias«, Vaclav in »Nijinsky«, King Ludwig in »Illusions like Swan Lake« all by John Neumeier, Mercutio in »Romeo and Juliet« as well as Romeo in Stijn Celis’s »Romeo and Juliet«. And many other roles in ballets of Mats Ek for example«.

Photo: Costin Radu

Jump*: You are an inspiration to many dancers, are there any dancers that you look up to? J. Bubenicek: »I love to learn from the dancers I work with. For example in Hamburg it was dancers such as Ivan Urban, Alessandre Riabko and my brother Otto Bubenicek. Looking at them in the studio or seeing them dance and act on stage was very unique and inspiring. In Dresden I would say that it is the young generation that I am learning from, there are great talents coming up and it is a pleasure to share the stage with them«. Jump*: You are famous for your immense stage presence and immersion in a role, how do you prepare a role? J. Bubenicek: »I start with reading the story, then I try to understand and find the character that I am dancing; the complexity, positivity or negativity and the honesty of portraying the character I am playing. Then, once on stage, when I have done all my home work, I fully let myself go, let my inner instinct guide me through the different feelings and emotions of the character during the story. In my opinion, forgetting oneself and the audience and becoming the story and the music is the most important part of our art«.

Photo: Rebecca Hoppe

Photo: Costin Radu

Jump*: As a choreographer, where do you get your inspiration from? J. Bubenicek: »Every piece starts differently. Inspiration can be anywhere, one just needs to be open to it. Usually it is the piece itself that asks for it’s creation, when there are signs I try to follow them until the end. Some pieces demand to be JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 17

Photo: Costin Radu

I N T E R V I E W

created very strongly while others take their time. Some choreographies find their starting point in the music, music is great inspiration for me, while others, and this is what happens more often, start with a story after which I will find the appropriate music for. Reading, visiting exhibitions and concerts help me a lot«. Jump*: What is your creation routine if you have one? J. Bubenicek: »It changes all the time! Every piece requires it’s own type of preparation so I guess I do not have a creation routine. As a young choreographer I used to prepare everything before I entered the studio, this included all the steps! Now I will prepare the concept, find music and will let myself be inspired in the studio working together with the dancers«. Jump*: When you create a piece, how much of your choreography is directly inspired from the dancers you are working with? J. Bubenicek: »I am still quite active in creating the steps, the characters and the ambience of the scenes. But I am also very open to the collaboration in the studio between the choreographer and the dancer«. Jump*: You have created works for the biggest names in ballet as well as for the most well known companies over the world. How hard is it to create for a company you have never worked with before and that has their own defined style (such as the New York City Ballet or dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet)? J. Bubenicek: »In the beginning it wasn’t easy. Traveling to a city or a country that you don’t really know, coming 18 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

to a company that has it’s own system of working, working with dancers that you have never met and so on. But I would say that I am a someone who loves to discover and experience new things, so I often say yes to most of the offers I receive from companies that would like to work with me. I think it is like with everything, the more experience you gain, the more you learn, you become familiar with the process of discovering new companies and dancers. I do like it very much, I learn a lot about the workings of different companies and dancers, I meet a lot of new people and create new friendships«. Jump*: Would you be interested in re-staging/ rechoreographing a well known classical ballet? When creating a story ballet, what are the challenges you face bringing a book such as for example »The Story of Dorian Gray« to the stage? J. Bubenicek: »I guess that one day I might re-create a well known classical ballet but for the moment I believe more in creating ballets with new stories that haven’t been translated into dance yet. I am very interested in creating full-length pieces and I would like to continue creating evening filling ballets. For example, I am currently creating a one act ballet based on the well known book and movie, »The Piano« for the Dortmund Ballet. As for the challenge, that is always a bit different. I will focus on a way to bring the story on stage so that the audience will be able to follow and understand it. I do not find it necessary to tell the story step by step, following the book at the letter. I will rather focus on telling the story on an emotional level«. Jump*: Your brother has created many costumes, sets and music for your creations, what is it like collaborating with him on new works? J. Bubenicek: »Working with my brother Otto is always a very dynamic exchange, he is extremely creative on many fronts. He creates websites, composes music, designs sets and costumes and many other things. He is also very involved in the dramaturgy of my ballets such as in »The Soldiers Tale« by Igor Stravinsky. We work very close together which is a real pleasure for me«. Jump*: Between dancing yourself, guesting, choreographing, managing your own touring company and the B- Bootie brand, how do you unwind and spend your rare free time? J. Bubenicek: »Well, this is often a small problem, but so far, I have somehow managed to balance it all even if, to be honest, I would prefer if the day had more than 24 hours«. Jump*: Do you have any immediate plans for your future? Any dancers or companies you would like to work with?

P R E M I E R E S J. Bubenicek: »I will be retiring from the stage in November 2015. After that I will mostly be dancing with our touring company, »Les Ballets Bubenicek« as well as organizing our tours and choreographing new pieces for various companies. So far, I will have a busy schedule until 2017 and I am receiving more offers. My dream would be to one day direct my own company to create something special with a creative ambience«.

satisfied by creating the lighting and all other non-choreographic aspects of a creation«.

Jump*: What do you enjoy most in being a choreographer travelling around the world? J. Bubenicek: »I love meeting new people, to work with the dancers as well as discovering new places; the moment when after many hours of work a piece slowly comes to life is also very special. I am also very

Jump*: What is your wish for your future? J. Bubenicek: »To one day run my own company«.

Jump*: What advise would you give to young dancers at the start of their career? J. Bubenicek: »I would advise them to work hard but not to forget to enjoy it. I always thought that I had all the time in the world but time runs very quickly, so go for it with all you have«.

Jiri Bubenicek was born in the Czech Republic in 1974. He studied dance at the Prague dance Conservatory. In 1992 he was awarded at the Prix the

Season 2015 promises New York City Ballet La Sylphide many world premieres Chor.: Peter Martins after well-known classics.

Royal Ballet of Flanders In Flanders Fields Chor.: Ricardo Amarante Music: Sayo Kosugi In a four-ballet program Royal Ballet of Flanders pays homage to the »Great War« as well as the founder of the Belgian company, Jeanne Brabants. In In Flanders Fields, Ricardo Amarante finds his inspiration in the poem of the same name by the Canadian military doctor and poet John McCrae. In Flanders Field in memory of Jeanne Brabants Premiere 09.05.15 Opera Gent

Auguste Bournonville Music: Herman Severin Lovenskjold A New York City Ballet premiere of their ballet master in chief Peter Martins.

Lausanne, opening him the doors to the Hamburg Ballet under the wing of John Neumeier. It is at the Hamburg ballet that he quickly rose to the position of principal, dancing most leading roles in John Neumeier’s ballets. John Neumeier created the role of Vaclav Nijinsky in »Nijinsky« in Jiri Bubenicek. He later, in 2006, moved to Dresden to dance as a principal dancer with the Semperoper Ballet Dresden where he has danced in various styles of all leading choreographers. He has guested in leading opera houses around the world and has choreographed numerous ballets. He has recently been awarded »Best Dancer« by the »dance for you« magazine. In 2005 Arte aired a documentary »Die Ballett-Zwillinge« about Jiri and Otto Bubenicek.

to be an exciting one with and reinterpretations of Here is our selection.

The Royal Ballet Woolf Works Chor.: Wayne McGregor Music: Max Richter The Royal Ballet commissioned the first full-length piece from their resident choreographer Wayne McGregor.

Paris Opera Ballet The Song of the Earth Chor.: John Neumeier Music: Gustav Mahler John Neumeier creates a new ballet for the Paris Opera Ballet in which he tackles the grandiose Das Lied von der Erde, translating into dance its emotions and mysteries. Drawing on his own poetic imagination, John Neumeier evokes the fatality and nobility of the human condition, ideas which resonate throughout Mahler’s setting of ancient Chinese poems.

Woolf Works Premiere 11.05.15 Royal Opera House

The Song of the Earth Premiere 24.02.15 Palais Garnier

La Sylphide Premiere 07.05.15 Lincoln Center

The Australian Ballet The Sleeping Beauty Chor.: Marius Petipa Music: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky A lavish new Beauty for the modern Age. The Sleeping Beauty Premiere 15.09.15 Arts Centre Melbourne

Semperoper Ballett Tristan + Isolde Chor.: David Dawson Music: Szymon Brzoska Master choreographer David Dawson, previously house choreographer of the Semperoper Ballett will sign a new full-length ballet on the especially commissioned score of Szymon Brzoska. Tristan + Isolde Premiere 15.02.15 Semperoper Dresden JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 19

H I G H E R

ast August, I was sitting under the barre, massaging my knee that was in massive pain after a rehearsal for a modern ballet, and thought: »Why do I need to deal with this? I am a 29 years old soloist ballet dancer, and I got better things to do than dealing with pain from a year old injury«. So I decided to start training just to make this pain go away, but during the process it was not just the pain fading away, I got more stamina and better coordination as

Photos: Jump*

F A S T E R

well. There is a tendency in athletic sports: every year a new world record is set, by the athletes being faster and stronger year by year. I sometimes think top athletes are reaching the limits of physical capabilities... then again, someone beats the latest world record. Theatrical dance, is not a measurable sport – it’s a performing art form – however the same tendency is true for its’ technique. Dancers nowadays are expected to do more spectacular things than previous generations: jump higher, turn more, balance longer and move faster. And for many dancers it’s no longer enough to excel in just one style, because many companies have a wider range of repertoire, including classical, contemporary and modern choreographies. So, we must be versatile in our technique and be able to switch between styles quickly and frequently. When I prepare for a classical role after a modern program (or vice versa), I need to start well ahead of time, otherwise I may feel out of shape during the rehearsals. It’s not only about having painful and sore muscles mid season, but also about coordinating my body for the different dynamics and partnering technique, and dealing with the different stamina requirements (many big jumps vs. floor work vs. fast arm movements). The regular daily class alone is not always enough to make this genre transition smooth and pain free, so sometimes I need some extra training to get my body into the right shape. before I get more into that, let’s not forget... …Dance is not a sport. It’s an art form, so artistic qualities can not be sacrificed for technique. Once my ballet teacher said »technique is your tool to deliver artistic performances«. Well, he was right. One can only find joy in dancing and focus on artistic presentation (musicality, emotionality, visual refinements) when technical difficulties are not in the way. The concentration (or fear) to the pirouette that comes 2 steps later can not compromise those 2 steps, and the struggle to jump higher shouldn’t be 20 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

visible in a lyrical part. So, yes. A solid technique (and a healthy body) definitely helps to add artistic depth to a performance, ultimately, to transform a chain of exercises into a dance. So what is a good way to get a solid technique that is »automatic« enough that it doesn’t need all your focus all the time, and it also gives you the right body condition for the given genre? I used to think it’s just a matter of repeated practice in the studio, and while that is of course important, a lot can be done outside the studio too to train your muscles, ligaments and nerves. Some of these training methods are well known in the dance world, because they are great for preventing health problems and for recovering from injuries: Pilates, Gyrotonic, Floor Barre, Yoga, Alexander technique, Feldenkreis, Gaga (Batsheva), etc. Many famous dancers of the past decades used these methods, and top dancers of today also train with some of the well known trainers and therapists. Maybe you have heard about the »mother of dance medicine«, Marika Molnar who helped Makarova to prepare for some of her roles, or Peter Lewton-Brain from Monte Carlo who is a ballet master, osteopath and Pilates trainer, or Patrick Rump sport scientist working presently with many famous companies and dancers. So using the above mentioned methods to improve technique and artistic presentation is not at all a new concept, yet many dancers (including myself) don’t try them until they need to recover from an injury – well, I guess it’s better late then never. And there is another important part: preventing injuries. For many dancers, this is not only about artistic improvement or career, but it’s a financial decision as well, especially for freelancers and those colleagues who’s salary depends on the number of performances they have danced. They can not afford to go off at all. However, regardless of doing post-injury training or general conditioning, it is very important to find the right experts to train with. The local Pilates studio frequented by pregnant ladies may not be the best choice to get ready for a Nutcracker rampage or for an auditioning season. Or a physiotherapist who mainly fixes the sore necks of office workers may not know the most effective treatment for a »jumper’s knee«. Specialists who have lots of experience in training dancers, or were dancers themselves are usually the best choice. In my experience it helped me to work with a few different people (not at the same time!) to find out who is the best for me (which method, personality, atmosphere, workload, etc,). And as it is with medical doctors, each therapist and trainer has stronger and weaker knowledge in different fields. You may have worked with a therapist who could save your knee from the surgical knife, but for a chronic hip problem another person may be better. When I’m in doubt, I usually ask for a second opinion but I particularly like to work with Boglárka SimonHatala, who is a physiotherapist and the body awareness coach of our company (and the Forsythe Company as well). Getting a second opinion however is not so easy for all of us. I am lucky to be dancing in one of the few companies that has experienced therapists. So for

S T R O N G E R

L I F E S T Y L E me, getting a second opinion is a simple matter of knocking on a door, go in and ask. So I’m spoiled in this sense, however not all dancers have this possibility. Some of us don’t even have easy access to one therapist or trainer. And then comes the added difficulty of finding not just any therapist, but a good one. Then to get to them, because they tend to be busy. It really helps to know people (»what a surprise«) so sometimes my friends ask me if I can get them in touch with a specialist. Companies and schools are more and more interested to hire dance specialised health experts but not all companies can

afford this service. Seems like the most recognised dance courses and summer schools like ART of, the summer course of the Hungarian Dance Academy or Rosella Hightower School tend to offer more and more injury prevention classes to the participants in addition to the high quality dance classes and this shows a change in dance pedagogy as well. Unfortunately, the find-a-good-dancespecific-therapist part remains unsolved for many dancers. The great international organisations like IADMS, ADMR and TaMed already have discussions about this, but what can we do when we need

ating a »real person«, like us dancers often say, is not an easy task. As a dancer your work takes all your time and when you are finally free, it is on a weeknight when the only »real life« friends you have can’t go out. Where and when on earth are you supposed to meet someone outside of the sweaty ballet studio? It is not for nothing that most ballet couples met each other at work! However some of us managed to hook a non ballet partner. Those poor guys had no idea what they got themselves into.

advice immediately? Hopefully the digital age will answer this question in the future as more and more information is available online and the effectiveness of remote communication tools are rapidly improving (Skype, shared calendars, smartphones, mobile internet, etc). Milan Madar is a soloist dancer of the Semperoper Ballett Dresden, co-owner of Network Dance, husband and father of a one year old daughter. In his column he shares his experience, vision and opinion on various topics of the ballet world. Text: Milan Madar

H E L P !

GIRL FRIEND

Berlin Friedrichstadt Palast ballerina Charlie Peters and Boston Ballet dancer Caralin Curcio have non ballet, »real-world« boyfriends. Instead of asking them how it is to live with a man that does not share your passion and work related constraints we thought it would be more fun to sit down with their partners and see what they had to tell us. Charlie’s partner, Felix Euteneuer, is a master student of economics and engineering while Caralin’s, Sean McCreery, works for the Life Sciences Division of Thomson Reuters where he manages Academic and NonProfit Accounts for North America. You will agree with me that both of these gentlemen study and work in very distant fields of the ballet world. Jump*: Sean and Felix, how did you both meet your ladies? Sean: »We first saw each other at the gym, but didn’t talk. That same night we both happened to go over to a mutual

IS A Photo: Grischa Olizeg

friend’s place neither one of us had been before. We didn’t talk much, but ended up leaving at the same time – coincidentally we were both going to Atlantic City the following weekend and decided to meet up. We have been together for 5 years and 3 months now«. Felix: »3 years ago I spent 2 months in Dresden, Germany for an internship. My best friend, who is living in Dresden, was dating a girl from the same ballet company. They took me to a birthday party of one of the company members.

BA LL ERIN A!

JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 21

L I F E S T Y L E At the party she put up a fight across the whole table about the coffee I ordered. Love at first sight«. Jump*: Before dating your girlfriend, what image did you have of a ballerina? Felix: »Fairies, not walking but hovering at least 5 inches above the ground«. Sean: »I didn’t really know anything about ballet nor did I know any ballet dancers. It was a completely a different world. I wasn’t terribly interested in the Arts«. Jump*: What image do you have of a ballerina now? Sean: »It is one of the most challenging careers, extremely demanding and stressful where perfection is an expectation. I cannot think of a profession that demands more with such a lack of financial compensation«. Felix: »God… it´s tough work«! Jump*: Were you fans of ballet before meeting your girlfriends? Sean: »I didn’t really know too much about ballet before meeting my girlfriend and I had never been to a show. I didn’t even know that ballet was just music with no speaking«. Felix: »I had also never been to a ballet before meeting Charlie«. Jump*: What about now? Felix: »The first time my girlfriend took me to see a ballet I was absolutely impressed by what I saw. I admire the elegance and strength of the movements. The storyline, or if it is a modern or classical piece is of minor importance to me. It´s all about the movement«. Sean: »Now I really look forward to going to the performances. Knowing how much hard work she puts into it, it is great to see the pay-off. I also feel like I have a personal connection to the show, which makes it even more enjoyable«. Jump*: Sean, What is the biggest difference between dating a ballerina and dating a »normal« person? Sean: »Her lifestyle, from her diet, 22 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

to her sleep schedule, to her weekend plans. Everything is catered to her career and it has to be if she wants to be successful. Dating a ballerina definitely gave me bragging rights, not many people get to date a professional ballerina with an exceptionally fit body«. Jump*: What strikes you as unusual in her daily life? Sean: »Her diet! She has been on the paleo diet for over 3 years. As a former college athlete, a lot of her nightly activities such as rolling-out, stretching, icing, etc. don’t completely shock me, I know it needs to be done in order for her to perform at a high-level. Her lack of flexibility during the holidays (namely Thanksgiving & Christmas) is very unusual, but it makes sense considering this time of year is when the Ballet makes its money. She also never knows her weekly schedule until a few days in advance and almost every night she sews her ballet shoes«. Felix: »I will agree with Sean on all he said except on the food question, I find Charlie’s diet rather unusual! Most dancers I have met seem to be in love with sweets and junk food«. Jump*: How do you both adapt to her unusual schedule? Felix: »As a student I’m a little more flexible in planning my time so I can match our working hours. Plus, patience helps«. Sean: »It took me a while, at first I don’t think I appreciated how demanding her schedule was. I try to be helpful during shows especially during harder ballets such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker«. Jump*: Felix, how do you deal with her ballet specific problems? Felix: »I guess it helps a lot that I have been in a professional sport myself. When she says she’s exhausted, I know how she feels«. /Felix was a professional cyclist before devoting his time to his studies/. Jump*: How do you fit in with the

usual »only ballet« conversation and crowd? Felix: »Well, medicine students talk about medicine, bankers about money and engineers about the women they will never get. People talk about their professions, that was not unusual! More interesting was to see what happens when you put together a group of stage people. It is definitely no crowd for shy people«. Sean: »Some of her ballet friends have become very close friends of mine. One thing that has impressed me, is how intelligent each ballet dancer is, despite very different backgrounds. To do what they do on a daily basis is incredibly challenging from both a physical & psychological perspective, they have the skill set necessary to excel in any career. I can contribute to »only ballet« conversation at some levels, but my cell phone has become my best friend, I keep myself busy until the conversation topic changes…«. Jump*: What is are the best and worst things about having a ballerina girlfriend? Sean: »I would say that the best things about her is that she is the most dedicated, devoted, trustworthy girlfriend anyone can have, a very nice added plus is how beautiful & how great of shape she’s in«. Felix: »And on top of that, the late night after-performance food is always a plus«. Sean: »The worst would be that she is always tired, her unusual schedule and her lack of flexibility which makes it hard to make plans«. Felix: »For me it is waiting in front of the stage door, it really makes you feel like a groupie«. Thank you Sean and Felix for taking some time out of your busy schedules to answer our questions.

or all stage performers, makeup is an integral part of the process. Dancers are no exception. We asked make up professionals to share their tips, trade secrets and do’s and don’ts for your basic stage make up.

BASE

When using non-liquid foundation in a stick (the type used by all professionals) don’t forget to moisten your sponge, this way you will minimise strokes and unequal coverage. Also choose a colour as close to your skin tone as possible and if anything, a bit darker as stage lighting will lighten your skin tone. Do not forget to apply foundation to your neck and ears as well for a natural look. Make sure to blend it in well. Apply translucent powder with a dry brush over your foundation. This will help it hold better and you will not look shiny or worse, greasy on stage.

the line of your real eye lashes and shorten them if necessary. We recommend a liquid black eye liner with a felt tip instead of a pencil for a cleaner look. Apply a line following your lashes finishing in a wing shape. Add good quality mascara (you don’t want to skimp on good mascara as you want to avoid clumps and keep your lashes separated) on upper and lower lashes.

CHEEKS

Apply blush with a large brush right

depend on the ballet you will be dancing. We will for example use a brighter red for Don Quichotte while a contemporary ballet may call for more natural tones. Lining your lips in a slightly darker colour than your lipstick will give it a more natural look on stage. You have to be very careful with your choice of colour as overly dark lips can easily look ugly on stage. When in doubt go for a more natural colour. The main goal is to give your lips definition and to have them not blend in with your skin.

S T A G E

EYES

Use a flat short brush to apply a light (we usually use a light cream or a pearly white colour) eyeshadow right under your eyebrows and above your eye lashes. The same type of brush can be used to darken your eyebrows with a brown eye powder and give them more definition and shape but watch out, do not go crazy on your eyebrows! Use the same brown powder (no need to spend an insane amount of money on buying many different colours) to darken the crease of your eyelids. Make sure your brushes are always kept clean and dry, this will facilitate even application and avoid clumps of make up. False lashes help add depth to the eye, defining your features for your audience. When glueing on your fake eye lashes, make sure you follow

under your cheek bones. Think more of a linear movement than a circle as this will increase the definition of your face. We also like to apply blush right under your jaw line to add extra definition, so that under the strong lights your chin does not blend into your neck. If you are blonde then you will definitely want to add light brown powder on the roots of your hair surrounding your face once your hair is pulled back. If you don’t, your hair and forehead will blend into one and you might even look bald on stage!

LIPS

Use a primer for better adherence of your lipstick. The colour will really

FINISHING TOUCHES

Apply the same translucent powder again over your eyes and face to make sure sweat won’t make your make up run and to avoid any unwanted shine. You should vary the make up colours you use depending on the roles you will be dancing. The goal of make up is to accentuate the dancer’s features without overpowering her expressions. Heavy colourful costumes will ask for heavier make up than a leotard ballet. Make up is an important part of any dancer’s performance: it allows an audience to experience the subtlety of emotion that only the face can portray.

M A K E U P

JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 23

Photo: Costin Radu

G I DAVID DAWSON E L L E

orn in London, England, David Dawson

studied at the Royal Ballet School after which he joined the Royal Birmingham Ballet, followed by English National Ballet as a soloist and Dutch National Ballet before finally joining William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt. In 1997 he created his first ballet encouraged by Wayne Eagling then director of the Dutch National

Ballet

for

their

choreographic

workshop. This resulted in his first major creation for the same company in 2000, his acclaimed »A Million Kisses to my Skin«. From that moment on, David Dawson has been creating for the biggest names in the ballet world. He became the first british choreographer to create a piece for the illustrious Kirov Ballet which resulted in him being awarded Russia’s highest prize for visual Arts, the Golden Mask and between 2004 and 2012 he was the resident choreographer of the Dutch National Ballet, the Semperoper Ballett Dresden and the Royal Ballet of Flanders. 26 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

His latest creation, »The Human Seasons« commissioned by The Royal Ballet has seen him being described as one of the most talented British choreographers of our time. He has recently been appointed by Ted Brandsen as Associated Artist of the Dutch National Ballet from 2015

to 2020 and will thus enter a more intensive collaboration with the already well-known company for him creating more and also larger scale productions for the Amsterdan based company. His ballets are today statement pieces in all major companies

around the world and he never seizes to amaze audiences with his highly musical, emotional and unique choreographic language. Mr. Dawson kindly accepted to answer to our questions as we are eager to learn more about the man behind the choreographer.

David Dawson will premiere his second full length ballet »Tristan + Isolde« on the 15th of February 2015 in the Semperoper Dresden, Germany and will take on his position of Associated Artist beginning 2015 at the Dutch National Ballet.

DAVID DAWSON @ WORK Photo: Costin Radu JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 27

D A V I D D A W S O N Jump*: The New York Times described you with the following words, »Mr. Dawson shows his sophistication of craft, his eye for beauty and his ability to give ballet a contemporary resonance«. Would you see yourself as an artist, a creator, a craftsman or a combination of all these? D. Dawson: »I would describe myself firstly as a choreographer. Being an artist, creator and craftsman are all part of my work as a choreographer. I also think of myself as a teacher. I try to help a dancer find an emotional reason to move within my choreography, within the journey of a ballet. To polish the articulation and body architecture, and to help feel a sense of artistic freedom. To help understanding how to turn up the volume on their own unique qualities, be brave, and use their creativity as a living force - all to enable a more confident and direct connection with their art and their audience«.

G. Doepker, O. Klymyuk, Y. Takeshima, R. Coumes-Marquet, & K. Strong »The World According to US«

Jump*: Your life has been full of ups and downs, changes and movement. Is there a particular moment in your life which made the person you are today and/or who inspired you most? D. Dawson: »This would be a difficult choice to make. There have been so many moments that have made me the person I am today, both

28 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

as a professional and as a person. It includes a whole lifetime of experience and all the many amazing people I have met and learnt from along the way. To mention only a few names would mean I would omit so many. The day I discovered dance and every day since has been a gift of self discovery and belonging«. Jump*: Living in Berlin – working all over the world. Travelling became a part of your life. Is it possible to sustain a daily routine? What does your routine look like? D. Dawson: »When I am creating a new ballet my life is very simple; I wake very early with my mind focused on what I wish to achieve by the end of the day, then I go to the studio and process my ideas with the dancers. I enjoy working as many hours as I can so I can stay ‘in the zone’. Most days I am filled with excitement and hope, and I cannot wait to see the pictures in my head become a reality, but there are other days that can be hard too - when nothing seems to work the way I thought it would. When I have finished the rehearsal day I think about what happened and in which direction I should go next«.

to your work? Are there surprises on your playlist or is the music you listen to connected to music which might be interesting for choreographic aspects? D. Dawson: »I love and listen to all kinds of music. In fact, music is something I would find very difficult to live without. Classical, Retro, Electro, R&B, Pop - all have a way of making me feel an emotion - like miniature pictures or experiences of the human condition. If I need to open my mind and feel any particular emotion I use music. In recent years I have been working closely with composers on new original works, and because I am witness to the moment of the musical creation, this experience helps me to really connect to the score - it somehow becomes part of me«.

Jump*: Music is one of the most important parts of your work. What kind of music do you listen to unrelated

Jump*: The notion of Art has been used in many different environments and not always in its true form. How would you personally define Art? D. Dawson: »Art is human. It is the practice of elevating our mind, body and spirit to its highest point. I think of it as a portrait of the best we can be. Art holds a high position within our civilization because it is about creating rather than destroying. It has positive force. It is communication. It is the history of mankind«.

Photo: Costin Radu

Jump*: Everyone defines passion themselves. How would you describe your passion for dance and working with dance? Would you say that the passion for what you do makes your work harder? Do you have any other passions other than dance? D. Dawson: »My passion for dance relates directly to who I am. It is through dance that I identify myself to the world, and at the same time it is an intensely intimate relationship I have with myself. For me - passion means the idea of ‘work’ doesn’t really exist. It propels me forward and directs the curiosity I have for what is still yet to be achieved. My other

CHOREOGRAPHER passions include art of all kinds, my family - close and extended, reading, exploring different cultures«.

Jump*: Every company is different. Is it difficult to create for a company you have not worked with before and who has an individual style? D. Dawson: »Creating for dancers you know very well is a great experience. Over the years we begin to speak the same language and develop a deep understanding. We can be our true selves. Working with dancers you do not know can be all about discovering who they are and what they can do. In any creation in any company I would need dancers who want to go with me on the journey. When I go into the studio I always believe that the dancers can do anything and this helps me to explore ideas without limitations. I would need them to be hungry to explore their own artistry. To be open to learning«. Jump*: You have been choreographing since 1997 and got well known for your unique choreographic language. On the 9th of March 2008 was the premiere of »Giselle«, your first full length story ballet with the Semperoper Ballett Dresden and now on the 15th of February 2015 you will premiere »Tristan + Isolde« also with the Semperoper Ballet Dresden,

Photo: Marc Haegeman

two classical full length ballets. What is the challenge in staging these two full length stories and breaking the expected stereotypes creating something new in your personal language? D. Dawson: »These stories are about people. About relationships, choices, consequences. Love. I connect with them because I try to see myself in the characters. It is the human aspect of the story that interests me. I think every generation can retell these stories from their own perspective and make us think again about what they really mean. These are stories that are happening every day«. Jump*: Would you like to direct your own company and do you have any concrete plans leading up to this? D. Dawson: »Yes. One day I would like to direct my own company. But it would have to be the right place for me to be able to realise my vision. Until then - I am concentrating on creating and developing my own work«. Jump*: London, Amsterdam, St Petersburg, Dresden, Antwerp and many more - did you ever think you would be travelling and choreographing this much when you were young? D. Dawson: »All I knew was that I wanted dance in my life - since

then I have followed wherever it would take me«. Jump*: We spoke a lot about your past – but what about the future? How long do you see yourself as the brilliant choreographer you are today and what about your non-work related plans? D. Dawson: »I try to approach everyday as if it were the one that matters the most. Who knows what the future brings. I aim to continue my journey as a Choreographer«. Jump*: Your favourite designer, author and musician? D. Dawson: »As designers I particularly like Alexander McQueen, Victor & Rolf, Iris van Herpen, Nicolas Formichetti, and Yumiko of course! Umberto Eco, Haruki Murakami, Joseph Campbell, E.E Cummings, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Proust are my favourite authors and J. S. Bach, Chopin, The XX, R. Strauss, Scanner, Wagner, Kate Bush, Greg Haines, London Grammar, Sufjan Stevens, Gavin Bryars, Szymon Brzoska are my favourite musicians«. Jump*: What does David Dawson do during his rare free time? D. Dawson: »My man, and our dogs. I love to be in nature, walking in forests, being by the sea. Friends. Going to see exhibitions, performances. Travelling. And I love to cook«. JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 29

Igone de Jongh »day4«

Jump*: You have a vast amount of grand achievements, it would be hard to imagine there would be something missing? D. Dawson: »In my mind there is always the thought of the next creation- so in essence there is always something missing for me because I have yet to discover what that next creation will be, how I can push myself, what have I learnt, what do I want to say. It is a rare feeling for me to feel complete because there is always more to discover. It is a lifejourney«.

very class, rehearsal and performance has a silent witness, a person who’s infinite skill and attention is of the utmost importance to all dancers, ballet masters and choreographers. As dancers we often take them for granted, even if they take care of the most important part of our art, the music. A good pianist will inspire, motivate and elevate the dancer during his process towards the premiere and even during performances as many scores will require a pianist on or off stage. Yevgeny Feldmann is a man of that rare breed. For over 20 years he has been accompanying dancers and choreographers through all stages of their creative process. Does a pianist experience a choreographer and his pieces the same way as a dancer does? This is what we wanted to find out from Yevgeny Feldmann. He previously worked with the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet and today the Semperoper Ballett Dresden. From behind the piano he witnesseses exceptional moments of creation and rehearsal with the greatest names in ballet. He accompanied rehearsals of Ben Stevenson, Mats Ek, Tom Schilling, Glen Tetley, Uwe Scholz, Alexei Ratmansky and many more, he also played the piano parts in

their ballets when performed. Three choreographers left him with a very strong impression, John Neumeier, William Forsythe and David Dawson. John Neumeier - life seen through dance. »My first season with the Semperoper Ballett Dresden was immediately a very interesting one«, says Yevgeny Feldmann. »John Neumeier had a very close relationship with Dresden and came to create »L’Après Midi d’un Faune« as well as stage »Daphnis and Chloe« and »Le Sacre du Printemps«. From the first rehearsal I immediately understood that John Neumeier had an encyclopaedic knowledge, he is a man who never stops to develop and evolve. He worked directly from the scores of his ballets and this was not for his entourage or to seem important, he knew and understood every detail of the score. This was very impressive to me as I had, and still haven’t, met any other choreographer who masters that skill to the same extend as he does. It is very inspiring to see Mr. Neumeier in rehearsal. He highly values the dramaturgy of every aspect of his ballets, this attention later translates into an extremely harmonious composition of the entire ballet. He has a very personal and unique

way to explain his vision and concept to dancers. It is such a privilege to witness those moments. They are almost mystical in the way that he creates an aura involving everyone around him in order to translate his vision into words«. John Neumeier created his ballet »L’Après Midi d’un Faune« before he created »Nijinsky«, we asked Mr. Feldmann if one ballet was inspired from the other and if there were many similarities between both. »There were definitely similarities, the spirit of Nijinsky is omnipresent in both ballets. I think there is a perfume of Nijinsky in most of John Neumeier’s ballets. He has done more for Nijinsky’s memory than anyone else. This is not an easy task as Nijinsky is today not more well-known than he was in the early days of the »Ballets Russes«. Even if we did not witness Nijinsky’s performances, we know today much more if him than most of his contemporaries. Mr. Neumeier has played a considerable role in this. We should certainly not underestimate his contribution in preserving the and maintaining the memory of this exceptional artist. William Forsythe - an endless impulse. William Forsythe is a fountain of

DANCE AS SEEN FROM BEHIND THE PIANO 30 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

BEHIND THE PIANO

When Yevgeny Feldmann is not behind his piano, he spends his time painting, many of which are inspired by ballet such as an oil painting presented to John Neumeier depicting Puck’s entrance in his ballet »A Midsummer Night’s Dream«. Three of his paintings are now a part of the German State Art Collection. When you ask him what he wishes for the future, he simply answers that he hopes to keep being amazed by the exceptional people he is lucky enough to witness every day.

YVGENY FELDMANN

David Dawson - The Ecstasy of Motion. David Dawson has considerable importance for me as I played all the parts for piano in his ballets performed in Dresden, »A Sweet Spell of Oblivion« as well as Johan Sebastian Bach’s Piano Concerto n° 1 »A Million Kisses to my Skin«. When David Dawson came to create his full length story ballet »Giselle«, the first rehearsal was just with him, David Colemann, the conductor and me. It was exceptional to witness the very beginning of his creation process. Later in a recording studio of the opera house, I recorded his arranged version of that ballet. Over the past years in Dresden I recorded more then twenty hours of music and all ballet music. Such a close contact with ballet music and the artists bringing a piece to life certainly makes you see the world differently. David Dawson never does anything halfway. In rehearsal, what any other choreographer or ballet master would consider as being a final result is just a starting point for him. He has a very clear vision in mind, an ideal he will involve everyone in. This is a highly emotional process. Sometimes it seems that the principal dancers in a David Dawson ballet are super heroes, not only for translating David Dawson’s vision in to dance but also for being able to execute his demanding and infinitely delicate choreography. This exceptional choreographer is a master of climax and motion on the verge of ecstasy. Seemingly unrealistic lifts, delicate and extreme movements merge together in a fantastic dream creating an illusion of infinite ethereal beauty.

Photo: Matthias Creutziger

youth and energy. The repertoire of the Semperoper Ballett Dresden includes a vast amount of William Fortsythe’s work from different years. Even though his pieces are very different they all share a similarity, a cascade of motion forcing the audience to hold their breath until the very last second of the ballet. It is simply impossible to remain indifferent to Forsythe. His energy is translated in his ballets and is infectious to everyone around him, this from the first day of rehearsal. I really enjoy seeing our company (The Dresden Semperoper Ballett) rehearse and perform his pieces as our ensemble is not only filled by corps de ballet, soloists and principals but foremost by vibrant and interesting personalities who bring their own interpretation and flavour to the stage, thus enriching the overall harmony of a William Forsythe performance.

principal pianist

L I F E S T Y L E

othing like a good playlist to give you the energy to start your day.

Here is ours: * Happy, Pharrel Williams * We are Young, Fun * This World, Selah Sue * Undisclosed Desires, Muse * Take Back the Night, J. Timberlake * Lucky Strike, Maroon Five * City of Blinding Lights, U2 * Mermaid Motel, Lana Del Ray * Money On My Mind, Sam Smith * Holy Grail, Jay Z

tracks is an internet radio app you can download on your phone. With 8tracks you can do two things: listen to a mix, or create one. You can choose a playlist made by an 8tracks user by inserting keywords describing your mood or what you want to listen to. For example, type in »wake me up + chilled + jazz« and you will get a choice of playlists corresponding to your demand. A great way to discover new artists and genres! Free, available for apple and android devices.

t WarmYX dancewear we believe that comfortable, quality clothing is essential in assisting you throughout your career. Each piece is hand manufactured from start to finish by one person, using textiles of the highest standard. This is our guarantee that your WarmYX product is unique & to the highest quality. w w w . w a r m y x . c o m 32 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

Start your Day with a Smile!

Wake‘up this Way

»... it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking«. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

The good way to wake up refreshed is to go early to bed. When you wake up take a deep breath of fresh air. When you wake up don’t roll over and think, take time to be mindful of all of the good things in your life. Drink water when you get up. Do exercises every morning - yoga, pilates, stretching. Start your day with a good song. Take a cold shower to Wake’up easier. Eat a good, healthy breakfast. Smile.

D A N C E

The

Art

very year the city of Houston hosts the world’s most renowned dancers in a festival showcasing the best of dance around the world. Dance Salad is not just another gala with an endless accumulation of pas de deux. These carefully curated and manicured performances are best compared to an art gallery, featuring the best that dance has to offer. Dance Salad is to the dancer what a famous New York Art gallery is to the painter, a place to showcase your art in the best of surroundings.

Nancy Henderek, Producer, Director, Founder of Dance Salad Festival (in the organization of the Houston International Dance Coalition), has created the concept of Dance Salad Festival in 1992. She has produced, directed and co-choreographed the first three Dance Salad Festival productions in Brussels, Belgium. When she moved back to Houston, she brought the »Salad« with her, making Houston a city where you can see great contemporary international dance. As founder and artistic director of Dance Salad Festival, Nancy Henderek regularly attends top

international dance festivals, presenter conferences and individual dance companies to select each year’s program. She often features a company or choreographer who has never been seen before in the U.S. She prefers the hands-on approach and actually selects each piece of choreography, rather than the company, to organize the performances into an exciting full festival week filled with Artist-to Artist Workshops, a Choreographers’ Forum and Student Concert. Nancy Henderek also works tirelessly with each artistic director to excerpt evening-length works into a manageable piece for the festival mixed rep program. »I am more of a curator of dance than a presenter of touring companies«, she explains. Most of dancers come only to perform in Dance Salad Festival, then return to their home countries. »I enjoy the creative part of putting it all together most of all and of working with the individual choreographers«. Nancy Henderek not only travels the world, but also has lived in various different countries, such as Italy, Lebanon, Sweden, Germany, France, Belgium and Hong Kong. In Houston, she has danced and performed for the Houston Grand Opera and has taught dance in several local high schools and colleges. This year, she is presenting the 20th Annual Festival. The Dance Salad Festival has just been voted city’s Best Arts Festival 2011 by a major Houston newspaper Nancy Henderek was kind enough to take some time in her busy schedule and answer our questions. Jump*: What were the biggest problems you encountered when organising the festival for the first time? N. Henderek: The first Dance Salad was created in Brussels, Belgium, when I was the Choreographer in

Dance

Residence at the International School. I decided to put on a »show« with professionals in the community that I knew through different Dance Studios and Dance companies in Belgium. Dance Salad was born with 3 shows and 3 years later, I moved to Houston and started this festival here. Jump*: What is your main goal by organising Dance Salad Festival? N. Henderek: Dance Salad Festival is where we can give and share art and what it brings to people, the key

HOUSTON CI T Y

NANCY HENDEREK Photo: Mark Lipczynski

Gallery

S A L A D

Photo: Jump*

is the curation of each piece by piece to achieve, a whole, like a recipe or an art exhibit, where each ingredient is part of the picture and performance curates itself. Jump*: Your husband is very present at your side, what is his role in the organisational process? N. Henderek: Michael helps with the financial side of managing the Festival and is also indispensable during a very demanding production week and takes care of many hands on assignments from feeding a crew and cast to organising receptions and cast parties. JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 33

D A N C E

S A L A D

Jump*: Are there any projects that you are working on or would like to create in the future other than, or parallel to Dance Salad Festival? N. Henderek: Not right now, too busy with Dance Salad Festival. Jump*: How would you define Art? N. Henderek: Art is a formal extension or product of the need to express in many forms. Any feeling that is human is a part of the very human art form of dance. Jump*:You live in Houston, why did you choose your own city to organise an international dance festival? N. Henderek: We moved to Houston after my husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job was transferred back to the USA from Brussels, and my job at the international school also finished. Houston is a very dynamic city for art expression of all forms. Dance Salad Festival has been welcomed in Houston because this is a very international place with 95 Foreign National Consuls in residence. Houston also has big communities of people with international backgrounds. An international dance festival fits well in Houston.

Choreography: D. Dawson Courtney Richardson & Rapael Coumes-Marquet

Photo: Costin Radu

Jump*: Who are the most important people in your life? N. Henderek: My family, friends and professional colleagues. Xing Liang CCDC Photo: Ringo Chan

Choreography: Itzik Galili Alicia Amatriain & Jason Reilly

DANCE SALAD FESTIVAL April 2, 3, & 4, 2015 Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30pm Wortham Center, Cullen Theater 501 Texas Ave. Houston, Texas 34 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

Photo: Stuttgart Ballet

A M ER ICA N GI R L

I N T E R V I E W

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36 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

S A R A H

Semperoper Ballett Dreden

Photo: Michael Parmelee

H A Y

I N T E R V I E W

hen you meet Sarah Hay you are immediately struck by her unique style (she is a big fan of 1960’s-70’s fashion) and enthusiastic personality. She quickly tells us about her childhood growing up with two siblings, an older brother who is now an opera singer and an older sister who is a lawyer. Her parents both psychologists, decided to have Sarah Hay audition for the School of American ballet when she decided she wanted to become a dancer. »Ballet school was my mothers choice because we wanted to try to bring me to the best school closest to us. SAB had the most prestigious reputation so we thought it would be the best option. I started there when I just had my 8th birthday. My grandmother was living close to the school so I spent a lot of time with her. School was never easy for me. I have a very vivid imagination and sometimes I couldn’t focus. In ballet school I was not the most popular girl at all and it was hard because in regular academic school I had many friends and was very happy. When I attended the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis school at American ballet theatre I began to really enjoy ballet school to the fullest. I was also treated very differently by the other students«. She worked in several companies before finding her match: »The first time I heard about Semperoper Ballett was through a ballet master setting »In the middle somewhat elevated« by William Forsythe. She felt I wasn’t being appreciated and told me to look into workshops in Europe that focus on the Forsythe technique. I knew it was time for a change in my life so I came alone and found a program here in dresden. I auditioned and got a contract and decided to stay. Timing is everything«. She has excelled in all styles thrown at her and has danced through 38 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

all the ranks of the company. »Some of the most important roles I have danced here would include the principal from Balanchine’s »Emeralds«. Also the role of »Cinderella« in Stijn Celis’ production. It was the first modern piece I ever danced and it was extremely tough for me. I am very proud I was able to pull it off and learn so much from the experience. Being involved in the revival of William Forsythe’s »Neu Suite« is very special to me because I was taught by the original cast of the piece. One of my favourite roles I have danced is Swanhilda in Balanchine’s »Coppelia«. When I was a child I danced with the New York City ballet in the production and it was so fun being part of that. Dancing it as an adult was just as exciting for me. It has a lot of comedy in it and making people laugh when I’m on stage is one of my favourite things to do«. Like all dancers she has had many uncanny moments on stage, but her most memorable one was an improvised variation in »The Nutcracker«, »My second year in the company, I danced Marie in »The Nutcracker«, my partner injured himself in the beginning of ‘waltz of the flowers’ and I was left to improvise the rest of the piece. It was a little terrifying, to say the least. It turned out just fine, but it is something I will never forget.”! Dancing in Dresden has given her the opportunity to dance and work with legends of the ballet world. »I love having Cynthia Harvey as a coach when she comes to guest ballet master with us. She was one of my childhood idols and because I trained at ABT I somehow feel connected to her. On top of teaching technique she is also great with coaching grace and femininity. Another person would be William Forsythe. He is the most innovative person I’ve ever worked with and brings out the most

creativity in you. I learned more about improvisation and moving through space in one hour with him than in my entire training and professional career. We are very fortunate to work with him so often as the information I’ve received has changed my dancing forever«. But even if she has already danced a wide and very different array of works, she wants to continue broadening her horizon dancing more dramatically challenging roles, »Something where I am fully challenged in my stage acting and can really show my strengths in a character«. For her, accessing her emotions comes more easily to her than other dancers. She will use music that will match a feeling and emotion in the character she will portray on stage to, in her words, have the emotion pour out. She is a highly emotional person and sees this as a blessing but also as a curse. If her music taste, preparing a role, will be in accordance to the emotions she is looking to portray, her personal music choice is very eclectic: »I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks especially Wes Anderson and Quentin Tarantino movies as well as French films from the 1960’s. Brigitte Bardot is one of my favourites. I really love »new wave« and spent most of my teens listening to the Velvet Underground, David Bowie, and the Cure«. She has managed to flawlessly balance two careers over the past year, travelling between Dresden and New York. Is acting something she wants to pursue: »For sure. I feel the most connected to myself while acting and am constantly challenged. It would be a dream to continue doing it in the future. It’s the perfect career for someone who is as emotional as I. I also have dreams to work with charities in Sub-Saharan Africa. They have the highest prevalence of childhood blindness in the world.

To start another organisation to help these children would be another job I would love to have«. Sarah Hay has studied and lived in New York for the biggest part of her life, even if she has lived abroad for a few years now, she still qualifies herself as being a New yorker through and through: »You have to live in New York for a certain amount of time to really be a New Yorker. Living in New York is always stereotyped as being hectic but I find that it’s calming. I like chaos as I find that it actually helps me calm down. Silence makes me nervous so the buzz of a big city has always felt at home for me. Once you really know the city and have places that you go to regularly all the chaos starts to disappear and you can really enjoy the excitement of being there. I live in Bushwick, Brooklyn where it’s a little more quiet. A lot of my favourite places in New York are right near my apartment in Brooklyn. One being Miles, a bar that

plays amazing records and has free Mac and cheese Monday’s«. She is a dancer that is not scared of breaking down borders and not limiting herself to the ballet world, this is even clearer when talking about her future: »My future could go so many ways as of right now. After I’m done dancing I hope to live in California or New York and continue being a part of the artist community. Maybe working with kids or charities. Many of my idols have used their abilities in the arts to help others. That is something I really hope for: to use my knowledge to help other people. Honestly, I see myself living in an earth ship somewhere sunny, having adopted children, and being happy«. Her advice for young dancers: »Focus on the things that make you special. Don’t focus on what makes you unhappy or you will always be one step away from succeeding«.

SARAH HAY will perform in Alexander Ekman’s »Cacti« »Nordic Lights « June 2015.

In conversation At the same time as dancing

with

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Photo: Serge Ligtenberg

Jirí

with Jiri Kylian.

the master of

Dancer

dance and in an

uninhibited

conversation

with him, Jiri Kylian shared his

István Simon

view on dance, the world of today and above all his work.

I N T E R V I E W

here is a very famous portrait of you holding a white mask, why did you choose to be photographed with this mask in particular? It is a Venetian mask representing death. The mask originates from a time where the Black Death, the pest, was present in Venice. Many Venetians perished because of it. The only certainty we have today is »Death«? No! Life AND Death. You are alive and you know that you will irrefutably die. It is the only thing that you can rely on, the rest is just a big question mark. This is one reason for posing with that mask. The other one is that a mask is a very liberating thing. When someone wears a mask he will dare to do things he usually wouldn’t, this is why the christian church allowed people the freedom to have a carnival, they would be able to do all kinds of foolish things, all the things they wouldn’t do in the daylight. Things they would only do with another face. This is why they were allowed to wear masks,… the origin of theatre. Does a mask symbolise theatre in your opinion? Masks can of course symbolise theatre but it is foremost the fantasy and ability of becoming someone else which is after all the most beautiful thing in theatre and any other art form. The mask symbolises in my opinion the ability of becoming someone or something else. This is a beautiful thing as we all have our own personal dislikes, »I hate my nose«, »I don’t like my chin« and so on. But when putting on a mask I can look however I want! This is such a wonderful thing. We have talked about death and life, these are topics that often come back in your ballets. But love also takes a very important place in your pieces. Every piece I have ever created is about love and death, but I often forget it is about life, love and death. It is a triangle, it is not about love or death or life, it is a culmination of those three elements. It is very strange, there was a great literary scientist who lived in Germany, his name was Marcel Reich-Ranicki, he was from polish-jewish origins and died just recently. I didn’t even know he died! He was really one of the greatest experts in literature in it’s broadest sense. I

recently read his last interview in which he said: »You know, all those writers writing about this and that and all kind of stories, it is unbelievable what is possible to be said in literature. But if you scratch away all the nonsense, it’s all about love and death. Basta«! I am glad that I am not the only one with this opinion. Love has after all a lot to do with life. Yes, but I don’t only mean love in a strictly romantic sense, or love in an erotic sense but love in the broad sense of the term. Love for anything, the love for dance, theatre, art, hell,… I don’t care what makes your heart tick, what interests you, it makes you an alive human being. This is my understanding of love, a very, very complex thing with multiple understandings and interpretations. When you hear, love at first sight, what is your reaction? Did you ever fall in love at first sight? I did. At least I am pretty sure I did, I find it hard to know if I did. Have you? What do you think this saying really means? Is it an illusion or an immediate deeper connection that a human being feels for another? You know, sometimes it doesn’t have anything to do with the person or object you see. Sometimes it’s just you. Sometimes you find yourself in that kind of vulnerable moment in your life and it can be a certain person but it could also be someone else. It is because you are ready and are receptive to love. This is what I think. But sometimes it is very different. There are people and objects that have a certain charisma that will be compatible to yours, this is something I can’t describe… It is very unique, it will be sufficient to feel and not even see a person or object like this. I can feel a person or object with a charisma like that from a distance… I am very receptive and at the same time also very vulnerable to this. On a rare occasion when at an exhibition, I will go through the gallery and be attracted to piece of art without even seeing it. I will feel the power and charisma it radiates. I will turn and then realise that something is speaking to me in a language I will understand. It is a complicated thing… It is impossible to translate in to words, it is almost a metaphysical experience.

You have made your first steps as a choreographer in Stuttgart, the company at that time seems to me like the mecca for the now greatest choreographers of our time. Why is it that that the company made so many exceptional choreographers? It was John Cranko. He was a renaissance person with infinite knowledge. He was a very intelligent and intellectual man. He read a lot, had many different fields of interest and was open to all art forms. He was a real magnet for talent, a remarkable man. If I didn’t know that you were a choreographer living in our present time, I would think you would be a Medici or a great patron of the arts. I don’t know if this comes to me subconsciously thinking of your work or your approach and vision of theatre. It might also just be the beard! I will kill you one of these days! The renaissance was a great period for the arts, many closed doors during the Middle Ages were opened during this period. I am very flattered that you compare me to someone of that particular era. It was the time when different areas in the arts would influence and feed each other. Just think of all the great personalities of the renaissance, Leonardo DaVinci, a Medici,… they were polyhistors, people with a vast knowledge. They practically knew everything that was possible to know at that time. Today this is absolutely impossible! The last polyhistor wax Leibniz in the WVIII century. Nowadays, we only know tiny little facets of knowledge. Our knowledge has evolved so much that if for example a specialist in biology will only know a particular field of biology. This applies to all fields of our world. We have become fully interdependent. I made a film in which I use a pyramid made of my own furniture of the apartment I was born in. I could use the furniture as my mother who turned hundred could not live alone anymore and therefore did not need it anymore. There is a person climbing the furniture pyramid naked, all very symbolic. It is old, dark and very scary belle époque furniture. I was talking to people about it and I said, »You know what this JANUARY 2015 | Jump* | 41

J I R I

K Y L I A N

represents? Can you imagine how many people looked at this furniture? How many people sat on those chairs? How many people opened that cupboard«? Hundreds and hundreds of people have something to do with this furniture. When you look at the table, you will notice that it has little bronze feet. Do you know how many people contributed to that tiny foot of bronze? Someone had to discover the main Africa or South America, they had to dig a hole, people had to climb in there, get the rock out, melt the rock, retrieve the liquid of that bronze, sell it after which it came in the hands of the artisan who made it to those little feet for my mother’s table. There were hundreds of people involved in making that tiny thing. And it is relatively simple! Do you know how many people were involved in making a mobile phone like ours? People from

the entire earth! The problem we face today is that we operate things while we ignore how they actually function. In Renaissance times, people would operate things they could understand. Speaking of technology, do you prefer to read an e-book or a traditional printed book? I read very little and when I read, I prefer a real book. I like to have the sensation of the pages in my hand, the smell of the paper with ink… I am very old-fashioned when it comes to these things. Coming back to your beard as I know this is your favourite subject, in 42 | Jump* | JANUARY 2015

the XXI st century, not many people wear beards. Especially not in the dance world. Not many dancers have beards, however many choreographers do. Do you see a reason for this? It gives you authority. I will tell you a story about a beard. I was having breakfast with Maurice Bejart in a hotel in Tokyo and I said to him, »Maurice! Your beard is blue!« and he said, »Oh yes? Shit! I bought this little bottle in the shop over there and I painted it a little bit. I was sure it was black«. It was actually blue… so I asked him, »Why do you paint it anyway?« to which he answered, »You know, the problem is that my hair is really black but my beard is turning grey, so people ask me, why do you dye your hair? So I dye my beard so that everybody leaves me in peace«. You know what, Balanchine didn’t have a beard, Robbins did but Cranko didn’t, he tried once but it didn’t stick, it kept itching him! MacMillan never had a beard, neither did Roland Petit and I’m pretty sure Pina Bausch never had one either. Maybe it is something of the younger generation then. I don’t know the philosophy behind it but it is one thing that can change your Photo: Balázs Lajti face. You can do something about your hair and beard, you can also do a lot of things to your nose, chin, ears,… but that will cost you a lot of money and a lot of pain. You know, dance is an art form that has the potential of attracting many other forms of art. It is very import for dance and will add an immense amount of beauty to it. I think that the next big step for dance is to take it out of the four walls of the theatre and to bring it to galleries, museums, all locations, take it to new and unexpected places. It is happening more and more but is very important. This is happening with

many different art forms as well but still less with dance. Why do you think that is? The problem of dance, the historic problem of dance is that it is the most underdeveloped art form. This is because we have no record of dance. Everything else is recorded. Literature is older, so is music, sculpture, paintings and architecture. By older I mean that the recording of them are older. The oldest form of art is dance. It is even older than music or literature and is the most personal and unique art form, but the tragedy of all this is that we have no record of how they danced. This makes us continually reinvent dance. Another problem is that dance has always been forced to be instantly successful. Let me explain, if I am a composer and I want to say something that people will not understand today, but might in fifty years, I write my score and put it in a drawer. But if I want, in the traditional sense, choreograph a piece that I think people might not understand right now, it is not possible. Dance is only for the present and never for the future. At least now you can make a recording but I am talking about the traditional way. For example, in the XVII, XVIII and XIX century you had to make an instant success. It was impossible to create something so avant-garde in dance that the audience would not understand and hope that it will be understandable in a hundred years. This is a big handicap for dance that does not exist for paintings, music and literature. As there are no recordings, how do you think a ballet survived for over a hundred years such as all big classical repertoire pieces? They haven’t survived. Over the centuries they have radically changed. They didn’t survive. If we would see the original Sylphides, Swan Lake or Nutcracker, we would be chocked. Totally unrecognisable. Did you ever want to recreate a classical ballet with your own vocabulary? Never. Do you wish to tell your own stories? I’m not particularly a storyteller, I prefer to write my own poetry. Text: Istvan Simon

HELLERAU c en t er fo r t he a rt s .

In t h e u n f rien dly ec on o mic c limat e o f tod a y m a ny com panies an d t h eatres are f orc ed t o th in k »mo n ey« be f ore cutting edge art . A p iec e h as t o sell an d th erefo re h a s t o be eas i ly acce ssible, as well as a saf e gamb le t o att ra c t a va s t audience even if t h is mean s t h at rep ert oire c h o ic e s wi l l be m ade fr om a fin an c ial p oin t o f view b ef ore an arti s t i c one .

n the 29th of May 1913, Serge Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes presented the world premiere of »The Rite of Spring« choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky on specially composed music by Igor Stravinsky in the prestigious Champs Elysees Theatre in Paris. This piece was so ground breaking and the music without precedent that the ballet caused a never before seen uproar in the audience, resulting in a riot. Much later in Germany, Rudolph Laban, Kurt Joos and Mary Wigman were at the base of European Modern Dance creating a clear departure from anything the dance world had seen before. These are

just two examples from a vast pool of dance revolutionaries and revolutions of the past century that have made our art evolve. Has our increased access to media and constant connectivity stopped us from being able to be surprised or shocked as an audience? Have we seen it all or has dance presented to us become safe and predictable? With governments butchering culture funding, theatres are now obliged to look at their institution as a way to make profit before making art evolve by taking risks and not playing it safe. A ballet has to sell and and a crowd pleaser like »The Nutcracker« will guarantee a box office success. Shouldn’t it be the role of an opera house to, as well as keeping their history alive, be a vehicle towards the evolution of art? Many smaller institutions other than the main national opera houses still commit to their mission of making art evolve, taking risks and bringing completely new and cutting edge pieces to the audience at the risk of not having a sold out audience or bad press reviews. One of these houses is located in the German town of Hellerau. The HELLERAU centre for the Arts has become the place for cutting edge dance. After an eventful history being situated

in East Germany, in the 1990s the site was brought back to life through art. HELLERAU has since become one of the most important interdisciplinary centres for contemporary arts in Germany. It is home to contemporary dance, musical theatre, contemporary classical music, theatre, performance art, the fine arts and new media, as well as a place for reflection on art and culture. The internationally renowned Forsythe Company has been the company in residence there since 2005. Since April 2009 performances have been held at the Festival Theatre all year round. Along with its partner organisations on the grounds, the European Centre for the Arts has been working on creating an ‘arts workspace’ in HELLERAU. This is a place where people experiment with art, test out art, present art. In all these enterprises, contemporary dance has top priority. It is of course more than important that the bigger budget opera houses keep dance history alive but isn’t it equally important to make our art form evolve? Keeping it relevant for future generations and not just a thing of the past? Thankfully places like HELLERAU have become dance laboratories making it their mission to push our art forward regardless of administrative obligations.

Photo: Carola Arndt

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aster of movement William Forsythe has revolutionised the world of dance in every aspect. He has redefined the boundaries between all forms of art, creating pieces drawing not only from classical dance, but also from spoken theatre, film, paintings and inanimate objects. His creations are not only restrained to the stage but also to museums, factories, and unexpected spaces in which he redefines the notion of a performance.

His last achievement in the Saxon State Museum, Lipsiusbau in Dresden, Germany does not include dancers but breathes movement in every sense of the term.

In every piece of choreography, the audience sees not only the work of the choreographer, but also of the dancer. The choreography is a set and fixed pattern, a grid or roadmap to be followed but the dancer will put his own very personal mark on the choreography. This is done to the extent that a piece might look totally different danced by one dancer or another. Every piece interpreted by a different dancer will change, and bear his or her distinct mark depending on their own personality, physical abilities and artistic sensibility. As we are human and by nature different from each other, our perception and interpretation of a certain piece will be different. In how far does this apply to moving objects? Can there be an interpretation of movement in mechanised objects? Can a moving object create the same emotion as a dancing human being? This is one of the questions tackled by William Forsythe in his exhibition â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Flagsâ&#x20AC;?. Two giant flags, both animated by their own robotic arm in a defined movement fill the main hall of the Lipsiusbau. The robotic arm repeats the same pattern but the movement of the flag is always different depending on the amount of people in the room, your angle of observation and height of vision. You observe the installation in the same way you would be observing a ballet, there is no resting point, no place to set your eye other than a continuous movement. The sound of the flag moving, its majestic choreography and sheer size leaves you mesmerised. In the same way the dancer owns and makes his own imprint on choreography, the flagsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; robotic arm moving in a set pattern creates an organic being free from any robotic constraint. The movement becomes human and the flag seems to have a mind of its own, an interpretation of an otherwise fixed pattern.

This exhibition also contains two video works of the choreographer where object and human body interact, as well as inanimate objects becoming choreographic subjects.

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