Went to an AMAZING talk at the Mint in the CDB area in Sydney. It was a one hour talk but I got there late - after a rather flustered attempt to locate the Mint. Interesting that the talk was held in the Mint - an old financial institution where money was minted in Sydney. An apt description of my life - housed in the financial industry but driven by an artistic/humanistic core. I also ran into the NSW library on my way to this talk to ask for directions. It was a huge impressive building and when I went thru the huge iron doors it took my breath away. It was one of the most gorgeous and light-drenched spaces I have seen. It was gorgeous and beautiful and deeply inspiring. The librarian gave me directions to the Mint and off I went.
When I arrive Duato was deep in conversation. There were some great questions asked and the facilitator knew his work well. That helped. Some very astute observations/comments that Duato made in his talk that deeply resonated with me:
1. Dancers are not just dancers. I am not just looking for people who can move. But individuals with a certain world-wide, psyche and philosophy. How they approach their dance is really a reflection of how they approach the world. Since I cannot determine this in an audition per se - I invite them to come for a few classes and I watch them. I want to work with a family of dancers who I respect.
2. American dance is a bit naive - the artist never has the chance to really explore the work deeply. It is all very much constrained by box-office considerations. In that way my company is lucky we are government sponsored/supported.
3. My company has no stars. I can afford to do that with contemporary work. But with classical work - one needs stars because the technique/training is incredibly rigorous and it takes many many years of training, performing and working on stage. And things are therefore far more expensive to stage.
4. When I pick a music for my piece I know it inside out. I research the composer and I know each subtle hint/nuance in the music. Some pieces for me evoke jasmine and orange. And I tell my dancers to dance as if they are in a space filled with jasmine and orange. I only create a dance when I LOVE the music. Otherwise I cannot create.
5. When I use text in my work - it is interwoven with movement. Dancing with voice. I use ancient Spanish of Pueblo Nehruda and I don't translate cos' I think it is just words that weave in and out of my dance. Translating it changes its feeling, energy.
6. I am a terrible teacher - I cannot imagine having to teach little kids and others. My assistant does all of that teaching. I create and choreograph. That is what I do best.
7. At some point in your artistic journey you need to stop researching. You need to say STOP. You need to look solely within for inspiration and translate that into a dance piece. Constant external stimulation and after a certain point can be counterproductive.
8. I am not religious but I use alot of religious music as I find it incredibly beautiful and deeply uplifting.
9. It is incredibly exhausting to do two NEW works every year. Finding new images and new inspiration and new materials is not that easy in your 18th year of your dance company. So I am deeply exhausted.
10. Someone asked would you consider moving to Australia and staring a new company - new ideas, new inspiration? No, I don't have the energy to start all over again in another company.
11. As far as funding is concerned I understand that dance funding is less important than say medical or other basic needs that a govt has to meet.
12. When asked if dance is anyway limited in its ability to respond to today's challenges facing the world - re: environment, poverty etc, I agree - I think sometimes I think why am I doing all this dance work. Is it frivolous? How does it address some of the deeper issues that humankind is facing. Who am I am as a human being beyond being a choreographer? I do think about these issues. But no easy answers.
Finally the talk ended with the facilitator asking him about the pendant that Nacho Duato wears. On his pendant it is inscribed "Scatter Joy" - is this his life motto? To this Duato said yes that is what he tried to achieve with his work.
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