Get The Pointe: Welcome to Singapore Dance Theatre, Jorma. It's a privilege for SDT to work on your choreography. Can you tell us a bit more about “Glow-Stop”? Jorma Elo: “Glow-Stop” is one of the bigger ballets I've created. There are 12 dancers and they dance on pointe. It was originally choreographed for the American Ballet Theatre and was the indirect fulfillment of one of my childhood dreams. As a young dancer, I aspired to perform with the Company. Being able to create a work for the dancers of American Ballet Theatre later in life, as a choreographer, reminds me of the power of dreaming and allowing life to let it happen, not necessarily in the most evident and obvious way.
GTP: How long did it take you to create “Glow-Stop”?
JE: It was a five-week process. American Ballet Theatre has a star status in the industry and the dancers are like celebrities. During the gestation phase of the work, I collaborated with great dancers like Julie Kent, Marcelo Gomes, and Herman Cornejo. “Glow-Stop” is a group dance and I worked with the dancers without first knowing how it would turn out in the end. I always hope that the audience will use their imagination and be touched by the dance.
GTP: Do tell us why you used music by Mozart and Philip Glass?
JE: I've always been very fond of the pieces of music that were used for “Glow-Stop”. Mozart's work contrasts beautifully with Philip Glass's pieces, and create a very musical experience for the audience. Both composers produce very cleverly structured, almost architectural works. They are from different time periods and the juxtaposition of the dynamics is truly remarkable. Mozart's music is very bubbly and champagne-like, thus framing the element of ‘Glow', while Glass's piece has a driving and pulsating beat that seems to move the dance to its eventually end, thus forming the ‘Stop' component to my choreography.
GTP: What do you think of the critics' view of “Glow-Stop”?
JE: I haven't really read what has been written about “Glow-Stop”. I feel that it is important to be connected to my own feelings and not read what others have to say. This grounding in what I want to express with my choreography is crucial because it is very easy to be confused by what the people on the outside say. Dance is an interesting art form. The tastes of audiences and critics differ from America to Europe , and people change their minds constantly. Dance is often connected to trends. For instance, in the 70s, it was popular to fuse politics with ballet. In Scandinavia , there was commentary on the working class versus the rich weaved into the choreography. In Africa , apartheid was an issue that dance-makers explored in their works. It was considered really cool to make such statements then. Then, in the 80s, such ideals all but disappeared from the choreography of that decade. By the 90s, you would be deemed uncool and outdated if you still tried to mix propoganda with dance.
GTP: What inspires your choreography?
JE: Music usually comes first in my creative process. Also, what is preoccupying my thoughts at any given time. I listen mainly to classical music, but have also choreographed to Eminem's rap songs. I've recently watched some music videos by Justin Timberlake.
GTP: Does that mean you are open to working with celebrities on your dance pieces? With Hollywood 's recent successes with musicals, have you ever thought of being involved in movies?
JE: I have thought of making a movie with a dance theme. I think it's good to continue dreaming even though my dreams are tinged with a greater sense of reality as I get older. Having said that, I would love to work with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in a movie about dance. In fact, Jennifer Garner came to my premiere of “In On Blue”, which was performed by the Boston Ballet.
GTP: What is the driving force behind your continued practice of the art of choreography?
JE: I feel very lucky to be able to work with fantastic dancers. Dancers like to make new things. Aside from being part of the re-staging of prior repertoire, they love to have new pieces made specially for them. Whenever I am feeling down, the energy of the dancers motivate me to keep going. I encourage dancers to participate in the process of creating new works, so it is very much a partnership.
GTP: You have been the resident choreographer for Boston Ballet since 2005. What does this collaboration mean for you?
JE: It has been a great arrangement for me. The affiliation with Boston Ballet provides me with the perfect balance of stability and flexibility. It's like a gift from heaven.
GTP: What has it been like for you observing class and rehearsals with the Singapore Dance Theatre dancers?
JE: It's really sweaty in the studio! I'm watching the dancers rehearse “Giselle In The Park” and it is interesting to see the wilis (female ghosts) sweating in the studio even though they are not supposed to since they are not human! Apart from that, I really like the way the rehearsals here are almost like an actual performance. Maybe it is the Asian culture, which requires presentation, even during a rehearsal, to be done in a very nice manner. In the West, rehearsals are more raw, and the dancers only bring it on and show their best during the performances.
I'm also amazed how little difference there is between the SDT dancers and the dancers I am familiar with back in the United States . Any of these dancers could go to Boston Ballet tomorrow and feel right at home. They're really good dancers.
GTP: Can I be very bold and ask if you would consider doing a commission for SDT? What conditions are most conducive to your creative process?
JE: I would love to do a new work for Singapore Dance Theatre. It would be very interesting to do a performance in the park. I try not to be too influenced by anything specific to start with when I am creating a new work. If I am commissioned to do something in a new city , I may take a month to visit the museums to kick-start my creative juices. The process usually starts the moment I step into the studio and meet with the dancers. I think it is important to communicate with people who are involved in the creative process. I may have good ideas in my mind but if I do not convey them accurately, and the dancers do not understand them, then the work may change and evolve accordingly. I prefer to collaborate with dancers so that the ownership of the final work is mutual. I do not mind if it is not the original plan I had in my mind in the first place. I allow the dancers to take a trip with my ideas, as long as it is a trip that I enjoy as well.
GTP: Is there anything that is distinctly Finnish about your work?
JE: Well, inevitably, some of the characteristic Finnish gloom may creep into my creations. But just as there is winter in the four seasons, there is also spring. I have lived and worked in other countries so my creations are no longer purely inspired by the country that I was born in.
GTP: What are some of the key hurdles that you have faced in the creative process?
JE: Some of the common problems are injuries sustained by dancers, which can affect the progress of the rehearsals, and scheduling conflicts due to various factors. Deadlines may be oppressive for some but I find them quite invigorating. It is like an adrenalin shot to the heart that can push me to complete a work. I love the process of making something new, attacking the music and coming up with the moves. It is rewarding and it is very difficult but it excites me.
Continuum is performed by Singapore Dance Theatre on 13 & 14 June 2008 at the Esplanade Theatre during the Singapore Arts Festival. Tickets at $30, $40, $50, $60, and $80 are now available through SISTIC (Hotline: 6348-5555). |
