Once the show for students ended we had time to talk to Catherine while we had lunch in a nice restaurant close to the theatre..

Carolina Masjuan- IT dansa has grown up to currently become one of the most successful initiatives. Some time ago the media commented about the possibility to create a neoclassical dance company in Catalonia that you would manage, what is on about this?

Catherine Allard- It is true that it was mentioned, but this is in stand by for the time being. After 10 years with IT dansa this would clearly be the appropriate next step and furthermore IT dansa would be a good reserve of dancers, but we have to wait for the most suitable moment for this to be done and maybe it has not arrived yet. 

CM –Talking about IT dansa and the auditions. How does it work? Do you have many dancers wanting to join?

CA - At the beginning there always were open auditions, now we only call for an audition if there aren’t enough dancers from the Institute of the Theater, but for male dancers we always have to call for one. We have had a great increase of candidates, now there can be about 250 dancers and among them about 35 would be boys

CM - Have you had any desertion?

CA - It is not usual, we have a very low percentage. Some times they leave because of an injury or because they do not have the will of sacrifice one has to have in this profession or we had the case of a boy who was looking for quick fame and he went to try in musicals. 

CM –You never have presented a ballet on pointe. Why?

CA - I would have liked it very much and I’m looking forward to being able to do so one day. I find it very beautiful when it is well done. But this is what happens that we need to have all the elements to be able to make a good on pointe work. We need appropriate dancers, with a solid base. I’m responsible for them and I have not to forget that if they are not very well prepared they can be injuried. But I’m still looking for the opportunity to do so.

CM - How do you select choreographers?

CA - They send us their materials or we know them and ask for according to our needs on that moment. We have a repertoire of well known choreographers and give a chance to new ones, some of them former ex It dansa members as for instance Nora Sitges, who will premiere her first work at El Mercat in May. We got that Alex Ekman, a very acclaimed young choreographer who worked with Gerald Tibbs, the NDT2 manager, created a piece for us, “WHIM Fractured Fairytale”, we premiered at the Barcelona summer festival Grec 2007. What interests me more in a choreographer for IT dansa is he having a rich movement, musicality, fantasy, and, over all, he has to be patient to teach the young dancer to understand how he/she can help the choreographer, make him/her see what can he/she bring to the piece.

CM – What do you think about Spain having a classical company?

CA –It would be great if well done. There are very good dancers that if they came back they could create one. But it must also be a good corps and that is reached by means of a school. Classical dance is very nice but it has to be perfect, if the Barcelona Opera House, the Liceu, would invest in a company it would be great, but by now what they do is to bring good companies, with quality. We also have some projects with Lluis Pascual for the Liceu and also one focussed to families that I hope they can be confirmed soon. Anyway, I think that a classical company fits more in Madrid than in Barcelona, here a Repertoire Company would be more appropriate.

CM - What about you as a dancer?

CA –Well I have offered myself the gift to be again dancing on stage. I have not done my farewell as a dancer yet and I have surmounted fear and found time to dance again. The opportunity aroused with the offer of painter and set designer Frederic Amat for the “Festival de Música Sacra de Cuenca”. It was with the piece with choreography by Jordi Cortés, “The seven capital sins” based in the last work of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. I’m one of the sisters, of course the dancer, who represents the passionate woman dominated by her primary instincts. It has been very interesting and I’m very satisfied to have accepted. It was a great success in Cuenca and also in the Arriaga and it is foreseen to represent it at El Escorial and in the Festival of Porta Ferrada, next August 12 with singer Ute Lemper. I learned a lot with this encounter, it is a collaboration between artists of different disciplines that has nourished me in many aspects and when back to my work with dancers I’ve felt that it has also been very good for them as I’m able now to bring much more. A painter world is quite different and also is his vision, it has been a challenge to get that stage of empathy with all the artists but we got it and a very special climate was created. It’s a piece where each minus detail has been carefully treated in a shared taste for perfection. It has been an incredible experience.

CM - Don’t you think that in dance in Spain there is a lack of active participation to solve problems?

CA - Yes, in general in Spain there is a lack of respect and unity, although in these last years we are making progresses. For instance the “Associació de Profesionals de la Dansa de Catalunya” are moving things and making an important work of assessment to the dancers. Also at political level there is more support and communication. The problem is that sometimes they try to respond to all demands and that can affect on quality. But the first responsible for this situation are artists because they have to fight to make things with quality. It is not worthy to take profit of money to make something easy and some times this is the trend. Or you see that there is a good idea but it is not enough developed. There is a lack of rigour, a creator has to study all aspects in depth. There is a trend to improvise but you only can allow yourself to do this when you have worked the basis, you have control of the space. It is like technique, you have to have it and with a strong knowledge, if you are an artist, you will get that this pirouette you master, is a way of expression. On the other hand in Barcelona they remain with a sole vision of dance, which is valid, but it’s not the only one, more variety is necessary. This is why I think that this city deserve a repertoire company.  In Madrid, with three companies of different styles there is room for everybody. Here we have many artists of different disciplines who are out because they have no choice

CM - Do you think that it is necessary a law for the scenic arts?

CA –Absolutely, dancers work should be regulated as they are workers devoting lots of hours to their job and they are not enough appreciated. A dancer uses to be a nomad and when he finishes his/her career it is difficult for him/her to find his/her place. In most countries this is solved by means of special measures and without the extreme to retire at 40, it other formulas must be found for them to be able to keep on working in other dance related fields or whatever. I also think that it is absolutely needed to review the patronage law for people or societies to get more fiscal advantages when economically supporting culture and arts.

CM - Are you still in contact with Duato? Is there a creative or professional relationship between the CND and the Institut del Teatre?

CA - Yes, we keep a very fluid relationship, many dancers auditioning for the CND2 if there is no room for them there they are recommended to us and also if we know about somebody that could fit there we steer them to audition for the CND2. We have choreographies from Nacho in our repertory and when we stage them he tries, as far as he can, to be in a rehearsal. We do not compete at all..

CM - In contemporary dance creators can shine but not many dancers, do contemporary dancers have to resign to the anonymity?  Don’t you think that this can negatively affect on the success of the productions? (I’m thinking about the appeal of great names...)

CA - There are some punctual cases of dancers that stand out, because they are who inspire the choreographer, as Ana Laguna muse of Mats Ek, or because they are given more outstanding roles, but it is true that in general all is more uniform.  I do not believe that this can damage dance. Contemporary audience does more follow a choreographer or a company rather than a star, what they look for is the general quality of the show. The trend nowadays is to create a name, to set up a marketing campaign and to sell the figure. I’m thinking about cases like OT for instance and if the content is nearly nothing this leads to frustration, there is a loss of integrity and self-respect. All this is false and very negative for the young people. One has to get a “name” because of a well done work, with a quality guaranteeing it behind and once one has got it, if one takes profit of his name to sell, then it can be valid, as Nacho Duato did.

CM - Catalonia/Rest of Spain: Does the local government interfere to your work? Have you noticed any nationalist pressure?

CA - No, they ask me to take dancers from the Institut but in this organization there are dancers from all over Spain and I have no pressure to hire the catalans. It is clear and normal that the priority is the Institut, a part from this, all the rest doesn’t matter, I have complete freedom and what interests me more is the potential I see in a dancer, his/her possibilities of future.

CM –As a mother, how do you see that a dancer combines her family and professional life? Is it easier now than when you were dancing?

CA –It is more or less the same, it is very difficult, but also in other jobs and if one wishes to do it, it can be done.

CM –And our usual question? Do you read fotoescena?

CA –Yes, I read the articles of the magazine but I haven’t entered in the forum yet.

It’s time to leave, she has an interview for TV and IT dansa will be performing again for schools in the afternoon. It has been a pleasure to talk to her and to know a bit more about that so interesting initiative she manages. We will be attentive about future performances of “The seven capital sins” and we will keep on informing about. One can not miss the opportunity to see her again on stage.

Thank you very much, Catherine.

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