 |
"PUSH", Guillem & Maliphant they dazzle Madrid · · · · · by Jesús Vallinas
Today's living legend of the dance world, Sylvie Guillem, landed in Madrid in the company of Russell Maliphant to bring us “PUSH”, a Sadler's Wells production that has been received during the last two years with great acclaim all across Europe. This performance allows us to contemplate this sacred goddess of dance, perhaps for the last time on the stage of such a venue as the Teatro Real. As choreographer, Maliphant uses great intelligence combined with sublime delicacy in placing all those choreographic elements at the disposal of such an unbelievably marvellous body. From the show's overall concept, conceived as a succession of solos and duets where he himself is credibly portrayed as the pedestal and supporting element, all the way to the lighting which creates an almost one-dimensional atmosphere accentuating the aloneness of the dancers, he transmits the kind of loneliness that could be understood as a kind of mystical exclusivity, of privilege, of prayer uttered before a living sculpture that is the artist herself. Daughter of Jeannine—a physical education and gymnastics teacher—and granddaughter of Pilar Guillem, young Sylvie was already a child prodigy before ever taking her first class. Despite her legendary shyness, she began to express herself through movement in response to an inner urging. As she has said, it was not the gymnastics training that made her strong and flexible, but rather it was her own body that compelled her to compete and later go into dance. Today's performance demonstrated how true it is that it does not matter what she dances. To watch her is to behold a kind of leap forward in the evolutionary process, an advancement where the slightest gesture becomes a thing of beauty. |
 |
 |
The qualities seen in other great ballerinas that come as a result of hard work and long hours, of which there are never enough, are in her simply the result of her special physique which has enabled her to absorb and assimilate from the best possible team at the most opportune moment in time—under the tutelage of Rudolf Nureyev at the Paris Opera Ballet—all those things that, even in a lifetime, are beyond the reach of any other dancer simply due to natural limitations. The ensuing result is a mythological figure in whom we see a confluence of the aesthetic dreams of the most elevated tradition and the reinvigorating energy of contemporary choreographic creations that, like this piece, have found their inspiration in her. Sylvie speaks about Nureyev as one of the great figures in the renewal of classical dance that, as yet, is unsurpassed. Creators such as him are not born very often. Ballet has indeed evolved over time, but it happens slowly as it gleans from the events that take place around it and take advantage of new tendencies that lend greater fluidity and fresh ideas to the narrative of movement. In that respect, “PUSH” is a drawing near to the relationship shared by two people by means of a different language, subtle, intimate and elegant with a modern accent. For her it has been a training ground for something new as well as something emotionally stimulating. The good relationship that she enjoyed with Maliphant during the process has permitted them to work out a kind of dialogue between their distinct experiences as dancers, which according to both of them, has been a very rewarding experience…. “When you dance with the choreographer, there is a direct connection. You respond to what he is feeling. Nothing gets lost in the translation—it's as if you are able to speak his language.” |
This process of learning new things is a constant in her life ever since, as a great star with the Paris Opera Ballet, she was forced to “exile herself in order to have the freedom to stay true to herself.” Sylvie has danced all the important classical roles and now seeks other movement “languages” that will allow her to keep on expressing herself. The muse of both Bejart and Nureyev, the inspiration for William Forsythe's demanding and difficult “In the Middle Somewhat Elevated”, she has found in Russell Maliphant that breath of the fresh air of encouragement to climb back into the skin of a learner and work in terrain that has yet to be explored. This is not the first project they have worked on together. In September of 2004 she had already danced a solo and a trio with Michael Nunn and William Trevitt in a piece called “Broken Fall” that became a hit at the Sadler's Wells. Her creative disquiet has carried her to the point of even placing her signature on the solo “Classical Instinct”, an evocation by Mary Wigman, which premiered in The Hague in 1998. This and her own version of “Giselle”, which opened at the Helsinki Opera in 2000, have been her only experiences as a choreographer which she considers to be an experimental process that she may or may not continue with. “A choreographer is someone who feels the need to say something and just can't get around it. I don't have that same need; what I want to do, for the time being, is dance.” |  |
 |
In the near future Sylvie will once again be back in Spain , joined by Akram Khan, in the performance of “Sacred Monster” at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona . Yet another occasion, and they are always unique, to experience a reencounter with this living legend and confirm once again that she is a palpable reality. The stage does not matter nor does the number of times one might have seen her perform: any excuse is good enough to justify coming back to experience the presence of the muse. About the photos in this report One of Guillem's peculiarities is the absolute control she exercises with regards to her image. She does not allow anyone to photograph her in her performances and always requires that she be the one to oversee the photographic content that is published. This is something that I share and totally understand since now, with the enormous proliferation of piracy, the ease of making copies and manipulating pictures, and thousands of supposedly bona fide publications that do not show any respect for copyrights, the image of many artists has been affected adversely both on the internet as well as in the traditional printed press. For this reason, it makes me very happy to be the only one to have published photos of her stays in Spain, beginning with that legendary performance in the Centro Cultural de la Villa in 1994, and published in the El Pais newspaper, among others. I am equally pleased on this occasion to be able to show a portion of my work which she herself hand picked. The pictures that you are seeing are those selected personally by Ms Sylvie Guillem at her hotel on April 2, 2007. |
If dance photography is the motor that drives my life, and there is no one on the world's stages that represents perfection and beauty like Sylvie, then you will understand why I could feel proud of the fact that she has bestowed upon my ephemeral existence that feeling of being something special. As the partner of photographer Gilles Tapie and an amateur of photography herself (besides being acquainted with and admired by the best in the profession), she more than anyone has given me the true dimension of courage and stick-to-itiveness necessary in this profession that I so love. And for this same reason, since it is what brings meaning to my life experience, never will I be able to adequately express my thanks to her for being who she is, for giving me the reason to keep on seeking all that she represents, and for having treated me with the kind of respect that on other occasions I miss so dearly. By fotoescena © 2007 Jesús Vallinas Do you like to say something?...you can do it here (Spanish forum) |  |
 |
|
 |
© 2007 all rights reserved |
| Contact us for any inquiry or suggestion |
|
|