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Versión Española
After a great career as a dancer at ABT, you got married, had a child and settled in England where you started coaching and teaching. How was this like? Are you still doing it?
Coaching and teaching is much more difficult than performing. You don’t have the escape of losing yourself in the performance, and I get just as nervous teaching. I try to learn all the student names when I teach. I love working with young students who are serious about the work. I love seeing the surprise and satisfaction of their accomplishment, based on a correction I have given. I try to keep in touch with some and note their progress. When you have been helped in this career, I believe it is nice to give back.
But I have been unable to teach for the Royal Ballet School in the past two years because of all my other outside commitments anyway I keep in touch by attending their competitions, speaking to Gailene Stock often and being in contact with a few of the teachers there.
You know very well one of the Spanish greatest dancers, Ángel Corella. What are your memories about him joining ABT and his progression there?
I remember quite clearly his first appearances. He danced the peasant pas de deux in Giselle to my performance of Giselle and I kept thinking how I wish I was not so old! I retired two years after he arrived with a year off in between and saw how he became more polished in that one year after his arrival. He has and it was evident then, such a natural joy to move. You are born with that-it isn’t just coordination but dynamics. Michael Jackson had it, Misha had it, Julio had it and Angel has it.
What do you think about Ángel creating a classical ballet company these times and in a country like Spain?
I think it is a wonderful thing. He and his family are being very selfless in their quest to keep the talent IN Spain. He won’t find it easy and a certain amount of naivety will challenge him in this quest but I believe he will eventually have a strong company provided that the self interest of others do not hinder his prospects and that he can get the financial backing that he needs.
C.M.: You also participated as jury when he made auditions for his company. How has the experience been?
C.H.: Yes, I did participate in the auditions. It was a marvellous opportunity to see the level of ballet in España.
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With Mihail Barhysnikov in Swan Lake
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And how did you find it (the level) to be?
The level that came to audition was very high. I remember all of us sitting there astounded. We did not think that the process of choosing could take so long. YES, there were many very young and inexperienced student/dancers auditioning but there were also many people wishing to be seen from other companies. There were probably one third Spaniard and the rest from all over the world.
Can you tell us about feelings you and the team participating on that experienced because of being part of such a special project?
When I was there at that audition, I became quite excited at the prospect of working on something from the start-on the ground up- to help build it. We could see the potential for this was fantastic. Unfortunately for me, I could not simply arrive to Spain with no true guarantee that the company would be stable as I have a family to consider-a child who had only been moved one year before from one school to another and my husband who would not be home much due to his work. I still owe it to my child to be a mother to him and a full time job at that stage was really not possible for me.
Have you had the opportunity to attend any performance of CB?
Yes, I attended the first performances held within the walls of the palacio.
And what do you think about that pre-première of the brand new company? The repertoire, the performance in such a difficult stage and environment (sooo cold!!), your feelings, ….
The first performance at the old palace in that summer in July was exciting to witness. Yes it was cold but you saw how well the company looked. The repertoire suited them very well and I have to say that the Bruch Violin Concerto looked as good as I have ever seen it. In the Upper Room needed a little more time but I believe it must be perfect by now!
I assume you know the three dancers coming from RB: Tracy Jones, Toby Mallit and Russell Ducker who also has had the opportunity to be choreographer at CB, do you keep in touch with them? Do you follow their progression here in Spain?
I do keep in touch with several of the dancers that I know in that company aside from those you mention – I know Yoko Callegari and several others from America too whom I taught on and off in various courses. Tracy Jones I taught at the Royal Ballet School one autumn term and summer and Toby I have known since he was young in East Anglia where he hails. I taught him in his scholarship days in Ipswich. I don’t know Russel so well.
How has it been about you to be here at this very first Sitges Classical Dance contest?
C.H.: I was in Reus in March of this year to teach for the competition Rosetta Mauri. I met Lolita and she contacted me later to ask if I was available and would I consider being president of the jury.
Oh yes, Reus too…. do you know/like Catalunya?
I have been to Barcelona twice and wish I knew it better.
Here most of politics, people in charge of cultural aspects and even some dance people think that Catalunya/Barcelona should be more for contemporary, which in fact it is. What do you think?
Why put limitations on dance? If there is a talent, a director, patrons or funding at a decent level….if there is a love for ballet or flamenco or contemporary dance- my feeling is that it should be welcomed.
How have you found the level here at this contest?
C.H.: As this is the first year and I believe there needs more word of mouth or public relations, the standard is mixed. Still there is potential that we can see.
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As Kitri in Don Quijote
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Misha, is now touring with Ana Laguna. Have you seen them performing? Would/Do you like to do it too?
I have not seen Misha perform this particular tour. I saw him two summers ago in New York and it was, as always a pleasure to see someone who understands the essence of this form.
Maybe this is a bit similar to what you said about Twyla Tarp and one can know the answer but what do you think about very innovative choreographers such as McGregor being nominated as resident choreographers in companies like the Royal Ballet? I mean some people say that this is not good for classical dancers as the way of dancing is so different that this can lead to loose quality of movement or even to face some injuries.
I believe that Wayne Mc Gregor is perfectly capable of creating dance on bodies that does not injure artistes. The difficulty lies in the dancers being used tend to be the same dancers everyone wants. Often with time limitations, rather than seek out, perhaps, a newer talent, everyone wants to use the artistes that are already doing so much. This is the case when a choreographer comes to choose dancers for his ballets and watches performances. He/she tend to see the same dancers on stage over and over again, so, those are the ones that he too will pick. It is unfortunate that they cannot watch class, rehearsals and performances for a month before deciding on who they want. Therefore, those same dancers are overworked. It is rare that a ballet director will put his or her dancers careers on the line in dangerous choreographies.
What would be a good advice to give to these young dancers dreaming about being professional ballet dancers nowadays
Learn as much as you can. Learn how to make the difficult look easy. Learn the differences between what is beautiful and what is not. Absorb everything to do with dance, with art, with music. Love what you must do every day- like and respect yourself-work diligently- be honest with yourself. Don’t be afraid.
That is an enormous amount of advice…!!
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