You worked together with famous American innovators in New York in the 70s, people like Trisha Brown. To what extent do you feel the "weight" of their effect after all these years?
I was fortunate because I could work as a young dancer during that famous period. It was a great privilege to dance in New York with such innovators. But I would not want to compare myself and my current work to them. After all, we are all products of our own experiences and lives.
Your "post-modern" creative method is much freer and is very different from what a good part of the Hungarian dancers have grown up with, especially the generation of Hedvig Fekete, who is one of the participants in the production. Has this caused any difficulty in your collaboration?
I grew up on the same methods as she did. During my late adolescence, I received ballet training, just like Hédi. So I know the difference between the two creative mentalities. In the academic world, the choreographer tells the dancers what to do and they have to follow instructions precisely. A contemporary performer is not only allowed to seek new paths during the work but also helps the contemporary choreographer by doing so. This does not mean that I do not like precise and clear-cut work but the contemporary choreographer must have the patience to find the optimal form and then elaborate on it.
You first worked in Hungary in 1992. What differences can you see between professional levels then and now?
I can only talk about what I saw and see now around me. And the differences are not so much in professional but more in psychological terms. When I first taught in Budapest the students were afraid of me, they gave me respect as a teacher but we had few free interpersonal links. This has changed now and the atmosphere is more relaxed and direct. This also shows on the posture of the dancers, which interests me a lot. As a choreographer, I am more interested in their behaviour on stage than the actual dance movements.
Do you see differences between contemporary dancers in New York and Budapest?
Hardly any. Dancers have a more resolute and strongly focused posture here. Americans are more laid-back and relaxed. Not only as dancers, but also in their everyday appearance. But actually, this is a very similar world now, no matter where you go.
One of the pieces for the performance was made in New York, two years ago. Could you tell us something about "Repair"?
This is a duet, but it is really about a single person: the solo of an extravagant personality and from time to time, I interfere in it, help her break out of the given process.
And what about the new premiere, "Glimpse", to show at the Trafó?
When I first came over on this invitation in the summer, I brought nothing prepared from home. I thought we do not know each other well enough to base a work on it, so let's just start dancing together and something will develop as it needs to. We all prepared some moves and taught them to each other. We worked over three periods, for a total of five weeks. Only today two American dancers arrived who will participate in the piece, so we'll have one week together. The structure is now taking shape from various motives and whatever the dancers "bring with themselves" needs to be incorporated into my own world. And what is my own world like? I am a permanent emigrant, as if I was never precisely in my place. But only by a tiny bit, which is hardly noticeable...
Interviewer: Katalin Lőrinc
Photo: Trafó
