The world’s most celebrated dancer is coming to Australia in a program by the world’s most celebrated choreographers, writes Karen van Ulzen.
Sylvie Guillem’s official website is not what you expect. Instead of photos and videos of the dancer, the home page bears the cover of a book by Paul Watson, the environmental activist and recent captain of the anti-whaling vessel, the Sea Shepherd. “We urge you to read this book!”, is the caption.
It turns out that Guillem is passionate about the environment, as I discover during our phone interview for this article. She launches into a heartfelt speech about the dangers to our oceans as soon as I mention the subject – so passionate that I begin to worry that I won’t be able to steer her away to the reason for the interview – her visit to Australia.
This ballerina has always had more to her than her phenomenal technique. Throughout her career she has been admired for her intelligence, her assertiveness and her adventurousness. She has charted an unconventional path through the ballet world, striking out as a freelancer, taking control over her choice of repertoire and artistic collaborators, and on the way earning herself the reputation of being a “rebel”, for being difficult, for supposedly having “dumped” classical ballet for the contemporary repertoire, and seeing her dubbed “Mademoiselle Non”.
This is an edited extract from a full article in the Feb/Mar issue of Dance Australia. OUT NOW!