You’ve had an extraordinary career. Reflecting on it, how has your focus in relation to dance shifted over time, and what valuable lessons have you learned along the way?
“Through my experience my relationship with dance hasn’t really changed. Dance is a very broad territory. But my relationship with art in general has changed a lot.
Throughout my years of working in this field, the main thing that keeps on changing, and that is very positive, is that I’ve learned you just need to trust yourself. You just need to trust even the most insignificant idea or thought you have. We are so used to criticizing ourselves and not trust ourselves. Often, this creates a barrier, an obstacle when creating or when trying to understand or create your own language. The more you trust even the most foolish and insignificant idea. If you realize that because it appeared in your mind, there must be a reason for it. Trust it, work on it, have faith in it. Try to find why the thought is there. This is already a big task and very demanding, but I think this is the way to create.
I love working with rules and limitations when I’m creating a universe. The more I work, the more I understand that when I rely on the dancers and others, the process gets illuminated. Sometimes I try to control everything, but then the dancers come in with their personalities and artistry and it enriches everything. The more I work, the more I can trust that. And let them, allow them to enrich the work and the material itself.
I’m lucky that my works are still touring, [name piece] from 2014 is still being performed now and it gives me the opportunity to revisit it again and to understand the flow and give more responsibility and space to the dancers. It’s always evolving, like a living organism. This process also teaches me how to trust. Myself and others.”
In your creative process as a choreographer, where do you place your primary focus?
“Every time is different, because the concept is different. The main element is the gaze and the way the performers are relating to each other and to the audience. For me, this is the key to enter a universe or another idea. The way that is working for me in the studio, is that sometimes I have a feeling that I understand what the dancers are thinking, that I
understand their intentions and emotions. Sometimes I can really follow their path, an
imaginary path of what they’re doing and why. And then I understand what they are truly
doing. Then I understand that their movement is a consequence of an intention, a
relationship, or a gaze in space, rather than ‘just’ the movement or the body being the key to enter. The gaze is the key for me, the intention is to be understood, and hopefully the movement will be a consequence. A result of that. When I’m in the studio and I admire the movement, or it’s just arms and legs moving, I understand something is not working, because my imagination is not occupied with the people on stage, or the composition in space. When I’m lured by the gaze of the dancers, I know I’m on the right path.
Many people tell me I’m a minimalist, or that my movements are minimalistic. I don’t feel that way about my movement language. The small movements, this minimal outcome, is the result of my constant effort to find the gaze. So when the movement is bigger than the intention, I can’t find the intention. So in my effort to find the gaze, and the intentions, the relationships and connections (to me as well), I need to tune down and to blur the
movements, to make sure the eyes have a leading role. I’m not aiming for repetition, but even if I tell myself I want to venture into another path with bigger movements, I change my mind half-way through. I come back to this search for the gaze and the intention.”
What has your approach been to starting a new creation process in NDT? What excites or interests you the most?
“I start with a new, personal, or fleeting idea. Something that doesn’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end. For Ties Unseen I’ve been influenced by the idea of pomegranates. You have this hard skin on the outside, which can look a bit dull and uneven. But when you open it, you have all these bright colors and seeds. Hidden compartments. It’s like a compressed society. The seeds are beautiful and it’s like a miracle, a treasure. This condensed, compressed society has been on my mind for this new project. I’ve also been influenced by Byzantian paintings with crowd gatherings, groups of people having the same goal or focus. But also the work of Hieronymus Bosch has inspired me a lot. Small spaces, with a lot of people piling up who all have the same intention or the same task, has been the main idea for Ties Unseen.
I’m trying to resist myself to compose the space, I’m trying to keep everything contained and limited.”
What qualities do you value most in a dancer today?
“We can’t and shouldn’t deny the value of technique. This allows us to move and to explore. But for me, however, in a world where the arts are fusing with each other more and more, and with my persistence to find the gaze, I’m always looking for dancers that truly understand intention. As if we’re approaching dance from the angle of drama and acting. Sometimes dancers tell me that they want to first learn ‘the steps’ and then add ‘the imagination’, but for me it doesn’t work that way. The quality of the movement I’m looking for will never be there because if you learn the steps first, the movement doesn't come from the right place. It becomes superficial. You first need to understand the intention and the story first, like an actor. You need to understand why you move, who you are in the universe we’re creating, what you are in space, and in relation to whom. This defines my vocabulary and what makes a difference to me as a choreographer.”
Finally, what advice would you offer to young dancers entering the field today?
“In general, I feel like young artists or dancers today aren’t really optimistic or hopeful about their chances in the dance field. They feel the pressure of not being able to truly add something, to have an original thought that defines them and separates them from the rest. I would say, relax, you don’t need to add anything in this world. Everything has already been done and described. Trying to be a pioneer will only hold you back. It is the biggest obstacle. Instead, focus on the endless effort of trying to be personal. Ignore the aesthetics, the trends, what the market wants. Go inside and find what’s really personal to you. It’s not easy, but discover what’s already inside of you and let it out. Understand, feel it, trust it. And pour it into your art.”
Christos' new work for ND1 "Ties Unseen" will be livestreamed alongside "Vanishing Twin" by Jirì Kyliàn and "Clowns" by Hofesh Shechter as part of the program "Architecture of the Invisible", on September 26, 27 and 28.
For more information and tickets, visit the following link: https://www.ndt.nl/en/stream-ndt1-2024/
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