*24th Cyprus Contemporary Dance Festival: The choreographies of Philippe Saire, “Hocus Pocus” (for young audiences) and “Vacuum,” will be staged at Rialto Theatre on Wednesday, June 7, at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. 77777745. (Free transportation from Nicosia).
Acclaimed Swiss choreographer, Philippe Saire, believes that the main function of a piece of dance should be to “unlock” the imagination.
Born in Algeria and raised in Lausanne, Saire created his own dance company in 1986 – Compagnie Philippe Saire – which went on to develop its own creative repertoire and actively contributed to the emergence of contemporary dance across Switzerland.
Since then, they have created 30 productions with over 1800 performances in 200 cities across Europe, Africa, America, and Asia.
The award-winning choreographer and dance educator has developed a method that combines text and movement and has shown a particular interest in the use of visual arts, with his works often characterised by a note of “darkness.”
Throughout his career, Saire was awarded with multiple prizes and distinctions (Grand Prix – Fondation Vaudoise, Prix d’auteur du Conseil Général de Seine- Saint-Denis, Swiss Dance & Choreography Prize). Since 2003 Philippe Saire has been teaching movement at the Manufacture, a theatre school in French-speaking Switzerland.
He opens the curtain for the 24th Cyprus Contemporary Dance Festival with “Hocus Pocus” and “Vacuum,” two works that focus on the interaction of bodies, the power of imagery, and the play of “appearance and disappearance” through two parallel neon tubes. The two duets utilise the same set but have different aims, as “Hocus Pocus” is one of the few contemporary dance works intended for a young audience. With “Vacuum,” the version for adults, Philippe Saire further explores the visual elements of movement.
Interview with Yiorgos Savvinides.
What is the starting point for a choreography?
For me, the two shows presented in Cyprus, are an idea of a scenography. And the two pieces were born from that, with different contexts, one entirely free, for Vacuum, and another with a more specific context, for children, for Hocus Pocus.
Does art also abhor a vacuum, as does nature?
It’s almost an existential question… I can’t speak for art in general, but for Vacuum and Hocus, it’s clear that everything starts from a vacuum, and that everything is created from there, from this black hole from which all actions are born.
What is the essence of life and art, in your opinion?
A big question… For me, everything is linked, and, in a nutshell, it’s through art that I’ve found meaning in my life.
So I have a biased point of view, and I can’t imagine a life that isn’t nourished by the artistic field. It would be a kind of elevation of thought that would be missing, in my opinion of course.
What drew you to dance as a form of expression?
Pure chance. I don’t come from a cultural background at all. It was when I took a dance class at the age of 19 and a half, that I realised that dance could be for me. It gave me a sense of fulfilment.
Should a piece of dance function to primarily excite the imagination or be a reflection of it?
For me, it should open up the imagination, and not be an image of it. It’s the active part of the spectator that I’m trying to arouse.
What do you consider your greatest achievement to date?
Keeping motivated and curious all these years. And to have a need for creative renewal.
What is the main feature you prefer in a choreography?
I’m very sensitive to the invention of movement, but also to the dramaturgy of the piece. And I have a visceral need for it to speak about something, even if with dance, the subject can remain rather remote. But you can feel when it exists or not.
Can you imagine a choreographic work that does not make use of the visual arts?
Of course, I can. I can totally imagine a dance piece that works solely on movement.
Are trust and artistic complicity with the dancers a prerequisite for you?
Yes, for me it’s essential. I’m the initiator of the piece, but then we have to be able to create it together. Because this sharing will be richer than if I were directing everything, and also because I want the dancers to make the piece their own, to make it their own.
Do you think there should be more modern dance works aimed at young audiences?
Yes, I think that children’s imaginations are bigger, and that dance can really respond to that. What’s more, the fact that they have access to dance from an early age will also generate a greater sensitivity to dance, and also a future audience.
