NEXT
GENERATION
4 BALLETS—3 WORLD PREMIERES
Interview with Heather
Myers
Questions for Heather Myers about her new work
for Boston Ballet:
What is the title of the
piece?
There isn't a title yet.
Can you give a brief description of the
work?
Stylistically, I would consider the piece contemporary ballet. It
is abstract but definitely contains recognizable forms and moments.
It is to music by Schubert.
How many dancers perform in the piece?
How many men? How many women?
It is made up of 3 couples (3 men 3 women).
What is the set like for the piece?
Costumes?
The set is to be a look of sort of burnt
out rafters. The costumes are meant to be beautiful but also have a
sense of age, history and deconstruction.
What was your inspiration for the
piece?
The inspiration for the piece was and is the
music.
I'm told that you selected Schubert's
String Quartet in D minor: D180 "Death and the Maiden" for the
piece. What prompted this selection?
The reason for
this musical selection was first practical - it was the required
length and required format (i.e. quartet instead of orchestra), and
did not require attaining copy
rights. The important reason was simply how beautiful it is.
Can you talk a little bit about your
experiences as a
choreographer working with your fellow Boston Ballet dancers and
Mikko Nissinen?
The experience has most importantly
been an incredible opportunity. One advantage of working with my
colleagues is that I know them so well. I know what they're good
at, I understand them and their body language and can read what
they need or don't feel works, and we have a mutual
respect and empathy for each other. Mikko has been very admirable
in nurturing the next generation of choreographers and taking risks
to allow the growth of the art form. He has been really great with
trusting me and giving me space while also giving me little nudges
of advice or reassurance.
How would you describe your creative
process?
The creative process starts with music that
moves me and/or a concept which i feel is valuable and inspiring. I
usually try to come to the studio very prepared as time is always
limited. So I start alone creating a clear structure for the piece,
getting to know the music and brainstorming movement. Even though I
have ideas I try to be open to the
improvements that will have to happen in real time and space and
where the dancers will take the movement. Once I get a skeleton
going I start the cleaning up process of adjusting parts I'm not
happy with.
Back
to "About the Choregrapher" on Heather Myers
Back to Next
Generation.
