No
Man’s Gone Now was created for festival Avignon 2003 within the
SACD (copyright society for authors and composers) program Vif du Sujet.
The particularity of Vif du Sujet lies in the fact that it is the dancer
who chooses a choreographer with whom to create a solo.
The
specificity of the solo ‘No Man’s Gone Now’ is that Opiyo
Okach chose to work with Julyen Hamilton on improvisation and instant composition
putting into risk the performer-author/dancer-choreographer relationship.
Being an instant composition work initially created for an open air theatre
at festival Avignon another specificity of the solo is that it adopts and
feeds on the character of the different spaces within which it is presented.
It is conceived for presentation as much within closed black boxes as open
air non-theatre spaces.
Performance:
Opiyo Okach
Choreography, Text, Soundscore: Julyen Hamilton
Lights: Clement Goguillot
Music: Jacques Foscia, Micheal Moore, Alex Maguire,
Benat Achiary, Kent Carter, David Holmes
Costume: Julyen Hamilton & Opiyo Okach
Production: SACD, Festival Avignon
Acknowledgements: L’Animal a l’Esquina,
Centre National de la Danse
Up
to now in your evolution as performer how have you lived the relationship
to solo ? Opiyo Okach : From the moment I shifted to
working with mime and physical theatre I automatically found myself creating
and interpreting my own work. It wasn't out of choice to become a solo artist.
There simply weren't other people pursuing such line of work in Nairobi
where I started. It has become a way of working alongside ensemble work.
In
the solo I find a certain liberty of personal choice in a way that is quite
different to when working with other dancing partners. The pressure of limits
and freedoms comes more from within rather than outside. But contrary to
self-indulgence this being ‘alone’ on stage accentuates the
role and presence of ‘invisible partners’. It heightens the
extent to which, besides light and music, one can engage the spatial specificities
of a venue and the presence of different audiences at each performance as
active partners that influence the evolution and dynamics of choice. Solo
work has led me towards an interest in the relationship between event, time,
place and the ephemeral character of live performance. The fact that an
action doesn’t always produce the same result is such a basic truth
that it seems odd to suspend it by default as performance strategy. Something
seems contradictory about live performance being fundamentally predetermined
future/reconstructed past; especially when the intention is an illusion
of present moment.
You’ve
chosen to work with Julyen Hamilton. How did you arrive at this choice
? Opiyo Okach : I first met Julyen as a participant in one
of his instant composition workshops. I don't remember other experiences
that have led me into generating such a flux of creative energy. I've
never danced other people’s work and being a choreographer’s
tool in the classic sense is something that hardly fascinates me.
My choice was very much based on the consideration that I would not
be dancing one of Julyen's solo, neither would he be directing one
of mine. I was attracted by the possibility of genuine artistic collaboration.
Culturally we also represent realities that are apparently quite far
from each other.
Could
you talk of the passage between “choreograph a solo for oneself”
and create a solo for other than yourself?
In what way approach this passage? Julyen Hamilton : To make a solo for oneself involves such an
intimate and organic process, the process itself is a bit of a mystery...and
in a way I wish it to remain so, being more interested in what is produced,
than in the details of 'the process which produces'. And anyway, each
piece has its own process and is in radical ways different and individual
from other pieces, so I cannot generalise about solos I have made for
myself.
Certainly though, there are theatrical concerns which interest me - and
specific ones which have to do with the form of a solo. And these I am
continuing to explore and expose in this solo with Opiyo. The soloist
is paradoxically never alone on stage - always being observed by the public,
always performing before the public, whichever mode of presentation he/she
uses. Thus there is always an inherent and subtle tension in the situation
of watching someone 'alone' but evidently 'not alone'. The solo and his/her relationship to biography /autobiography.
Are they performing autobiographically by default, as there are no other
characters on stage to 'call' them by another name than who they are?
How can the single performer create a situation where he/she is allowed
by the public to be non-biographical? I feel one is born a soloist - it
is not something one can choose to be or not, it is a certain character
and inherent ability to communicate both towards one’s interior
while at the same time allowing oneself to be exposed to an audience;
it is about the solitary state, about the dialogue which happens in humans
in their solitary state; it is about accepting the paradox of solo where
one is alone, while being obviously not alone but in front of a whole
crowd of people!
In recent years all of the solos I have made for myself (about 170 since
1995) have been made through a process of instant composition, where the
choreography is composed in the performance itself in front of the audience,
instantly edited and never to be repeated.
I am using the same area of interest in the piece for Opiyo; he has such
natural and developed abilities in this area it seems obvious to do so.
But of course during rehearsal I am outside the action, watching, an observer
at a distance and from this place I can make comment and guide the results
with a type of 'objectivity' which is not possible when dancing for oneself.
From this position I can refine his sensibilities towards what is being
created in the instant and give feed-back. With oneself this process is
much more dependent upon one's own trust and discipline within one's own
subjectivity.
We have both
talked about whether I am making one of my solos for him or one of his
solos for him from the outside...and I feel it is neither of these...I
am feeding him and feeding off him to allow material to evolve and to
allow abilities to be recognised and instantly compose with this material
in performance. Remerciements : « L’animal a
l’Esquina », Pep Ramis et Maria Munoz
Julyen
Hamilton
Born
in England and now based in Girona, Spain Julyen was trained in London in
the mid-70s and has since been a constant exponent of innovative performances
throughout Europe. One
of Europe's foremost improvisors, he has performed in many group configurations
creating solo and collaborative work all over the world as well as directing
the Julyen Hamilton Company throughout Europe.
The Company work
develops dance for the theatre where dancers and light designer are directed
to compose pieces instantly; a process of practising improvisation in rehearsal
and in the moment of performance.
In 1984 he was
awarded the 'Zilveren Dansprij' by the VSCD in Holland.
Since 1980 his
experience and interest in performing with live musicians has constituted
a main area of work; among others he has played with Barre Phillips, Fred
Frith, Le Quan Ninh, Alfred Spirli, and Micha Mengelberg. His
solo '40 MONOLOGUES', premiered in England in 1995 and subsequently succesfully
playing throughout the world is followed by his new solo "SUITE".
His skills in
improvisation are highly developed, his performances expressing his belief
that improvisation is a valid performance mode in its own right. He is well
respected for his refined teaching which reflects his research and development
into efficient ways in which both technique and improvisational skills might
be imparted. He
is regularly invited to teach in major training centres throughout the world.
Born
in England and now based in Girona, Spain Julyen was trained in London in
the mid-70s and has since been a constant exponent of innovative performances
throughout Europe. One
of Europe's foremost improvisors, he has performed in many group configurations
creating solo and collaborative work all over the world as well as directing
the Julyen Hamilton Company throughout Europe.
(3 min - real player)
