Ballet's Big Leap

Sun Herald

Sunday November 16, 2008

Kristie Lau

Matjash Mrozewski is pushing the boundaries of the most traditional dance form.

At a time when dance is turning heads with the help of reality television and mainstream cinema, choreographer Matjash Mrozewski is seizing the opportunity to make the ballet stage sexier.

The 31-year-old Canadian says: "There's a fine line between being so out there with your work and then alienating people who are more comfortable with classical work. My main aim is to make sure it doesn't feel stale or corny to either audience."

Interplay, which is currently playing at the Sydney Opera House, is a collaboration with the Australian Ballet and consists of three individual works, each created by an international choreographer of which Mrozewski is one.

Themes such as spiritual awakenings and dreamlike journeys pervade.

Mrozewski has contributed Semele which is based on the mythological god Jupiter and his love affair with a mortal woman. The choreographer says he believes audiences will be moved by the evocative presentation of the romance.

"Semele is a little more raunchy than what you'll get from something like The Sleeping Beauty or Swan Lake but there are some comforting elements in there so classical fans shouldn't feel completely lost," he says.

The Interplay website sheds light on the behind-the-scenes process and the sexiness Mrozewski is referring to. Interplayer.com.au looks more like a storyboard for a funky, soul-searching Cameron Crowe flick than a glimpse inside a ballet rehearsal room.

The Ballet is aiming to lure a new, younger audience and there isn't a tulle tutu in sight.

Mrozewski says ballet is always evolving and undoubtedly heading in an exciting direction: "When you compare ballet to the booty-shaking, crowd-pulling type of dance, obviously the genre is still pretty tame because it is, after all, a high art and extremely sophisticated.

"But ballet is not completely stuck in the past ... There's a new mix between traditional and contemporary works in new programs so the old stigma surrounding the art form is lessening."

Mrozewski is regarded as a visionary in the dance world, blending classical technique with contemporary presentation. But he admits recognition and praise is accompanied by an uncomfortable degree of expectation.

"I actually put the pressure on myself just as much as anyone else," he says.

"There is this expectation among young artists to look as though we want to rebel against everything in the past and I have definitely had my insecurities over the years."

Although up-and-coming choreographers are inclined to think outside the square in order to sell tickets, each artist must find their personal groove, he says.

"Some people want to be entertained while others want to be challenged. Some people want a story but others are always going to want pointed shoes. There's no way a choreographer can tick all of those boxes so I think it's each person's responsibility to find a place, or many places, where their own voice is welcomed.

"For myself, I love history. I love stories. I love exploring emotional connections and drama through literature, film and opera but I like big puffy dresses and costumes from a few centuries ago.

"I used to berate myself because when I looked at what I knew I liked, I believed [I was] old-fashioned. But I'm becoming more at peace with that side of myself and so should other artists."

Mrozewski's unique vision is evident in the way he views the dancers themselves. He says everyone knows a great dancer can make or break a story and so attractive dancers are useful. But he stresses that fit, toned physiques are the key in creating a sexy ballet.

"I always see dancers as living, breathing, sensual beings, not merely bodies that can do spectacular things. The apparent edge I bring in ballet is through highlighting these qualities within a classical or neo-classical style."

He recalls falling in love with the story of Semele after reading an opera version many years ago. It wasn't too long before he began seeing its potential in ballet form. "There is a key moment, the climax of the production really, when Semele the mortal woman is engulfed in flames and I could already imagine a nice duet happening in a ballet interpretation. The entire story seemed to lend itself well to dance."

© 2008 Sun Herald

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