For years, West Side Story was inextricably linked to Jerome Robbins’ choreography. On both stage and screen, the iconic finger clicks, bent knees and flaring skirts created an unmistakable movement language of simmering violence and romantic frustration.
Recent stage productions have allowed new choreographers to tackle this juicy material – including Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker on Broadway and Aletta Collins in Manchester. For Steven Spielberg’s new film, it’s Justin Peck, who as resident choreographer at New York City Ballet has danced in many Robbins’ ballets. ‘I’m standing on the shoulders of giants by taking this on,’ he acknowledges.
His grandfather and father watched the original stage production of West Side Story together, and when years later the young Peck saw the film in San Diego, it hit him, he said ‘like a gut-punch.’ Creating dance for Spielberg’s film he could draw on a cast that included not only Rita Moreno – who played Anita in the original film – but a new generation of vivid dancers. This time, Anita is Broadway star Ariana DeBose, who in 2020 told Dance Gazette about her approach to creating a character. ‘It all starts with movement,’ she said, ‘point blank, end of story. Because body language is everything.’
1 Von deiner Güt from The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn
I have been rehearsing a very beautiful pas de deux by Uwe Scholz to this music so I have been listening to it over and over. It is emotional and uplifting, and takes you to another place. The choreography and the music work together so well: the choreography enhances the music and the music enhances the beautiful choreography.
2 Prelude from Cello Suite No 1 in G Major by Johann Sebastian Bach
I chose this piece for a contemporary choreography which I was lucky to perform recently at Die Staatstheater Stuttgart. I love Bach and I love the cello. It is so atmospheric, and it makes me want to dance. This prelude has a great beginning and end and lots of light and shade in between. It is a good length for a solo which made it great to choreograph to, but I really like the whole suite.
3 Rain, In Your Black Eyes by Ezio Bosso
I like the rhythm and builds in Ezio Bosso’s music and I used this for my Dancer’s Own solo in The Fonteyn.
4 All She Wrote by Six60
Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom had a big impact on me growing up. I saw myself in it in many ways. I would make up dances to this track over and over and pretend to be Scott from the movie. I went on to direct and choreograph the stage adaptation as my West End debut, which was a very special full-circle moment for me. I like listening to New Zealand music when relaxing as it reminds me of home and it is really good. Six60 is great (I’m also a big fan of Lorde).
5 Easy On Me by Adele
This is number one at the moment. Epic singer and epic song.
The best advice I ever received It’s short and sweet: you are enough. I don’t think we reflect on that enough. Everything I feel I have experienced on my journey, I have very much looked outside myself. But sometimes ‘you are enough’ penetrates deeper than something I’m looking for externally. It makes me go back and forward in time – it makes me reflect in time, look at where I’ve come and the people I’ve met, and look at where I want to go. When I piece it all together, I realise that where I’m at is the best place – I’m present, I’ve made and created something. When it resonates for me is when I tell it to myself.
The advice I would pass on Patience. Sometimes, especially in the time we’re in now, we realise we’ve been over-working ourselves. Sometimes it’s about waiting and making the mountain come to you rather than going and climbing the mountain. I turn 36 this year, and there are many times I didn’t feel patient. But when I’ve sat into myself I realise that’s when I become the manifester and magician, and that there’s a level of flow that comes to me.
Hip hop dance, my world, is very much a young person’s game. A lot of the younger creators are feeling like they haven’t hit that moment yet. Even for me, it feels like it only just starts now. Before I was prepping myself, and now it starts. So it’s very much about patience. Sit into ourselves and be patient with ourselves, and understanding and knowledge will come.
Ivan Michael Blackstock’s Traplord. Photo: Glodi Miessi
It’s really funny – I was into the scouts and running around outside. I cried at ballet class – I never wanted to be there. Then my grandma thought ballet was wonderful and would give me so much. I wasn’t convinced. I didn’t like it – it was a lot of structure. My teacher was old-school, Russian-style, very firm. I was having some issues with my behaviour, but sweet grandma said, ‘Ballet will do the trick.’ And I remember feeling – I am not going to cry anymore, I am not going to let this win over me.
Nowadays, how do you approach students who are as rebellious as you once were?
I trick them. I do not present any structure at the beginning. First of all, I make them fall in love and be curious about it. I use a lot of slang in my class – and once they’re hooked, that’s it! I know the benefits of dance and ballet, so I can’t let anybody go.
How did you come to teach dance classes in your own home?
The school where I taught was kicked out of the place they were renting. My house was about four blocks away, so I said let’s all go together and do our ballet class. That’s the way it started. I remember a special moment when I looked at my class and saw more boys than girls and thought – oh, that is unusual. I always look at their eyes and I could see them believing me. I realised, I’m responsible for these kids because they trust me.
Victoria Treviño teaching
How do you make ballet attractive to boys?
We’ve created a generation of boys. In 2020, five of our students qualified for The Fonteyn, I’m so proud. A few years ago I was invited to teach a class in a local school and thought, I’m going to trick them into rhythm and movement. I put on music they related to and we started with claps and syncopation steps and then a simple turn. At the end of the class I said, ‘Guess what guys. I’m a ballet teacher and what you were just doing is called a promenade. This is ballet.’
What have you learned through teaching dance?
Passion is something that you build. I’m passionate about my work because I had to really fight for it. Dance can change people – not just you, but your friends, family and community.
The RAD is delighted to announce that Tim Arthur will succeed Luke Rittner as Chief Executive of the Academy.
Tim Arthur started his career as a drama teacher with his own drama school in Tunbridge Wells. He went on to become a successful theatre director and playwright. He was CEO/Artistic Director of Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells and won several awards for his work as Artistic Director of the Derby Playhouse’s internationally renowned Community Theatre. He was also the CEO of Cardboard Citizens, a multi-award-winning charity creating theatre working with and for homeless people. He is also a published author and a former presenter on BBC Radio London.
‘I am incredibly excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this wonderful organisation,’ says Arthur, who will take up the post in March. ‘Over the last 100 years, the RAD has helped to change tens of thousands of lives around the world by introducing them to the transformative power and sheer joy of dance. The RAD has been a beacon of excellence, creativity, passion and inclusivity and my aim is to ensure that this continues long in to the future.’
I started dancing when I was two. Mum took me along to ballet class and I did tap, ballet and modern for about 10 years. I loved it. I didn’t experience competition until I was at primary school, and was quite shy and was never confident. But I loved sports day and the fact that you could win or lose – I enjoyed that element of competition. It was how I got more involved in athletics – it was black or white, no grey areas.
How do you deal with winning and losing?
Even when I win, I’m very critical of myself. It’s part of being of an athlete, you’re always looking to do better. I’ve always been prepared to fail, but we don’t really prepare athletes for success. At Rio in 2016, I became a double paralympic champion, I was a world record holder, it should have been the happiest time of my life. I felt relief that I’d actually done it, but didn’t enjoy it. It felt good for five minutes, but I then felt very unfulfilled. I’d always felt like a mentally very strong and resilient person, but was suddenly spiralling into having mental health issues. It completely took me by surprise. People think, when you’ve achieved something you’ve dreamt of your whole life, that you should be happy and grateful. I felt very isolated. I completely lost myself and it took 18 months for me to become even a shadow of myself again. Even now, I’m not the same person.
Libby Clegg. Photo: Adidas
How did you enjoy Dancing on Ice?
For me, ice skating is ballet on ice. When I did Dancing on Ice it was so good for me. I was terrible – but had a new-found appreciation for dance. The ice dancers are incredible. You’ve got the logical structure of training and preparation, but you’ve also got the whole artistic and performance side. Since starting athletics I’d never gone back to dance, so it was awe-inspiring. Blind people don’t necessarily have good spatial awareness, and I’m no good at facial expressions, so I knew [professional ice dancer] Mark Hanretty was nervous about working with me. We had a really good conversation: I said, I’m an athlete, I’m very coachable. We absolutely clicked, I completely trusted him and I wasn’t going to let anything get in my way.
What difference has your guide dog, Hatti, made to you?
It took me a while to decide to get a guide dog. I was getting very bored with explaining to everybody that I couldn’t see very well and asking if they could help me. I hated using a cane. Hatti gives me confidence: that I can go anywhere and not be judged, because all people want to do is stroke her. Disability can be awkward for other people – having Hatti there makes people more comfortable and feel that they can ask me any questions they want. Hatti’s an amazing dog, she’s been there through a lot of ups and downs.
Why does dance matter to you?
Dance is an expression of yourself, it gives you a sense of freedom. I’m terrible at dancing – but I do like to have a little dance in the kitchen!
Artwork: Bex Glendining
Libby Clegg. Photo: Adidas
Why Dance Matters
Why Dance Matters is a new podcast from the RAD – a series of conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. We hope these insightful personal conversations – hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette – will delight and inspire you.
Our new season includes Carlos Acosta, American opera star Joyce DiDonato and RAD teacher Barbara Peters. Please listen and subscribe to Why Dance Matters.
My strongest memory is feeling an overwhelming privilege to be dancing in such a beautiful theatre in front of Monica Mason, Karen Kain, Magdalena Popa and Mikko Nissinen. The Four Seasons Centre in Toronto is breathtaking and the first time I walked on stage to rehearse, I had goosebumps. I savoured every minute I was in that theatre. I was so thrilled to have made the final and hadn’t given a thought to being a medal winner. I was having the best time and winning the gold was the highlight of my life.
How did you deal with the pressures of the competition?
I was very nervous being in a different country, in a prestigious competition, boarding, meeting talented dancers from all over the world, and my ballet teacher Hilary Kaplan couldn’t accompany me. However, she did call every day to give advice which kept me calm and grounded. I tried to work hard in class and take on all the corrections from the tutors – it was very busy. As the competition progressed, it became easier to deal with the pressure because all the other competitors were so lovely and the teachers, the RAD staff, the chaperones were all so supportive. Gioconda Barbuto, the commissioned choreographer, inspired us to be part of the creative process so we were all motivated to grow as dancers and perform our best.
When did you decide that dance was the path you wanted to follow?
I have always loved dance and can’t imagine any other career path. I do actually have a vivid memory of watching the Genée final at the Sydney Opera House in 2016 and knew I wanted to be in it as soon as I could. I love learning new choreography and was very privileged to have Adrian Burnett, an international choreographer, create my Dancer’s Own solo.
Soon after the Genée, the world went into lockdown. Could you keep dancing during that time?
After the Genée, I was fortunate enough to spend time in international schools in Canada, Germany and England. Unfortunately, my trip was cut short due to Covid and I had to return home. In lockdown, I trained for my Solo Seal at home by Zoom and soon after returning to the studio, I filmed my performance. I was honoured to be awarded my Solo Seal – this was another dream come true, to complete all my RAD exams. To keep motivated during lockdowns, I try to maintain a routine of getting up at the same time, doing class, stretching and enjoy watching ballet videos, as well as trying new things like painting. I was also lucky to do some performances, both virtual and onstage, plus a short film.
What are your hopes for the future when things open up?
Unfortunately, in Sydney, we are currently in our hardest lockdown yet, but I am looking forward to finishing my pre-professional training next year and hopefully then auditioning for a company. Covid has presented some challenges, but my commitment and determination to fulfil my dream remains unwavering.
The best advice I ever receivedI am continually inspired by Peter Brook’s seminal book about theatre, The Empty Space. It really made an impact on how I approach a new creation and whenever I start a new work, I tell myself ‘don’t be afraid of silence and emptiness’. For a choreographer like me who works with movement it is tempting to fill the space with lots of movement and hugely challenging to strip away and leave the essentials and find silence and emptiness.
I try and don’t always succeed, which is another bit of advice I was given by Brendan Keaney, Artistic Director and CEO of Ipswich DanceEast. During a Future Leadership course Brendan was running, he said ‘feed your hinterland,’ and those words often ring in my ears and make me smile. They remind me to make sure I find time to feed and nourish my own curiosity, which is essential for someone who creates work.
The advice I would pass on While creating The Happiness Project, the first production for my company Humanoove, I delved into what happiness means and learned an enormous amount about it through discussions with my dancers and collaborators. I believe you are indeed in control of your own happiness, that it is a state of mind. I’m not saying it is easy to achieve but wonderful when you can recognise those moments of bliss!
Dream and chase your dreams; it’s vital to do the things you believe in. It will give you energy for life! People often ask: didn’t you have to give up a lot of things when you were young to become a professional dancer? When I was training it never crossed my mind. I woke up at 6am, travelled 100 minutes to school on public transport, trained, got back home around 8.30pm, had dinner and went to bed – and I thoroughly enjoyed it and never felt I missed out on anything. I felt privileged, to be honest.
When your body tells you it is in pain, listen to it and rest. As a young dancer you believe you are invincible and can push through pains and fatigue to become the best you can be. As time goes by you realise there are limitations to how much you can take. So be careful with your body and mind – there is life after your career as a dancer, and you want to enjoy all of it.
Stay down to earth, be open, honest and generous towards yourself and others, respect your fellow dancers, choreographers, directors and teachers. Never say never, hold on to dear friends, love to the fullest, cry when you need to, be curious. Laugh, share, inspire yourself and others, go camping and be at one with nature – even if you hate camping. Stand up for what you believe in, allow yourself to be wrong, don’t try to be perfect, work hard, learn and never forget to enjoy the journey.
I don’t know why this piece of music affects me so much. Maybe it’s because it is so purely an expression of wanting to belong. It feels otherworldly yet human in the same moment. Broken yet perfect. One of those pieces of music that makes you believe in something inexplicable that lies beyond simple technique.
2 Heartbeats by José González
This track plays such a vital part in my journey to becoming a choreographer. I would listen to it endlessly whilst touring the States with Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands when I was around 20. I would escape to the studio to try to work out what I had inside me that was worth showing the world. It made me keep getting back up. I still get very nostalgic whenever I hear it.
3 Fire by Beth Ditto
The power of this woman and the way her music taps into a sort of rage and majesty I find incredibly exciting. Her music just has it for me. I’m desperate to create work with her. One day maybe.
4 Time after Time by Cindy Lauper
Baz Lurhman’s Strictly Ballroom had a big impact on me growing up. I saw myself in it in many ways. I would make up dances to this track over and over and pretend to be Scott from the movie. I went on to direct and choreograph the stage adaptation as my West End debut, which was a very special full-circle moment for me.
5 Grand Waltz from Cinderella by Sergei Prokofiev
Back at school, we had this amazing pianist called Mark Amos. He would regularly break the strings inside the piano with his extraordinary playing. Every plié exercise was a concert to him, an opportunity to change someone’s mood. The memory of his talent matched with this incredible music will forever get my heart racing. I’ve spent many hours daydreaming about choreographing a full length production of Cinderella because of this man (and probably because of Prokofiev too).
Drew McOnie is the choreographer and director of Northern Ballet’s Merlin, which tours the UK until 4 December. northernballet.com/merlin
The overall winner (main picture) is by Jon Raffoul from the UK, and shows Lucie Apicella-Howard with the caption ‘Dance makes me feel on top of the world’. Colourful and bright, it conveys the energy and dynamic qualities of dance. Vera Stephenson, USA, wins the Luke Rittner Special Commendation with a photograph of a young dancer captioned ‘Dance makes me feel like me!’ The public choice award, which attracted 2072 votes, goes to a stunning photo by Stella Smyrnaki from Greece (‘Dance makes me feel strong’) of a pair of young dancers holding a beautiful pose in front of a mountain landscape.
The judges were Melanie Murphy (RAD Director of Marketing and Communications), Gerard Charles (RAD Artistic Director) and the Korean-American photographer and artist Dolly Brown, whose work focuses on dancers, movement and performance. She says, ‘it was wonderful to see the various ways in which the entrants chose to express their feelings about dance through the medium of photography, and to see such a huge variety of entries from all over the world, showing that dance is a universal language.’
‘Dance makes me feel exhilarated!’ Photo: Georgina Hayball
‘Dance makes me feel strong.’ Photo: Stella Smyrnaki
Jekyoung Lee in ‘Dance makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.’ Photo: Danielle Kim
Yesmin Elena Figueroa Chapuz in ‘Dance makes me feel apreciada, confiada y amada.’ Photo: Eduardo Dehesa
Alice Carden in ‘Dance makes me feel like I belong.’ Photo: Courtney McDonald
‘Dance makes me feel like me!’ Photo: Vera Stephenson
Andriëtte Roux in ‘Dance makes me feel like I am earthed.’ Photo: Nafeesa Saldulker
Lucie Apicella-Howard in ‘Dance makes me feel on top of the world.’ Photo: Jon Raffoul
