London’s contemporary dance festival returns this month with a new multi-sensory proposal exploring mankind’s most enduring desires. Guillermo Nazara chats with its director about the creation of the show, to learn the most interesting facts about a piece taking us into a reality built on dreams.
How did you come up with the idea for this show?
My initial idea was to create a trilogy for early years and Skydiver is actually the second part of this trilogy. From Underwater -a multisensory show for babies and their grownups- and the deep sea Skydiver transports us to the fluffy skies, and for the third part I am planning to “land” us on earth. My vision was to somehow reflect how we sense the world around us in the first stages of our journey in life, and the elements that surround us -water, air, earth- are the connecting thread of this journey.
A multi-sensory experience to bring a world of dreams to life. How challenging has it been to build such a universe onstage?
Quite challenging, as well as profoundly inspiring. I really enjoy creating imaginary worlds onstage, worlds that don’t really exist but at the same time have clear references to nature or everyday life. Like all beautiful dreams, where the “familiar” and the “surreal” are blended in a perplexed dialogue. Skydiver’s universe is poetic and invites its audience to dive into it and experience it with all their senses.
Do you think immersiveness is the new direction theatre is (or should) be heading to?
It is certainly a trend but I don’t believe it is a recipe leading to a successful production. Different directors approach their subjects in different ways and this plurality of artistic voices makes theatre evolve and engage wider audiences.
What’s been the process of devising this show?
During the creation of Skydiver, I worked closely with the performers and through movement improvisations we explored ideas of gravity and air resistance, the sensation of falling, balancing and flying. Props and puppets were also in the centre of our explorations and we examined ways to manipulate them in order to reflect the feeling the story unfolds in the skies.
We played a lot with sounds and music as -apart from the “ethereal” atmosphere we wanted to achieve- another target was to create a soundscape that would assist in generating the movement and enhance its potentials.
Have you brought any special techniques when designing it?
The fact that dramaturgy is in the core of my practice could be considered as something “special”. When designing Skydiver, I put special focus on creating its dramaturgical score which obviously evolved and changed through the rehearsal process, but it offered a precise conceptual and visual frame to base our explorations.
In my works, I always like to have a solid and clear starting point. I create storyboards with a lot of visual references that I share with the performers and very soon we move forward together, towards directions that support the vison for the work but are also open to different interpretations.
You come from a Greek cultural background, will we be seeing any of that in this piece?
Skydiver is a poetic duet, happening in the skies, surrounded by the cosy-snugly fluffiness of clouds. To conquer the sky, to defy gravity and to fly is a dream as old as humanity, and this is the main inspiration for Skydiver. As a Greek artist, I am fascinated by the myth of Icarus and my desire is to somehow present his dream on stage. Only this time we will make it come true and include a happy ending.
What are the challenges of creating something designed for such young audiences?
I believe the main challenge is to stay as open as possible and try to think in a less conventional way. I was fortunate to be supported by Little Big Dance partnership, that offered me the invaluable opportunity to create with and for children under five. During our research process, I travelled with the dancers and my creative producer to different parts of the UK and worked in various early years settings. In all cases, the children have been so open and so generous in participating or watching us present some initial ideas. Their reactions and responses have been great feedback for us all and this process gave me confidence in my ideas.
With so much entertainment on offer nowadays, especially through the Internet, do you think today’s young audiences are more difficult to please than we used to be as children?
Maybe, though personally, I don’t feel the need to compete with what is offered through the Internet or TV. I believe in the power of the performing arts to inspire people and my aim is -through dance and theatre- to communicate fantasy stories, evoke emotions and encourage young audiences to step into magical worlds. I would never underestimate an audience and their ability to appreciate high-quality art.
Is it possible to make a show aimed for little kids appealing for the whole family?
I have a strong opinion about this and I believe it certainly is possible. This has always been a target for me as I want to create quality work that is appealing to younger audiences as well as their grownups. In the past I have received many positive comments about this specific aspect of my work. How adult audience members felt included, moved and mesmerised by a show that was mainly addressed to a younger audience.
Why come to see Skydiver?
If you appreciate magical journeys in dreamlike worlds where you can let your imagination run wild, then I urge you to come and see Skydiver!
Skydiver will be touring London throughout October visiting Unicorn Theatre in partnership with Team London Bridge (21 October), Stanley Arts (22 October), The Place (24 October), Studio 3 Arts (25 October), Watermans Arts Centre (29 October). Tickets are available on the following link.