BWW Interviews: Elisa Monte

Elisa Monte Dance, an emotionally charged and highly acclaimed dance company that champions individuality, returns to The Ailey Citigroup Theater on April 11 for the company's 32nd season. The season features three premieres: Artistic director Elisa Monte's world premiere of Terra Firma; Associate Artistic Director Tiffany Rea-Fisher's company premiere of Identity; and dancer Joe Celej's company premiere of Portals & Passageways.

For the past three years chorographer Elisa Monte has embarked on works investigating the evolution and changes around us; from 2011's premiere of Vanishing Language, which dealt with the disappearance of language, to last year's Unstable Ground, which encompassed the unexpected shifts in our environment. The 2013 premiere of Terra Firma continues this examination of uncertainty with a dance requiem to the many colleagues, close associates and friends of Monte who have passed on, but still exist in Monte's accumulated memories. Collaboration with contemporary composer, Rubin Kodheli, to create an original score inspired by the music of Meredith Monk, provides the perfect anthem to this thought-provoking work.

Broadwayworld Dance recently sat down with Elisa Monte for an interview to discuss the commission of music for new choreographic works.

Q. What are the benefits of commissioning a score versus using an already existent composition?

A. I would say that the best benefit in having direct access to a living composer is to ask for specific dance requirements, such as rhythm, different orchestral colors, shortening or lengthening a section, or revising the tempo to suit a particular dancer. Of course, you always expect to get what you want, even if it's not possible, but we choreographers persist.

Q. Are there any particular present day composers you enjoy working with?

A. There are many-each different, but with the same goal in mind: to create a unique dance composition. Most of my work is to/with contemporary composers such as Steve Reich, David Van Tieghem, Lois Vierk, Glenn Branca, and Michael Nyman.

Q. What about composers who are no longer living; do you have any particular favorites?

A. There aren't any renowned composers whose work I don't admire and listen to. Although I have to say that Mozart is not my favorite, for the simple reason that he says everything in his music. Dance, in this case, disrupts the music rather than enhances it.

Q. When you commission music, do you already have an idea in mind for the dance?

A. I know the feeling I want it to have. I would not say that I have steps in my mind, but I do want an emotional sensitivity. Again, even if I envision a dancer in a certain role, nothing is worked out before the dancers actually come in. I just want my perceived mood to be obvious in the music.

Q. When you are choreographing to a new musical score, do you have the composer in the studio playing the piano or any other instrument?

A. No, most of the draft is done on the computer, and I get emailed the score. I long for the days when music and dance were in the same universe.

Q. What is it like working with commissioned choreographers?

A. They will spend time in the studio watching my work, and I, likewise, listen to a great deal of what they have composed. My first objective is for them to write music within their comfort zone, as it were. One this has been completed we create in tandem, each informing the other of the next step to take. Sometimes I want the dance to go one way, but I feel that the music is veering off in another direction. So we have to come to a meeting of the minds. It's here where the creative process can become sticky, because both the choreographer and the composer are set on the mood, but the steps and the music don't complement each other.

Q. What if the commissioned composer can't fulfill the needs of the dance you are choreographing: procrastination, not listening to what you saying, etc.?

A. The joy of collaboration is complex and many faceted. There is that feeling of terror that the artists might miss the target, each shooting for something else. So you have to know how to keep cool and make sure that, no matter what, you always have a dialogue going that is impartial, rational and, above all, sensitive to the needs of the dance. I don't want to spoil my luck, but so far that has never happened to me. But the terror of it always is.

Q. Commissioning a score is expensive. Where do you get the funding for this?

A. I have been very fortunate in this regard. In the past, I have been funded for music commissions by NYSCA, Meet the Composer, AMC, and O'Donnell-Green. I also have a board member, Rima Vargas-Vetter, who is very supportive of commissioning new music. So I have nothing to complain about in that respect. I'm a very lucky choreographer.

Q. How long would you expect to keep a dance with new choreography in the repertoire?

A. If it's good, it stays for several years, and is revived more often. If I am not pleased with the outcome, it will have a single season lifespan.

Q. Weigh the pros and cons of working with a living composer as compared with a deceased composer's works.

A. With a deceased composer you are picking exactly what you want, no surprises. It's predictable. With a new composition you are actively entwined with another ego. This can be exhilarating, or frustrating. I prefer it to be interesting, because it's like your life. You want to keep it interesting and challenging. You can't go down the same road over and over again. Take a different path. Be an out-of-the box thinker. The same with art; it should never be safe, but challenging.

For more information, please go to the Elisa Monte web site:

www.elisamontedance.org

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Opening Night - Thursday, April 11 - 8:00 p.m.

Gala Performance - Friday, April 12 - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday Matinee - April 13 - 3:00 p.m.

Saturday evening - April 13 - 8:00 p.m.

VENUE INFORMATION

The Ailey Citigroup Theater's Joan Weill Center for Dance is conveniently located four blocks from Columbus Circle at 405 West 55th Street, on the corner of 9thAvenue. The venue is accessible by the 1/A/B/C/D subway lines to Columbus Circle.