We caught up with Artist-In-Residence Roman Mejia about his experience learning Limón's "Chaconne" which he will debut in tonight.
LJ: How did you find out that you'd be performing "Chaconne"? Is there any intimidation in learning a new style?
RM: "I think I was just told this is what it's gonna be and I was excited about it. I'm totally game for anything new."
LJ: Could you explain some of the differences in the vocabulary of moves between Limón and Balanchine?
RM: "In this solo in particular, instead of muscling the arms, a lot of it is swinging and catch and release. I ran it for the first time in New York and I got very tired doing it. I learned I needed to do a lot less than I thought."
LJ: How long is the "Chaconne" solo and how long is "A Suite of Dances"? How do they compare to each other?
RM: "They are both about 10 minutes long and they both feel very similar. 'Chaconne' is a lot more adagio. But they are both Bach pieces, and both set to solo string instruments."
LJ: Has one dance helped you with the other? What have you learned in this process?
RM: "I think so, yes, in a way. Especially the third solo of 'A Suite of Dances' has a similar aura to 'Chaconne,' I think I've learned that less is more. A lot of the ballets I've been learning lately have been teaching me that lesson.”
Logan Kruger, the Limón reconstructor worked with our Artist-In-Residence Roman Mejia this year teaching him Limón's famous solo "Chaconne" which he will debut tonight!
LJ: When you set Limón work on dancers who have never trained in his style, what is that learning curve like for the dancers?
LK: "When you're working with dancers who are so talented, but don't have any experience with Limón, it's an interesting challenge because there's no difficulty in learning the steps, it's really about the quality of movement. A different way of using your weight and your breath. A different sense of musicality."
LJ: What is something fruitful that has come of staging "Chaconne" on Roman?
LK: "Every time I engage with someone new, I learn something new about the work too. So it's enriching for me as a reconstructor as well as, hopefully, for the dancer."
LJ: What should the audience know to enrich their experience of this work?
LK: "This piece is completely about the music. A total physical manifestation about the Bach. While there is no story, there is something almost existential that the journey the dancer takes--their relationship with music, relationship to space, and relationship to their humanity."
Logan Kruger and Roman Mejia rehearsing "Chaconne". Photo by Chris Duggan, 2022.
Comments