Evan McKie interviewed by Diane Pernet
ASVOF, Paris
DP: Evan, do you remember the first dance performance that you ever saw? What was it and how old were you?
EM: I don't remember a clear beginning to my love for the theater. There isn't a time that I can recall not being immersed in performances and videos and records and books. Mostly I was the one performing for others as a kid. I remember being intrigued by the way some of the soul-singers from my parent's record collection would phrase everything by playing with their breathing; extending a note and letting it linger and burn it's way into my mind! I became emotionally attached to the idea of doing this to people....making them experience something that was out of the ordinary and somehow fantastical. Suddenly I was 5 and dancing around everywhere. I began to learn about Mozart and Beethoven at school at the same time which provoked me even more. Then I took my first dance class...
DP: Did you become obsessed with dance from that moment on? How did your family react?
EM: I danced improvisations around parking lots, supermarkets and even as 'outfielder' in a baseball game once. I come from a theatrical background of directors, make-up artists, musicians and lighting designers so everybody understood where I was coming from but still stood and watched as I would kind of go crazy telling little stories with my body. There was always something different dance....I never got bored. I got heavily into jazz and tap after seeing Astaire and Gregory Hines in all their greatness. But I became truly obsessed when I first saw ballet performances. Elegance, athletisism, grace, the music, the stories being told and the incredibly complex nature of actions speaking louder than words. I would cry at ballets like Onegin. That turned me into a theatre-lover which is the most important thing to me; to really have that enduring 'love' for the theatre. I was the one at school watching ballet videos with all the Japanese exchange students getting chills with every gesture of history's great dancers.
EM: I danced improvisations around parking lots, supermarkets and even as 'outfielder' in a baseball game once. I come from a theatrical background of directors, make-up artists, musicians and lighting designers so everybody understood where I was coming from but still stood and watched as I would kind of go crazy telling little stories with my body. There was always something different dance....I never got bored. I got heavily into jazz and tap after seeing Astaire and Gregory Hines in all their greatness. But I became truly obsessed when I first saw ballet performances. Elegance, athletisism, grace, the music, the stories being told and the incredibly complex nature of actions speaking louder than words. I would cry at ballets like Onegin. That turned me into a theatre-lover which is the most important thing to me; to really have that enduring 'love' for the theatre. I was the one at school watching ballet videos with all the Japanese exchange students getting chills with every gesture of history's great dancers.
DP: When did you feel you really became a dancer?
EM: I think anyone can dance and everyone should. I respect anyone who isn't afraid to shake it a bit! (laugh) Its the easiest way to feel good instantly. Because I chose something as complicated as ballet, I had to get very academic so that I could be a 'professional'...it takes years and very few can do it well. Even if you graduate from an esteemed academy somewhere, there's no telling what might happen to you once you enter life working in a real theatre. Many get spit out before they have even been chewed up and others can't bear some of the traditions and cliches that are often associated with life at the ballet. But it's so beautiful. It's like learning latin. Once you understand it you can appreciate other languages (or in my case, forms of dance) in an enhanced way.
EM: I think anyone can dance and everyone should. I respect anyone who isn't afraid to shake it a bit! (laugh) Its the easiest way to feel good instantly. Because I chose something as complicated as ballet, I had to get very academic so that I could be a 'professional'...it takes years and very few can do it well. Even if you graduate from an esteemed academy somewhere, there's no telling what might happen to you once you enter life working in a real theatre. Many get spit out before they have even been chewed up and others can't bear some of the traditions and cliches that are often associated with life at the ballet. But it's so beautiful. It's like learning latin. Once you understand it you can appreciate other languages (or in my case, forms of dance) in an enhanced way.
DP: Who are your icons from the dance world and why?
EM:I like the genuine crazies. The ones who have not been afraid to indulge themselves in the art itself. Some artists can lose touch with themselves after intense favorable exposure and start being motivated by the wrong things... stardom, rivalry etc... Most of the dancers I have truly admired like Nureyev, Hart, Donn, Pina Bausch are people who I can imagine let their infatuation for dance, itself do the driving for most of their careers…far past the many bumps and obstacles. The motivation to continue and train each day comes from this kind of odd obsession. I don't like dancers that think it's cool to look like they don't give a shit. Nonchalance can be fun but I wouldn't pay to see it dancing.
DP: Why did you leave home at such a young age?
EM: I was an incredibly strong-willed child who really wanted to know everything about everything. I attended one of the best schools in the world in Toronto but wanted something regimented to the extreme. I felt like I was more serious about certain things than some of the people around me. I wanted military training for my body. I wanted to be in a position to push myself to un-natural extremes. I knew the Russians would be perfect so I asked my parents if I could audition for one of the best Russian academies in the world. The academy told me to come immediately. My family knew that I would be forced to be an adult from that moment on. I'm sure it was difficult for them. The school's director was particularly hard on me and this other girl saying that we could really 'be something' but we would have to work 200% harder. He was the incredibly strict director of the Maryiinski/Kirov Ballet in Russia at that time. I did work...really hard.. and a few months later was invited to train in Europe with one of the world most esteemed men's teachers, Pyotr Pestov.
EM: I was an incredibly strong-willed child who really wanted to know everything about everything. I attended one of the best schools in the world in Toronto but wanted something regimented to the extreme. I felt like I was more serious about certain things than some of the people around me. I wanted military training for my body. I wanted to be in a position to push myself to un-natural extremes. I knew the Russians would be perfect so I asked my parents if I could audition for one of the best Russian academies in the world. The academy told me to come immediately. My family knew that I would be forced to be an adult from that moment on. I'm sure it was difficult for them. The school's director was particularly hard on me and this other girl saying that we could really 'be something' but we would have to work 200% harder. He was the incredibly strict director of the Maryiinski/Kirov Ballet in Russia at that time. I did work...really hard.. and a few months later was invited to train in Europe with one of the world most esteemed men's teachers, Pyotr Pestov.
DP: As a male ballet star who is known for doing things differently yourself, what are your feelings on Rudolf Nureyev and his famous jump to freedom?
EM: I liked that he just took risks all the time. He expected the best from everyone around him and demanded it! Besides being an awe-inspiring creature onstage (I actually saw him as a kid..), he is responsible for bringing up a whole generation of stars at L'Opera in Paris who were the dancers that I looked up to growing up. His charisma must have rubbed off on them because they are a group of such incredibly passionate people that really took over the dance world in the nineties.
EM: I liked that he just took risks all the time. He expected the best from everyone around him and demanded it! Besides being an awe-inspiring creature onstage (I actually saw him as a kid..), he is responsible for bringing up a whole generation of stars at L'Opera in Paris who were the dancers that I looked up to growing up. His charisma must have rubbed off on them because they are a group of such incredibly passionate people that really took over the dance world in the nineties.
DP: Any thoughts on Rudolph's relationship with Dame Margot Fonteyn?
EM: Onstage, boundaries can get very blurry. Chemistry is chemistry. (laugh) Isn't that what we all love about it?
EM: Onstage, boundaries can get very blurry. Chemistry is chemistry. (laugh) Isn't that what we all love about it?
DP: Has dancing with the eminent and influential Stuttgart Ballet brought you some kind of freedom?
EM: I have fallen in love with Stuttgart Ballet because it IS about personal freedom. The roles are incredible and personality is paramount here. It is the place for the dancer who has a need for variety…When I first came I had real trouble adjusting to the small size of the city but quickly realized that what the city may lack in size the theatre and art-scene more than make up for. There are theatres that I have been to in wonderful cities that are dulled because of audiences that are not educated or open. Here we have an outstanding ballet audience and an immeasurable archive of things created here over the last five decades that would seem 'new' to other theaters even now. And of course we continue to have the absolute newest modern choreography every season. We also host fascinating companies and artists every year. The 2010/11 season is going to be especially wild. There are maybe three companies in the whole world that can offer this kind of package to a hungry dancer. That's it.
EM: I have fallen in love with Stuttgart Ballet because it IS about personal freedom. The roles are incredible and personality is paramount here. It is the place for the dancer who has a need for variety…When I first came I had real trouble adjusting to the small size of the city but quickly realized that what the city may lack in size the theatre and art-scene more than make up for. There are theatres that I have been to in wonderful cities that are dulled because of audiences that are not educated or open. Here we have an outstanding ballet audience and an immeasurable archive of things created here over the last five decades that would seem 'new' to other theaters even now. And of course we continue to have the absolute newest modern choreography every season. We also host fascinating companies and artists every year. The 2010/11 season is going to be especially wild. There are maybe three companies in the whole world that can offer this kind of package to a hungry dancer. That's it.
DP: What have been the highlights of the last ten years of your life?
EM: It's bizarre because the roles start to become the highlights...of a dancer or actor's life. You put so much into them and become them. Then you discover that each role was inside of you to begin with! It's also fascinating to push yourself physically to the point where your mind and body finally sync up and suddenly you can do something you couldn't do before. When you work with a good choreographer it's the same sensation that a child has when they learn to walk and run. It can be difficult and frustrating but it's natural movement all the same so it IS in our bodies somewhere! I often try to run before I can walk and then after some thinking, things shift and suddenly you can do a sequence that a day earlier seemed so foreign. It's always fun to play with one's own cerebral capacity! I have also seen people and places that fascinate me because of my work.
EM: It's bizarre because the roles start to become the highlights...of a dancer or actor's life. You put so much into them and become them. Then you discover that each role was inside of you to begin with! It's also fascinating to push yourself physically to the point where your mind and body finally sync up and suddenly you can do something you couldn't do before. When you work with a good choreographer it's the same sensation that a child has when they learn to walk and run. It can be difficult and frustrating but it's natural movement all the same so it IS in our bodies somewhere! I often try to run before I can walk and then after some thinking, things shift and suddenly you can do a sequence that a day earlier seemed so foreign. It's always fun to play with one's own cerebral capacity! I have also seen people and places that fascinate me because of my work.
DP: What are your dreams now as a dancer?
EM: Someone asked David Bowie once if he performed to escape or gain an identity and he answered neither… rather that it was with each performance he understood his own identity more. This is how I feel about things. Of course we strive to dance better all the time. I love roles...roles that are exhausting. There are only a few real gems for male dancers who feel like they understand their own identities better through these roles and transformations. I am a junkie for material that requires a balance between simplicity and some kind of character-shading that takes you deep into yourself. Let's see what happens...
EM: Someone asked David Bowie once if he performed to escape or gain an identity and he answered neither… rather that it was with each performance he understood his own identity more. This is how I feel about things. Of course we strive to dance better all the time. I love roles...roles that are exhausting. There are only a few real gems for male dancers who feel like they understand their own identities better through these roles and transformations. I am a junkie for material that requires a balance between simplicity and some kind of character-shading that takes you deep into yourself. Let's see what happens...
DP: Which people have influenced you the most in your dance career?
EM: There is a dancer who I learned a great deal from. Watching him I learned exactly what I wanted to get out of each show. I saw that it was possible to be extremely articulate with each movement and yet somehow have an almost reckless sense of abandon at the same time. Anyone who has believed in me along the way has had an enormous impact….. I also feel like I am influenced by my favourite actors. I see things they do that make my heart react and think about how I can use by body to do that onstage. I fell in love with Christoph Waltze's performance in ''Inglorious Basterds''…Simple and incredibly harrowing at the same time. I love how Streep and Seymour Hoffman can transform themselves using the tools they have learned along the way. There's are dancers like Lloyd Riggins and Robert Tewsley who dance and act incredibly well. Textured and at such an amazingly high level. Roberto Bolle (see Bruce Weber's new book) opened the door for the really physically BIG boys of today. I saw him in the 90's all the time. He was so legato in his movements and that meatiness had a sense of masculine power.
EM: There is a dancer who I learned a great deal from. Watching him I learned exactly what I wanted to get out of each show. I saw that it was possible to be extremely articulate with each movement and yet somehow have an almost reckless sense of abandon at the same time. Anyone who has believed in me along the way has had an enormous impact….. I also feel like I am influenced by my favourite actors. I see things they do that make my heart react and think about how I can use by body to do that onstage. I fell in love with Christoph Waltze's performance in ''Inglorious Basterds''…Simple and incredibly harrowing at the same time. I love how Streep and Seymour Hoffman can transform themselves using the tools they have learned along the way. There's are dancers like Lloyd Riggins and Robert Tewsley who dance and act incredibly well. Textured and at such an amazingly high level. Roberto Bolle (see Bruce Weber's new book) opened the door for the really physically BIG boys of today. I saw him in the 90's all the time. He was so legato in his movements and that meatiness had a sense of masculine power.
DP: How long does it take you to prepare for a performance?
EM: It depends on the day. I don't have weird rituals. I try not to look in the mirror too much directly before the show because I think it changes what sides of yourself you display onstage. I mean, I look at the external things like if the costume fits where it should and so on but feelings and gestures and facial expressions are things better left for the moment onstage. Mirrors are such weird things. Dancers look into them 8 hours a day for rehearsals but they take more from a person than they give.
EM: It depends on the day. I don't have weird rituals. I try not to look in the mirror too much directly before the show because I think it changes what sides of yourself you display onstage. I mean, I look at the external things like if the costume fits where it should and so on but feelings and gestures and facial expressions are things better left for the moment onstage. Mirrors are such weird things. Dancers look into them 8 hours a day for rehearsals but they take more from a person than they give.
DP: Do you have anxieties about fading youthfulness? Certainly Dame Margot, Rudolph Nureyey and Merce Cunningham had very long careers?
EM: I care about character, which is the one thing that doesn't fade with age. This makes me very happy. Besides, BOTOX doesn't lend itself very well to mime. Even if I quit professional ballet tomorrow and become a full-time writer, photographer or whatever; I will always find a way to dance.
EM: I care about character, which is the one thing that doesn't fade with age. This makes me very happy. Besides, BOTOX doesn't lend itself very well to mime. Even if I quit professional ballet tomorrow and become a full-time writer, photographer or whatever; I will always find a way to dance.
DP: When one thinks of dancers one thinks of the intense discipline that is required, how does that rule your life?
EM: Anyone who wants to get the most out of their body or mind understands that discipline is the only key to expanding upon the bare minimum. Dance (especially ballet) is so strange because it requires so much physical and mental preparation all the time and yet I have never met people who can go out and go crazy like dancers do. It's a world of extremes, I guess. Dancers, athletes, designers, actors are people that are driven by heart and spirit. We don't behave like other people and it takes a certain amount of self-imposed structure to allow oneself to be free and get what one wants out of a situation.
EM: Anyone who wants to get the most out of their body or mind understands that discipline is the only key to expanding upon the bare minimum. Dance (especially ballet) is so strange because it requires so much physical and mental preparation all the time and yet I have never met people who can go out and go crazy like dancers do. It's a world of extremes, I guess. Dancers, athletes, designers, actors are people that are driven by heart and spirit. We don't behave like other people and it takes a certain amount of self-imposed structure to allow oneself to be free and get what one wants out of a situation.
DP: Do you have any tricks to fire yourself up before going on stage?
EM: Yes, everyone has there own secrets. All the reasons why I started dancing come flooding back when the orchestra starts to play and the stage lights up. Some dancers like to be a bit nervous going out onstage but I hate it. There is enough adrenaline that goes into a show.
EM: Yes, everyone has there own secrets. All the reasons why I started dancing come flooding back when the orchestra starts to play and the stage lights up. Some dancers like to be a bit nervous going out onstage but I hate it. There is enough adrenaline that goes into a show.
DP: How has the role of a male ballet-star changed over the years?
EM: Men used to just be there to support a glamorous ballerina during her moment of glory. There is still that responsibility of course but over time there have been more ballets that have been based on a 'male' character rather than a female. That is another responsibility altogether...a thrill.
EM: Men used to just be there to support a glamorous ballerina during her moment of glory. There is still that responsibility of course but over time there have been more ballets that have been based on a 'male' character rather than a female. That is another responsibility altogether...a thrill.
DP: What parts do vanity, self indulgence or cruelty play in your life?
EM: As much or as little as one lets them. Dancers have to pay attention to themselves and take care of themselves all the time so there is a certain self-involvement. I don't think vanity is healthy but I do spend much of my time thinking about what 'I' need and what's best for 'me'. It's the nature of the role being a dancer. I have moments where I need to step outside of that for sure though. I like to just sit back and watch my colleagues sometimes. After a rehearsal I offer support and sometimes criticism. A dancer genuinely wants to to be better all the time. It excites me to be in this environment of heightened expectations if it is all in the spirit of continuing the artform. I like offering my ideas to my colleagues because it's a way to get out of myself as an obsessed dancer. I imagine that directing (like a play) is pretty much about wanting the best for everyone else. An interest in seeing others do the best 'they' can do. It's a selfless feeling that can be very refreshing in contrast to a dancer or actor's (necessary) self-absorbtion.
EM: As much or as little as one lets them. Dancers have to pay attention to themselves and take care of themselves all the time so there is a certain self-involvement. I don't think vanity is healthy but I do spend much of my time thinking about what 'I' need and what's best for 'me'. It's the nature of the role being a dancer. I have moments where I need to step outside of that for sure though. I like to just sit back and watch my colleagues sometimes. After a rehearsal I offer support and sometimes criticism. A dancer genuinely wants to to be better all the time. It excites me to be in this environment of heightened expectations if it is all in the spirit of continuing the artform. I like offering my ideas to my colleagues because it's a way to get out of myself as an obsessed dancer. I imagine that directing (like a play) is pretty much about wanting the best for everyone else. An interest in seeing others do the best 'they' can do. It's a selfless feeling that can be very refreshing in contrast to a dancer or actor's (necessary) self-absorbtion.
DP: What do you eat?
EM: I'll try anything. I like Dom Perignon.
EM: I'll try anything. I like Dom Perignon.
DP: Tell me about your acclaimed debut as Onegin...
EM: I love the story of Onegin because it is all tragic love. Not cheesy stuff but real emotions that people understand and experience with you. Onegin is one of the most celebrated ballets in the world because it's so passionate in the way the story unfolds. My debut was fulfilling in so many ways and it was extra special that my partner also gave her debut on the same day. The whole ballet is based around the way the relationship between Onegin and Tatiana changes so the two characters and their chemistry really keep the story together. I like the opera 'Onegin' too and I am a huge Tchaikovsky fan but I find Cranko's balletic version (also to Tchaikovsky, but different material) outstanding in how effective and romantic it is.
EM: I love the story of Onegin because it is all tragic love. Not cheesy stuff but real emotions that people understand and experience with you. Onegin is one of the most celebrated ballets in the world because it's so passionate in the way the story unfolds. My debut was fulfilling in so many ways and it was extra special that my partner also gave her debut on the same day. The whole ballet is based around the way the relationship between Onegin and Tatiana changes so the two characters and their chemistry really keep the story together. I like the opera 'Onegin' too and I am a huge Tchaikovsky fan but I find Cranko's balletic version (also to Tchaikovsky, but different material) outstanding in how effective and romantic it is.
DP: In the dance-world you are somewhat controversial for your approach to the roles you portray. Tell me more about some of the parts you have loved...
EM: I danced a version of Hamlet recently which I found pretty all-encompassing. I loved it. I have found myself being cast as a lead role AND it's literary foil alot which is daunting for a dancer but I love it. In Hamlet I danced Hamlet some nights and Laertes other nights. In Onegin, I dance Lensky and Eugene Onegin who are extremely different people with different motivation. Dancing opposing roles on different nights really makes each character all the more clear in my head the next time I come back to it. It's also interesting because in both stories one of the men kills the other in a duel. I guess the 'controversy' comes when you do something that people are unfamiliar with. When I do something, I get mad if I find myself in a bored state even for a second. A role needs to make sense to ME and be truly engaging if I want to serve it to other people. Sometimes I do odd things that people may not understand because I feel it in the moment. I'm grateful for my true fans who are very dedicated and good to me but there are certain people who have marched up to me after a show to tell me how upset they were with my performance. After my Hamlet and Onegin there were people who were almost disgusted that I had imagined these characters in the way I had. One man told me he felt he had been ''brutally raped'' by the aggression in my Hamlet. The problem is that I love anyone who is in the audience when I am performing because they are there with me in the moment so I can't really ever seem to get upset no matter what people say.
EM: I danced a version of Hamlet recently which I found pretty all-encompassing. I loved it. I have found myself being cast as a lead role AND it's literary foil alot which is daunting for a dancer but I love it. In Hamlet I danced Hamlet some nights and Laertes other nights. In Onegin, I dance Lensky and Eugene Onegin who are extremely different people with different motivation. Dancing opposing roles on different nights really makes each character all the more clear in my head the next time I come back to it. It's also interesting because in both stories one of the men kills the other in a duel. I guess the 'controversy' comes when you do something that people are unfamiliar with. When I do something, I get mad if I find myself in a bored state even for a second. A role needs to make sense to ME and be truly engaging if I want to serve it to other people. Sometimes I do odd things that people may not understand because I feel it in the moment. I'm grateful for my true fans who are very dedicated and good to me but there are certain people who have marched up to me after a show to tell me how upset they were with my performance. After my Hamlet and Onegin there were people who were almost disgusted that I had imagined these characters in the way I had. One man told me he felt he had been ''brutally raped'' by the aggression in my Hamlet. The problem is that I love anyone who is in the audience when I am performing because they are there with me in the moment so I can't really ever seem to get upset no matter what people say.
DP: Who are your friends? Are they all in the dance world?
EM: God no. I like most of the people I dance with and am close with them in an intimite way that maybe other people at different jobs find difficult to understand. But I have other friends. They are, however mostly all artists.
EM: God no. I like most of the people I dance with and am close with them in an intimite way that maybe other people at different jobs find difficult to understand. But I have other friends. They are, however mostly all artists.
DP: Has there been anything so far that you have really regretted?
EM: %&'& regrets! Seriously.
EM: %&'& regrets! Seriously.
DP: What is your biggest fear?
EM: Losing something.
DP: What brings you the most joy?
EM: Dance. Music. Discovery...
EM: Dance. Music. Discovery...
DP: What music inspires you?
EM: Depends on the day! I need ALOT of variety and something that evokes some kind of mood.
EM: Depends on the day! I need ALOT of variety and something that evokes some kind of mood.
DP: What is it about dancing live that changes your performance?
EM: I don't know! I have only ever danced live! That will soon change though.
EM: I don't know! I have only ever danced live! That will soon change though.
DP: Which choreographer would you most like to work with and why?
EM: I have worked with people that I would love to work with again. Wayne McGregor is fascinating and John Neumeier never fails to inspire me. Once he singled me out in a room of 40 people for doing exactly what he wanted to in his ''Streetcar'' rehearsals when I was quite young and told everyone to watch me. It was a moment of trust because I believed in what he was saying and he in turn believed what I was doing. After that I didn't see him for awhile and I guess he forgot that instance. I have wanted to bring it up with him so many times but how do you do that without being completely akward and arrogant sounding? ... In my life so far the things I have lusted after have changed shape and form. Recently I was desperate to create a famous literary role with a choreographer I have had great experiences with before but he decided against using me for the part. He has no idea what I would do with the role and I have no idea what he wants it to be so the trust to launch into such an endeavor was just not there in the moment. For me, this was very depressing because in a sense, this is the kind of work I live for but as a dancer or actor you just have to let go of stuff like that and know that the right things come at the right moments. All of the creative experiences that I have benefitted from and enjoyed the most are the ones that totally caught me by surprise! Dance is like fashion in that sense, the most beautiful moments are usually the ones you don't expect.
EM: I have worked with people that I would love to work with again. Wayne McGregor is fascinating and John Neumeier never fails to inspire me. Once he singled me out in a room of 40 people for doing exactly what he wanted to in his ''Streetcar'' rehearsals when I was quite young and told everyone to watch me. It was a moment of trust because I believed in what he was saying and he in turn believed what I was doing. After that I didn't see him for awhile and I guess he forgot that instance. I have wanted to bring it up with him so many times but how do you do that without being completely akward and arrogant sounding? ... In my life so far the things I have lusted after have changed shape and form. Recently I was desperate to create a famous literary role with a choreographer I have had great experiences with before but he decided against using me for the part. He has no idea what I would do with the role and I have no idea what he wants it to be so the trust to launch into such an endeavor was just not there in the moment. For me, this was very depressing because in a sense, this is the kind of work I live for but as a dancer or actor you just have to let go of stuff like that and know that the right things come at the right moments. All of the creative experiences that I have benefitted from and enjoyed the most are the ones that totally caught me by surprise! Dance is like fashion in that sense, the most beautiful moments are usually the ones you don't expect.
