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Hofesh Shechter talks to Ela Drewett about his work and his views on choreography, as well as providing an intriguing insight into the world of creativity
Hofesh Shechter is the name on the lips of almost everyone at the moment. He is a fresh, relatively new, talent who is taking the dance world by storm. He is fast gaining respect, recognition and accolades, including the Audience Award of the 2004 Place Prize and the Critics Circle Award for Best Modern Choreography at the Ninth Annual National Dance Awards, held in January 2009. He has also won the approval and adoration of the, sometimes hard-to-please, teenage population with his choreography for Maxxie's Dance on Channel 4’s Skins.
With all this attention, one could be forgiven for thinking that Hofesh may have an over-inflated ego. However, this is not the case; Hofesh is humble, frank and honest about his achievements and his works. In fact, the single defining moment of his life hasn’t been – as some may assume – the creation of his influential work In Your Rooms, winning The Critics Circle Award or some other significant moment, but rather, it is “the moment of my birth, and I can’t even remember it!”
Above: Hofesh Stecher, 2nd from the front, performing in In your Rooms
Known for dealing with big themes – identity, conflict, perception – within his choreography, Hofesh’s often raw and intuitive work asks difficult questions about who we are and what we are doing. Some may think this is due to growing up in a country known for its troubles and conflicts. However, as Hofesh explains: “Everything that happens to you in your life influences how you see the world, influences what you say and do. Films that I have seen, and other places I have lived in, equally influence me. I have been in the UK for eight years now and this has certainly influenced me as well. I am not trying to put across an ideology or philosophy nor any mental conclusion through the choreography. The work is just there to trigger or ask questions.”
Hofesh hails from Israel, and has always been involved in dance. However, it was music that he chose when he first started at The Jerusalem Academy. Explaining how the switch to studying dance happened, he said: “I was always involved in dance – when I was younger I was in a folk dance company. Then when I went to the Jerusalem Academy as a pianist, I saw that the dance students were having much more fun! Socially, it attracted me much more than five hours per day practicing on a piano in a dark room. I asked to switch and, they said yes!”
Hofesh creates work that commands attention and captures the imagination, “The choreography intends to be simple and non-macho and not use any other mannerism unless as reference.” He says, “The choreography deals with the body in its simplest form I can find of expression.”
But, Hofesh didn’t start out as a choreographer with his own company. He arrived in the UK eight years ago and was working as a dancer before he decided to strike it out on his own. So, has it been worth it? “I never thought about whether it was worth it”, says Hofesh, “nothing is worth anything but what it exactly is… every moment has to carry the calculation of ‘worth it’ on its own. I don’t do ‘worth it’ calculations; at the time it just felt like something I had to do. I’m very lucky to have had a positive response from the outside world – you make work for it to be seen and that’s been very rewarding for me; for so many people to see my work.”
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In your Rooms |
Some may wonder how easy it is to create work that inspires the multitudes when one has to consider the problems of dealing with the purely practical aspects – funding, finance, travel, scheduling – of running a company; how does that element impact upon creativity. “When I started to choreograph I estimated 90 per cent of my time and energy was spent on these technical and planning aspects,” explains Hofesh, “it felt like only the remaining 10 per cent was invested in creativity.”
“Nowadays I have a truly wonderful team who look after all of these aspects and try very hard to always leave time and space for my creativity. The main practical problem is time as we are so busy it is hard to find space in the schedule. These aspects are and will always be very demanding time wise, energetically and emotionally and one has to stay absolutely focused on the positive sides of the work in order to go through some of these ordeals.”
Hofesh is clearly passionate about dance, choreography and creativity. However, what exactly is it about dance and the creative process that has him hooked? Well, he doesn’t quite know” Explaining, he says, “It is exactly that which I can’t define about it that excites me most. It leaves a wealth of space for people to use their imaginations.”
The ISTD has a tradition of encouraging young choreographers to explore this element of dance, for example, the Creation Choreographic Awards. Choreography is a wonderful creative tool for young dancers to grasp and enjoy. Hofesh’s advice to any budding choreographers is to “make the best work you can, if you really want to do it. Then be uncompromisingly generous about getting it seen.”
In your Rooms
All photos by Andrew lang
Giving insight into what he looks for when auditioning dancers for his company, he explains: “The personality of the dancer is the most important thing for me, both as I will need to work with them in the studio for long hours and for their presence and energy on stage as performers. Personality, in all its complexity, is something that very evidently shines through any attempt at pretence.”
“Having said that, my dancers are all incredibly talented as well, not necessarily totally technically perfect, but with amazing clarity, precision and stage presence. It’s an ensemble company so each one is incredibly important, there are no stars but at the same time they are all stars – it takes a very simple and humble performer to be able to handle that, both on stage and in the studio.”
Unfortunately, Hofesh believes that there is still a gap between some of the pre-professional training given today and the reality dancers face when they take their first steps into the ‘real world’. He explains: “In many cases pre-professional training doesn’t prepare dancers. I think that it’s very sad that there are so many dancers graduating from courses who are absolutely not technically or performatively able to work on a professional level. That has nothing to do with how many jobs are actually waiting for them out there, it’s about their own individual level.”
“Having said that, we have worked with London Contemporary Dance School on an apprentice scheme for the last couple of years and I think that this is a great way of developing young dancers who have a real talent and just need the break into the professional world. Generally I think pre-professional training schools should be more connected to the contemporary and contemporary dance, alongside giving as much performance experience as possible.”
There has been an undeniable rise in the popularity of dance over the past few years, which has had a direct impact of the number of people both taking up dance for the first time as well as more people going to see dance works. This pleases Hofesh: “There is a lot of good work to see, both from UK and international choreographers. UK choreographers are also starting to be appreciated in Europe and further afield, which is something very positive for the UK dance scene.”
“I think that the UK dance scene has to keep being adventurous in its creative side and in finding new audiences. Sadler’s Wells theatre is very good at that. They find ways to bring older works back to their theatre for a whole new group of people to see them whilst at the same time they’re commissioning new works and introducing new artists to their audience.”
Hofesh seems to have an unswerving focus on what it is he wants to do. He is not limited by the confines of what some may perceive to be ‘achievable’ but instead, he seems to be the shining example of the man described by Thomas Jefferson when he said: “Nothing on earth can stop the man with the right mental attitude from reaching his goal.” When talking of his future, Hofesh explains that he would like to work with music, he says: “I’ve had some great opportunities and look forward to doing something with this in the coming years. I’m also interested in exploring film and theatre. For now though I’m focusing on my next new creation for my company.” However, he goes on to reveal, “the ultimate plan is to become a tennis player.” (He plays in his spare time, at every opportunity he gets).
For those of you not lucky enough to have seen Hofesh’s work first hand, do not despair. In May 2010 there will be a premiere of his new work at the Brighton Festival, where his company is resident. It will come to London soon after and then tour all over the UK in autumn 2010.
Ela Drewett |
