conversations in ten questions 40: Walter Matteini and Ina Broeckx (imPerfect Dancers Company)
Setting of with the idea "True perfection lies in imperfection", imPerfect Dancers Company was founded in Italy in 2009 by Walter Matteini and Ina Broeckx. Matteini and Broeckx have danced in many world-renowned dance companies and in the works of many world-renowned choreographers like William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin and Maguy Marin.
The ensemble, which has performed in many countries from Colombia to Tanzania, from Canada to Israel, from Armenia to Poland, previously presented their piece Lady Macbeth at the CRR Concert Hall in Istanbul, Turkey.
Walter Matteini
Ina Broeckx
What is the spirit of performance in your opinion? How do you define contemporary performance?
Energetic, emotional, receptive and motivated – these are just a few words that characterise our work. Our choreographic language is intensely physical and athletic, and hinges on our quest to explore and understand the human soul in all its different facets. Our work seeks to create an emotional connection with the audience. And then the sole purpose is to convey emotion.
Do you believe in the transformative power of art? How?
Art unites peoples, it is an element of reflection, it breaks down the barriers that we ourselves erect in defense of often vain ideals. It educates and makes us better people. The world without art is dark and empty.
Are there any artist whom you can describe as "my master", or any person whom you think influenced your art most? And if there is such an artist or person, who?
During our career as dancers we have been lucky enough to work with the most important existing choreographers. Each of them has enriched and helped us in our growth as artists and as human beings. It is therefore difficult to choose one, all of them have been important and fundamental in this path.
When you are working on a piece, what sources inspire you? Do dreams play a role in your works?
While we usually draw inspiration from history and literature, our choice of themes is always guided by careful consideration of several factors: their cultural depth, their potential to be developed in an original and modern fashion, their artistic interest and the emotions they evoke. Once the theme of the new creation has been identified, a long research and documentation work follows. Nothing is left out. It is difficult to say which of the two comes first if the dream or the study. Surely there is a connection, a kind of enlightenment.
When do you decide to give a title to a work you are working on if it already does not have one?
Sometimes the title comes on its own, sometimes it is the result of the preparatory work I mentioned earlier. Certainly for works that draw inspiration from literature or in any case from pre-existing works, the title appears by itself when we find the angle we want to use in our rearrangement.
When you consider the current state of the world in every sense, what is the most important and urgent issue for you as an artist?
Continue to tell stories, continue to share feelings and emotions with the public and do not let the evil of the world lead us to isolate ourselves even more.
How do you think that this pandemic which humanity is facing at a global scale today will transform performing arts in the future?
Performing art by definition needs an audience and artists who share the same space. I believe that the greatest danger facing art right now is that of isolating ourselves and putting a screen between us and the public. Videos, streaming etc have helped in the most difficult moment to ensure that there is a connection between the artists and the public but we cannot make them go to replace the live shows. They are an art form in all respects but of a different nature with different specifications that to my advantage can coexist as long as one does not replace the other.
How is the performing arts scene in your country handling/dealing with the challenging conditions posed by the pandemic?
In Italy, the anti-covid measures were immediately and for a long time very strict. There is now a slow return to normal, or at least to a new normal. It was certainly a difficult period and for many companies it meant the definitive closure of their business. As in many countries, unfortunately also in Italy art is considered an optional something unnecessary for which aid was few and for many insufficient.
There are Faust and Hamlet adaptations in your repertoire. You have staged Lady Macbeth in Istanbul before, and this time you are coming to Istanbul with Romeo and Juliet The Final Hours. Where does your interest in adapting literary works to dance come from? What are the driving factors for you?
Literature has always been a source of great inspiration for us. They are the mirror of society. They are immortal works that still provide new interpretations, new bridges with the current society.
Is there anything particular you would like to tell the Istanbul audience before they experience your piece Romeo and Juliet The Final Hours?
We invite the Istanbul audience to come and watch the greatest love story of all time-the intrigues and conflicts of the families of the two young lovers in their final hours, before surrendering to their inevitable destiny.
Next to our dance couple of Romeo and Juliet, an elderly man and an elderly woman, as well as a boy and a girl, all chosen from the local community, take part in the show as the older and younger version of Romeo and Juliet, symbolising the evolution of love; while sending the message that true love can happen at any age.
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