In my quest for learning I have been fortunate enough to work with contemporary choreographer, Nicolo Fonte. When I first heard of Nicolo I was in my fourth season at Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the year was 2002. At the time I was a ripe, 21 or 22 years of age, and hardly open to anything outside the realm of classical ballet. I actually remember uttering the words, “I’d be happy just doing classical ballet for the rest of my career”. Well, obviously a lot has changed since then, and honestly ANY dance form would work for me - as long as I am gaining something from it.
Anyway, despite where I was at in my career at the time, I do remember being amazed at what Nicolo did for the PNB dancers. It was one of the first times that I remember seeing Principal dancer, Patricia Barker move in a way that wasn’t typical of her usual clssical/Balanchine base. Nicolo’s movement made me see my peers in a new light.
Nicolo came back to PNB again in 2004 for his peice Within/Without, and my envy emerged. I was finally realizing that my colleagues were discovering a new dialogue of dance, and if I did not open myself up to it, I’d get left behind. So now, the third times a charm, the stars are aligned, and I getting my chance to work with the brilliance of Nicolo.
At the beginning of BMC’s season Nicolo came for two weeks and we did a “Fonte Workshop”, learning material and trying to get a grasp for what he wanted. This period with any choreographer is difficult because it’s a moment that one needs extreme vulnerability along with a humble confidence. One can’t be afraid of failing! I am sure as a choreographer it’s not easy either, having to choose from a group of individuals. All in all though, the dancers and the art form gain something from this period of the creative process.
At the end of the 2 weeks Nicolo sat us down to chat about the piece and where he wants to take it. What I thought was interesting is that he asked if the movement spoke to us in any way. I didn’t contribute because of my “new girl” fear, but was thrilled that he cared enough to ask. For me this evokes an instant dancer to choreographer bond, and when you find that in dance, it’s like finding gold.
About a month ago Nicolo was back at the BMC studios to continue on with the next phase in his process, and the week he spent with us felt like seconds. With the repetition of his material that we did, Nicolo asked that we continue to go beyond the step. To push for more out of the movement and not settle for boundaries, because there are none.
I feel as a classically trained dancer I’ve strived to make steps look effortless (and even be effortless), in turn boxing myself in, in a way. With what Nicolo asks for it makes the choreography more rich, physically and mentally speaking. I can hardly wait till he’s back so I can hopefully continue onto the next level with his movement. I find that Nicolo’s spirit in the studio makes me want to do more than my body is capable. And even on my most tired days, he would find a way to summon progress. It was challenging, but it made me see that there is a lot more to discover if I don’t give my self limits.
To learn more about Nicolo Fonte you can visit his website - www.nicolofonte.com
Here is a link to more photos of Nicolo’s last visit to les Ballets de Monte-Carlo - Click here.
