Friedemann Vogel
I take strength from fragility: Friedemann Vogel
"An injury years ago made me more aware and more motivated," explains the German dancer, one of the greatest étoiles of the 21st century, who will make people think about body & artificial intelligence at the Spoleto Festival. And here he tells about himself, from his first split in kindergarten
By Maria Laura Giovagnini for iO Woman
"Is a dancer a complete artist or an instrument of the choreographer? What does he express through the body? What margin of freedom does he have?" Friedemann Vogel - one of the greatest étoiles of the 21st century, principal dancer of the glorious Stuttgart Ballet - offers the answer from his own: with a performance. Die Seele am Fa-den/SoulThreads, a creation created with visual artist Thomas Lempertz, will debut July 5 at Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto. The inspiration comes from Heinrich von Kleist'sThe Puppet Theater, where two characters confront each other on the theme: is a dancer, human and therefore subject to mistakes, superior, or a puppet, which has no physical limitations?
Von Kleist seems to conclude to favor of the puppet. What about her?
No! Better to let one's feelings, one's heart, one's soul speak. Proof of how crucial subjectivity is? Every Swan Lake is different to depending on the protagonists. The text, however, despite being from 1806, proves to be very current to because of Artificial Intelligence. It will be an assólo, however, videos will be shown in which my image has been scanned and transformed into a kind of puppet or avatar, which makes absurd movements. What will the audience prefer? The real Friedemann Vogel or the amazing but virtual one?
Easy answer today that the trend is to emphasize the strength of fragility, the beauty of imperfection.
"Perfection" is seeing reality. So both the ideal, the lightness, and the ugliness, the heaviness.... Life is like that, not constantly easy and pleasant, particularly during this historical period. The purpose of dance is not entertainment: it must convey something, and if it conveys something authentic, it cannot be 100 percent Beauty.
Then won't classical be a little old-fashioned for the times, including from a gender perspective?
There is room for everything. Our generation is struggling for fluidity, we can't put to too much separation!
I don't want to be called "a classical dancer"-I am proud to have been classically trained, but I can do so much more. As it happens in contemporary choreography: Wayne McGregor, for example (in 2005 with Eden/Eden, ed.), by including me in the creations, created something new. Art-which is a social glue-must evolve; it should not be kept in a museum. However, to times, one is impressed by noticing how modern Nijinsky (of the legendary Russian Ballet company, founded in 1911, ed.) actually is.
Over the decades, the weight of men has changed.
Yes, definitely: Nureyev sparked a revolution.
Now they are no longer mere porteurs called to make the dancer shine. They have emancipated themselves. There is a dialogue.
How did you approach to this discipline?
In a natural way. My brother was a dancer, and I, from from an early age, knew I wanted to follow him: to three-four years old I was already trying the split! For my parents it was normal, as their eldest son had taken this path.
Is from a family of artists coming?
No, not at all, however, each of us five brothers has to to do with the arts: two musicians, two dancers and a theater director, to Frankfurt.
Despite international recognition and success, he decided to stay to Stuttgart. Co-
me ever?
I have a home, and having a base is important for my work as well. And then, if I were a freelancer, I would have to select major roles while it is essential to try your hand at small pieces, to feel part of a group. Principal dancers can be as good as they want, but in the end -- if there is no connection in the team -- the result is not good.
His keywords?
Definitely love, passion. And "conscious presence": I seldom think about "later," our art form is so fragile that you never know when it will end. to 44 years old, I can't plan too much, but in the past it was just as vague: we are so dependent on our bodies that we absolutely have to enjoy the moment, it only takes a small injury to stop us.
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