Choreography without shadows, with pure light and Yumiko Yoshioka on stage! Rena Konstantaki talks to mcf.gr about her new work.

By Achilleas Kourias – Translated by Emily Brown

Every work is an attempt at communication with oneself and with others, each time a result of different motivation, with a different subject and presentation says Rena Konstantaki to mcf.gr talking about the butoh – dance performance that is going to be presented at MCF from December 2nd to 4th. This time, for her new choreography, she decides to focus on that pure light that human existence is covered with, just twice a day, when the sun is placed 6 degrees below the horizon. With the same light she frames up her character, the internationally renowned dancer choreographer Yumiko Yoshioka, who, without her own shadow, embarks on a journey from birth onwards, seeking for her identity and her place in the world, constantly facing herself and those around her.

Your latest performance focuses on a particular point in time when the position of the sun is at exactly 6 degrees below the horizon. What inspired you to use this phenomenon in choreography?

The sun is positioned at 6 degrees below the horizon twice during any given 24 hour period, at dawn and at sundown. Both of these times of the day are characterized by a particular quality of light and the absence of shadows. What I found so interesting is the fact that at the beginning and at the end of each day there are two points in time during which the world around us and we ourselves are bathed in a pure light, without shadows. During the time between these two moments, meaning the time between daybreak and sunset, we are surrounded by shadows, the size and angle of which varies. In this cycle which starts with pure light and ends in pure light, but which, in its greatest part, is characterized by the existence of shadows, I found a cycle which I felt I could use as an axis for human development from birth to completion of a life cycle, including the journey from the one point to the other which is a continuous searching within oneself, an introspection into our darker side but also with regard to the shadows cast upon us on a social level. Thus, through the choreography, this cycle is represented by a woman as we follow her progression from birth onwards, during which she faces herself and those around her in a quest to determine her own identity and to discover her place in the world.

Your description is of a moment which is poetic, idyllic Would you say that this work projects an element of lyricism, and if so, does lyricism have a place in todays world?

I dont know if the moment I described for you is, in itself, poetic. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon, a common occurrence which is experienced on a daily basis. At the same time, however, it is a very special moment. In the same way that the moment a child is born could be considered a very common occurrence it happens to all of us at the same time it is an extremely precious moment for each and every one of us. I would say that lyricism does exist to a certain extent but is more a result of the emotions evoked in people and the impact upon them caused by the experience of such moments rather than being a product of the artists intentions. What I mean to say is that you dont start out at least I do not with the intention of creating a work involving lyricism, although the audience may find elements of it in what you have created. I believe the same applies in real life as well.

The audience also experience those two moments of the day, when they stand alone in the world, without the comfort, for some, or the burden, for others, of their own shadow. Which of the two is it, comfort or burden, and what role does this absence play ?

I would prefer to describe it as the audience having to face the unfamiliar sides of themselves, which are depicted as shadows. It is they, through their own connection with the choreography who create their own story so as to find it intriguing on a personal level. That is what interests me.

Through this choreography you portray an attempt at communication with others but also with ourselves. How is this attempt expressed through the journey of the main character from childhood into adulthood? How is it expressed through body language, through butoh dance?

Every work is an attempt at communication with oneself and with others, each time a result of different motivation, with a different subject and presentation, especially with performing arts where the performance comes to life by creating a rapport with the audience. It is a meeting of the artist and the audience. This performance in particular, through the life journey of its main character, allows us to follow her as she tries to define her relationship with others and with the world around her. In order to do this however, you must first get in touch with yourself. As for butoh, it simply inspires me, through its essence and form of expression. It opened doors for me to be able to express my ideas, which could have also been achieved differently which is why Yumiko is Japanese, a butoh dancer, and the male contemporary – dancer is Mexican. This fusion was very exciting for me, I had the idea and I followed it through to see where it would lead me. That is something that I learned from butoh, not to put things in a mould but to explore internally and see where the road leads you.

Can you recount some of your experiences during the creation process of the choreography and tell us about your co-operation with the internationally acclaimed dancer / choreographer Yumiko Yoshioka? What impact has this collaboration, which in the past has been so successful, had on you?

For this performance in particular, we dedicated a lot of time to in-depth discussions, it is a difficult role and we had to explore very complex issues which I believe are of universal importance, affecting all human beings rather than being a solitary experience.

I remember these moments fondly and once again I am astounded by Yumikos focus and conscientiousness as a person and an artist. My collaboration with Yumiko started as a result of a silly misunderstanding. During the time in which I was working on my first project I attended one of Yumikos seminars and was spellbound by her movement and I told her as much during the break. I saw in her the character I had been creating for my first performance.

I had no intention, nor had it even crossed my mind to make any suggestion with regards to involving her in what I was working on at that time, exactly because she was an internationally renowned dancer and I was a choreographer who was just starting out and who nobody knew. She declined immediately, before I had even had the chance to explain that I hadnt, of course, been propositioning her, but then continued by asking me what exactly it was that I was working on and then said to me I think I might be available in June. And this is how our collaboration began, a collaboration based on mutual respect and appreciation. We spend a long time working on each performance. Every time Yumiko comes to Greece to rehearse she stays at least a month. For this performance, it is the third time she has come here so all in all we have worked together for about three months. We co-habit during the rehearsal period and so what you see on stage is a result of our fusion. What captivates me about her is her precision, the discipline and obsession for detail with which she works, the way in which she is so methodical. Her presence on stage is magical. What she appreciates about our work, on the other hand, is that she can go beyond the boundaries of butoh and explore other areas, discovering new ways of expression because she too is excited by this exploration, this evolution.

We both believe in the magic of metamorphosis within, through which we can broaden our horizons and discover new qualities. The chemistry between us has helped a lot in this process.

See more information about the performance 6 degrees below the horizon with a click here