[Music] Hi I’m the artistic director of american Ballet theater my name is kevin mckenzie And we’re here on the grounds of kotzban Cultural park Up in tivoli new york state I have been with american ballet theater Over 40 years Both as a dancer and a director this is My 29th year as director American ballet theater was started in 1940 it had his first performance in 1940 by A woman that formed this eclectic Group of artists and championed taking On The impossible for instance in its first Year of existence it took on 18 new Commissions In one season American valley theatre is a repertory Company and by that It means that we run large numbers of Ballets Within one season and it has always been Reputed to To have a very individual sort of Principal dancers you know the stars if You will I became director in the early 90s and Have been here ever since and we have Maintained Our identity as an incredibly versatile
Company The dancers are versed in many different Genres Of dance it is not a choreographer’s Company that was defined by any Particular style it is a company that Was informed By the variety of inputs Of each genre within the whole art form We still tour regularly we have long Seasons in new york And everything’s going swimmingly and Then covet hits And we are in the course of reinventing Ourselves Uh when we realized that we were Canceling an Entire season it’s very difficult to Convey what that means From a business standpoint it means that A company With a budget of 40 something million Dollars a year Lost all of its revenue all of it There were no touring fees there were no Ticket sales nothing uh and we had a Company of 90 artists and A staff of hundreds so our first order Of Task was how do we keep the company Intact How do we not hibernate how do we how do We Continue to create work and engage in
Our art form And keep our dancers whole and it was Entirely through philanthropy And through necessity being the mother Of invention we took a cue from The nba started working in bubbles where We would sequester Uh dancers at locations all over the Northeast we’re going to colorado we’ve Just come back from one in california And we’re here now at kotzban Places that will allow us to gather a Group of people that can live Work and not be in contact with the Outside world so once they have gone Through the protocol of Two weeks sequestration and constant Testing their masks can come off and They can Act like normal and they go into studios Like in these Fabulous studios at cotsbond and create New work and Up until now we’ve been committing them To film But as things are starting to ease up We’re identifying outdoor spaces where We can perform for a live audience for The works that we will create here During this five-week residency [Music] Overall we’ve created 19 works it Started in 1940 with 18 works And we’re restarting and we’ve created
19 works So we seem to be going in the right Direction [Music] It’s so beautiful here and i’ve spent a Few summers here in the past so i feel Very comforted and at home Of course getting to work with my Colleagues it provides me with a sense Of normalcy In such an abnormal time to be dancing With them again is so Inspiring and just reminds me of my Sense of purpose And you know we all do this i think Because we’re reaching for something Greater we want to share Share story share experiences it’s just Nice to have that that feeling and Sensation again i’ve really tried to Come into the bubble Open-minded and easy on myself to let Myself Take the time that i need to get back to Shape so i really just try to stay Positive throughout this experience and It’s been very easy because everyone Here is really happy to be here I think i definitely cried the first day Um It’s just you know we can train as much As we can by ourselves And our little kitchen squares whatever But there’s something that really you
Miss when you’re in a studio Feel the energy of the other dancers of Your colleagues of the teacher in the Front of the room Uh seeing it on a screen is just not the Same when corona started we didn’t know That it was going to be like a whole Like year and a half Before maybe we’re going to be back so It was pretty hard at first you know i Was like described as like a little bit Of a roller coaster like ups and downs Every day But at the end of the day like putting Things into perspective you know just Kind of like be grateful for what you Have And try to be like as active as possible For the moment that We need to be ready again for the states I think i was actually pretty like Energetic i just like Felt the energy of people around me Again and it was just so It’s definitely like very like Fulfilling feeling again you know it’s Like that sense of At least for like a couple of weeks of Like normal routine again And then it’s the kickball change coming Down i’m helen pickett And i am a choreographer creating with A group of five dancers on the piece Desire
So i’ve been up here with the dancers Isolating since april 22nd And it’s given me a great chance to Actually go deeper into the preparation For this 15-minute study Which is based on gustaflo bear’s Uh novel madame bovary [Music] Hi my name is james whiteside i’m a Principal dancer with american ballet Theater and i am choreographing a new Ballet here at cotsbon So the piece that i’m working on here Was actually deferred it was supposed to Be Premiering at lincoln center at the Spring gala in 2020 As you well know a pandemic hit and it Was cancelled So here we are and i am finally get i Feel it’s like i’ve been waiting forever To make this dance Called city of women i found out about This specific bubble Had to be months ago and i really wanted To make this piece so here i am We have five hours of rehearsal every Day i requested that And then i hobble home because i haven’t Really moved like this for 15 months and I tell you You think you’re staying in shape and There is no shape Like the shape of a dancer i’d say the
Most challenging part of the pandemic Was maintaining Peak physical condition and before Studios opened up again I was doing class in my kitchen every Single day So i have all these hilarious videos of Me you know in my pajamas making Full ballets so not being able to be in A studio For 15 months devastating in different Ways And then human beings are amazing we Adapt so i adapted month By month you know to this reality and Found ways to be creative i’m a person That refuses to be Stuck so i found my way through but then Again The joy of stepping into that studio Reminded me of Okay this is where i want to be So the bubble is fully be bubbled We have an inn for the dancers we have a Gatehouse where the choreographers and Some of the administrative staff are Staying and then the studios are just You know it’s a three-minute walk Probably to the studio which is Incredible Imagine rolling out of bed and all of a Sudden you’re in the studio it’s Brilliant The bubble in total is five weeks two
Weeks of a ramp up and then three weeks Of actual Creation for the ballets the things in My head don’t always work out So it’s really very helpful to have a Group of dancers who can Essentially make it work when something Isn’t quite gelling so This happens a lot with transitions from One section to another Or movement changes pattern changes that I need to be In the physical space to see with actual People You know the dancers at abt are are Really intuitive And they know me very well as a person So i think they They just get it quickly which is Gorgeous Performing is equal parts traumatic and Triumphant it’s a it’s a stressful Situation there’s a lot of pressure Mostly put on by oneself and I love the ritual i love the performance I love The whole package of performing and so I’ve missed that immensely I miss the connection with the audience Live art is so exhilarating to me as an Audience member and as a performer So it’s been difficult honestly How i see the future of dance right now In this moment
Simply put i see a future as opposed to Last year where I didn’t know what was going on and many Of us all of us In in the live theater world were very Very uh scared i have seen companies Close during this pandemic Heartbreaking you know that we’ve lost Artistic institutions And i’ve seen the resilience of so many Other institutions Like abt the pivot that really overused Word but That is one of the beautiful energies in The arts world We adapt and we will survive because There is a must That is ingrained in artists we must Make our art so we will Find a way [Music] I have done some smaller performances During this time But they unfortunately do not compare to A packed House at lincoln center thankfully we’re In a gorgeous Gorgeous place beautiful grounds lots of Nature It could be worse let me tell you You
