Dancer and choreographer Malgorzata Nowacka, left, is a living example of the adage, “you make your own luck”. Straight out of school she founded her own dance company, The Chimera Project, which she’s been shepherding for the last 11 years. Meanwhile, she teaches and does guest choreography for other ensembles such as Ballet Jörgen Canada, and she spearheads the Fresh Blood showcase — part of Harbourfront’s NextSteps program — for emerging choreographers.
When I point out to Nowacka that she’s managed to scale the dance ladder in a way that many of her peers likely envy, she acknowledges her gratitude for being able to live “such a great life compared to other options . . . a predictable life where I had to do the same tasks every day would be my definition of hell.”
The trade off, as every artist knows, is the financial instability that comes with being a freelancer: “It means living in a world where you’re not sure what’s going to happen at any given point, it’s very unpredictable; tours get booked, shows get cancelled, things come through or don’t come through, then somebody gets injured or the music breaks down at a dress rehearsal. You have to get good at thriving in that environment and I don’t think it’s for everyone. I’m pretty good with chaos in general, it gives me a spark, makes me feel alive.”
Daniel da Silva and Hampus Gauffin perform Icarus; photo by Irina Popova
Nowacka’s dancing and choreography are renowned for their extraordinary physicality, a style and direction that commandeered her imagination while studying at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in New York City. “That’s where I found my dancer,” she says simply.
Next weekend, Nowacka’s Icarus receives its Toronto premier as part of Ballet Jörgen’s season opener at the Betty Oliphant Theatre (see story above). The choreographer has nothing but praise for the company that has brought her piece to life: “They are one of my favourite Toronto dance companies,” she enthuses, “because the dancers are really astonishing and Bengt’s interpretation of the classics is so engaging.”
In fact, Nowacka studied ballet with Jörgen years ago. Says the company’s artistic director, “She’s done something really interesting, not really describable, it’s art that’s visceral rather than narrative but has a real heart and strength to it. It’s a very physical work that speaks to a segment of the audience that might not connect as strongly with traditional or classical ballet.”
Nowacka’s approach to the Icarus myth focuses on the flying mortal’s elated rise toward the sun and his inevitable, terrible fall to earth. “My interpretation is a collective Icarus,” says the choreographer. “It’s not a linear story, it’s really about the emotion of the paths up and down. Will the audience get the narrative thread of the story? No. Will they get the essence of it? Definitely.”
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