Online interviews with Adam Cooper, Sarah Wildor, Matz Skoog & Tory Dobrin

[ibrown]

Sim kindly suggested that I post clearer links to four hour-long filmed interviews I made recently with Adam Cooper, Tory Dobrin, Matz Skoog and Sarah Wildor, which are now on Youtube. The interviews include film clips and numerous photographs charting their impressive lives, aimed to enlighten dance students at the Vyne Dance Academy Berkhamsted about the wide range of possibilities and directions they took, as well as demonstrating attitudes and decision-making required to reach the heights. Technical quality is rookie, as these were filmed live. Although they were referenced briefly as a group in Links last week, this post makes them easier to find individually.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuahG7FpjL8 Adam Cooper, legendary as the Swan in Matthew Bourne’s world hit Swan Lake. Topics include his seven years at the Royal Ballet and partnerships with Darcey Bussell, Sylvie Guillem and wife Sarah Wildor, the transition to Bourne’s Adventures in Motion Pictures to star in Swan Lake and other works, self-development as a choreographer-performer in Singin’ in the Rain and Liaisons Dangereuses,  and his approach to risk-taking. Includes Billy Elliot clip (of course).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJCXQKNsOqQ Sarah Wildor, the exquisite “English” ballerina of the 1990s Royal Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, and the Broadway hit show Contact. Topics include the Royal Ballet School, the power of the corps de ballet, her approach to comedy and tragedy, Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan’s ballerina roles, friendship with Anthony Dowell and marriage to Adam Cooper, her resignation from the Royal Ballet, performing with Matthew Bourne and Susan Stroman, professional versatility and ballet artistry. Clips include A Month in the Country and Symphonic Variations.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVMHNNrnnqk Ex-ENB artistic director Matz Skoog. Topics include his childhood training and quick rise in Royal Swedish Ballet, his performing career in London Festival Ballet/English National Ballet, the originating of Christopher Bruce's celebrated Swansong, the turbulent years of directorship at ENB, his eclectic outlook on ballet as an art, and insights about confidence and self-development in his new capacity as a professional life coach. Includes Swansong clip.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GQpcfR3n_c Trocks artistic director Tory Dobrin discusses his 40+ years with the legendary male ballerina comedy troupe, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, including his early years in LA, the Trocks' birth in the US Aids crisis, male pointe work, drag styles, gender politics, 19th-century Russian ballet, diva legends, Anna Pavlova, Japanese kabuki, and the occasional reluctance of choreographers to be parodied by the Trocks. Includes performance and documentary clips.

 

[Jane S]

I watched the Wildor interview the other day - lovely to see her again! I hope the students took in what she said about building another successful and enjoyable career after she left the RB but I hope they also picked up how much she was missed - such a lovely dancer! I could only make sense of Ross Stretton's treatment of her by wondering if he'd never actually seen her on stage.

 

(And even 20 years later she's still haunted by the night her hair came down in Symphoni Variations!)

 

Look forward to watching Adam Cooper next.