Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer: A Mark Morris Torture Tale
Umm…okay. Just in case you didn’t already know that Mark Morris is known for–in addition to his choreography–being a total bastard to work with, Time Out’s Gia Kourlas interviews Lauren Grant, the smallest dancer ever.
What’s especially heartening about this interview are these little windows into self-abasement in the dance world, proving that, if you’re willing to endure abuse and ridicule and come out smiling and wanting more, God, you just might be a dancer…
“…in March of 1997, Mark was making up Platee and they needed a few extra people. I was perfect because they needed little critters from the swamp and what better person than a 4′11″ froglike creature to play a toad?”
“I got to work with him for months; he got to know me, and I took his class, and he yelled at me everyday.”
“There’s this part I’ll never forget: As the three Graces, we each fall. I was falling in a way so that I wouldn’t hurt myself. Mark wanted me to fall for real and it hurt every time.”
“The work is dancing in the way that he prescribes to the music, not using your own idea of musicality. And that’s fine because he illuminates the score. You need to learn how to obey his vision.”
“What will he say after a show?
‘If something’s good, he doesn’t usually say anything.’”
“After this many years you just want to kill yourself, and that’s why this is working out for me. Mark likes to look at it that way too…”
“For Richard Move’s performances, Mark insisted that we drink the wine. I remember in London, I did get really drunk during the piece. When Mark spun me out for the bow I kind of stumbled. But he loves that. He loves to torture us, and it’s funny—at my expense, of course.”
“I walk out to center stage and am trying so hard not to laugh. Mark comes out and we look at each other, we’re about to start dancing, and he says, “I’m going to fucking kill you.” [Laughs] But kind of with a smile on his face. It was so much fun.”
“How do you mean “change how you speak?
‘[Laughs] There’s a lot of hazing that goes on. Little things like if you’re in class or in rehearsal and you say, “Can I ask a question?” He’ll say, “You just did.” Or if you start everything with, “Um.…” He points these little habits out. He makes you notice those things, and if you care you start to change the way you speak. Sometimes it’s very demoralizing and upsetting, but it can be helpful. He’s brutally honest.’”
Like we said. Umm…ok.
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