Béjart Ballet courts innovation and sponsors

Drawn to Lausanne 22 years ago to found a ballet company, Maurice Béjart, recognized as one of the greatest choreographers of modern times, contributed to transforming the language of dance and to making Lausanne a hub for dancers from all over the world.

Béjart passed away in 2007 and fears were expressed that his legacy would not remain. But Gil Roman, one of his star protegés, was entrusted with the responsibility of keeping Béjart’s works alive.

“I don’t however conceive the BBL as a mausoleum since the best way to serve Maurice’s memory, in my opinion, is to introduce novelty. A dance company that does not create cannot progress, nor can the dancers,” says Roman.

The five-night programme starting on Saturday presents “What love tells me” one of Béjart’s grand compositions based on Mahler’s Third Symphony and named after the piece's last movement.

What love tells me, photo François Paolini

Two world premieres by choreographers who both started as dancers with Béjart complete the programme. Joost Vrouenraets, who directs a company in Holland, creates ‘Ex Orbis’ with a cast that includes the stunning Ukranian dancer Kateryna Shalkina. Tony Fabre, who now directs the Spanish national dance company in Madrid presents ‘Ismaël’.

“It’s important to give other choreographers a chance,” says Roman, whose own “Aria” met with rapturous applause last year. “By allowing dancers to become more liberated and imaginative in different choreographies, they actually give better performances in Béjarts’s works,” the director adds.

Aria, choreography Gil Roman, photo Chris Blaser

There are currently 40 dancers in the company and because they share roles, the activity between revivals and creations is always intense. Furthermore, they travel several months a year, giving more than 90 performances on prestigious stages throughout the world, more recently to Japan, Hungary and Belgium. Only 15 per cent of their shows are hosted in Lausanne.

Fabien Ruf, director of the Lausanne culture department recognizes that BBL is “a feather in Lausanne’s cap” that he will continue to support, but he would like to see a higher level of collaboration with local venues.

Although the company receives more than four million francs in subsidies a year, Peter Berger, president of the Fondation Béjart Ballet Lausanne, stresses that unlike other large ballet companies, BBL is not part of a subsidized institution and must therefore rent its venues when it performs.

The Paris Opera Ballet, for instance, is part of the Paris Opera house which means that the decoration and costume departments are shared and a stage is available at no extra cost.

“The independence of BBL comes at a cost, which is compounded by the fact that, unlike other countries, Switzerland does not have a federal culture ministry or national airline that, for the sake of state prestige, fund the touring costs when the company goes abroad,” said Berger.

Unlike Zurich and Geneva that are home to luxury industries, Lausanne does not possess many options when it comes to attracting sponsors. “And yet the city owes part of its recognition abroad to Béjart’s company,” adds the president.

To mark Béjart’s contribution to Lausanne, the main station of the recently opened M2 metro was named after the choreographer.

On the other hand, recognizes Berger “Lausanne has arguably one of the most abundant and extraordinary cultural offers of any city its size. We are very grateful for their continued support.”

Roman says that he is currently pursuing the idea of working more closely with other local groups. The Rudra Ballet school attached to the BBL already frequently performs on the occasion of various events, including at the Olympic Museum.

“My first duty is towards the public. I want people who come to our shows to feel transformed by what they have seen and experienced,” says Roman. With an eye on the future, he is inviting sponsors to come on board share the same experience.

The two first evenings at Beaulieu are sold out, but seats remain for later performances.

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