Carmen the Ballet: Jessica

The new Ballet Carmen, which debuted at this years Luminato festival, is an extremely controversial story. Escamillo, played by Kevin D. Bowles, is a bull at some points of the ballet. The show itself is very sex forward, filled with public displays of affection, as well as extreme costume and make up use to inhance the performance. To play the role of Escamillo can be quite challenging, due to the fact that the bull must be tough and powerful, and at the same time graceful and weightless. The choreography itself is hard to grasp, but Kevin pulled it off.I got the chance to interview Kevin and what his thoughts and feelings were towards the ballet. Here is what he had to say:


1) When did you first start dancing?


I started ‘late’. My first ballet class was at the age of 14! I had a lot of music training before that, piano and oboe, but no dance until I was 'duped' into the high school musical in the ninth grade. I started in tap and moved into jazz then -- to better my technique-- I took a ballet class.

2) Describe your favourite moment on stage?

Creation, for me, has always been far more rewarding than interpreting what has already been done. I think that doing a role that is 'ready-made' and reinterpreting it is more difficult and highly rewarding, but my most recent favourite moment on stage would have to be dancing Beaujolais from James Kudelka's An Italian Straw Hat.

3) Which ballet was your favourite to dance and why?

My "favourite" ballet is one that most people have never seen: Colin Connor's Streets and Legends. Genius! I wish you would publish this in the hope that someone would look him up! On a more familiar note I would have to say The Green Table by Kurt Joss. In Canada, I would have to say Swan Lake by James Kudelka. It is untouchable.

4) What ballet pose, move or exercise is your favourite and why?

Ballet is a form of communication. Instead of one pose or movement in particular, it is the whole system that makes it beautiful. The nuances and playfulness of the system are what defines it. What I say, or dance, is not in any singular 'step' or 'movement' but is a product of the whole.

5) How do you like the National Ballet?

The National Ballet of Canada is among the best in the world. That is a bold statement! We are respected, admired and coveted by ballet dancers around the world. Most artistic companies dream of attracting the kind of calibre we turn away. We are the best but we don't apologize; we just offer better and longer! We are the standard the the rest of the world is struggling to achieve.

6) Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

No question! I can't imagine my life without The National Ballet of Canada.

7) What advice do you have for aspiring dancers?

I will quote one of my former teachers: "le veux peut tout", which means whatever you want, whatever you dream, can happen and will happen, everything is possible!



8) How did you find the experience transforming yourself into the character for Carmen?
A lot of fun! The costume for Escamillo includes body paint from the waist up. I've never had to put on that much make-up! It took about 45 minutes to get into the costume the one time we tried it -- we will probably be faster the next time but it will be quite an experience every time!


9) Did you try to do anything specific to make your own twist on the character?

The choreographer for Carmen did not make a literal interpretation of the opera. Escamillo is only seen at the end of the ballet and is kind of metaphorical. (It was suggested during a rehearsal that the entire scene might even be a figment of another character's imagination!)



Escamillo is not the bull fighter from the opera but rather ‘an embodiment of the masculine’. The result is that the three of us dancing the role of Escamillo are each totally different. We all do the same steps but watching my co-workers dance the role is almost like seeing them dance a different part!



10) How do you make your character connect with the rest of the characters as well as the audience?

Escamillo is different from all the other characters in the ballet because he is almost fictitious. Whereas the other characters are supposed to be real people doing real things, Escamillo sort of explodes onto the stage in a very surreal scene. There is a lot of humour involved but the scene is ultimately disquieting. The connection to other characters is therefore not the point of Escamillo, he is rather a force that happens and then leaves.



Not unlike an act of nature like a hurricane or an earthquake, the result of his passing is more important than what was actually happening during the event. Connecting with the audience, on the other hand, I don't think will be a problem because the role is so over the top you can't help but have fun with us while we tear up the stage!

**Note** Our own ballerina/ writer Cristina got the opportunity to watch the play this past Sunday, her opinion and review will be up soon