An interview with Rudy Sbrizzi, a professional dancer, who studies all kinds of dances in Geneva. He explains his professional career and his passion for dancing.
How did you become a professional dancer?
RS: I entered the Conservatoire of Avignon after a general baccalaureate, then the Junior Ballet of Geneva and afterwards, I joined a professional company.
Why did you choose this profession?
RS: I've always loved dance, but I never thought I could make a living at it. Hisako, a dance teacher and former professional dancer, suggested that I join the Conservatoire of Avignon. I was accepted at the audition and after that, everything happened very quickly.
Did you know people in the business before doing this?
RS: Not at all before I met Hisako and her husband, so when I was 16.
What company are you with?
RS: I am in the company Neopost Foofwa in Geneva, directed by Foofwa d'Imobilité and Jonathan O'Hear.
How long have you been dancing?
RS: I've been dancing since I was 9 years old, in association and at 19 in professional school.
How many dances have you learned?
RS: I've gone through a lot of different styles, different choreography since I was very young, but I never did the math.
Which dance do you like best?
RS: I like to change, there are way too many different moves to choose just one and that's the great thing about dancing.
How long do you dance a day?
RS: It depends on the time of year, but usually it's 6-7 hours a day.
Is the work hard?
RS: Yes it is hard and it requires investment like any other job, but when you have the chance to do what you love, it is different. Also, there is a technical part that is very important, as well as the artistic part.
Do you have to train a lot?
RS: Every dancer has his or her strong and weak points, it's a daily job.
Can you describe a day in your company?
RS: We usually start at 9:30 am with a warm-up, then we start rehearsing until 1:00 pm, then we start again at 2:00 pm and continue rehearsing until about 5:30 pm.
How many ballets have you done?
RS: I danced many extracts of ballets, in Sleeping Beauty for example, I danced in Carmen, Romeo and Juliet.
Is there a lot of work in the dance world?
RS: Yes, there is work, but there are a lot of dancers looking for work, so the places are very popular.
There must be a lot of expectations from your teachers or from the people who hire you?
RS: Yes, like any other job. You have to put your heart into everything you do.
How does it feel to be the lead in a ballet?
RS: I experienced that during my last year in Avignon. It's exciting, you gain more confidence. I have very nice memories of it. Now I'm much more into contemporary dance, so no more leading roles. Everyone has their place and everyone has the same importance. Afterwards, it all depends on the project.
What makes you passionate about dance?
RS: The idea of freedom, of being aware in your body of the space around you, of others. I love this concept of the dancer. It is also to feel really alive.
Do you create choreographies?
RS: I have, I love to create and I would like to participate in projects later as a choreographer.
Do you mix different types of dances when choreographing?
RS: Yes I like to mix everything, I come from classical but I have done jazz, contemporary and other dances, so it's much richer to be inspired by everything you learn.
Do you prefer to do improvisation or choreography?
RS: I really love both.
Do you prefer to dance alone or in duets?
RS: Same answer, a dancer has to be as versatile as possible, to adapt, to propose. And that's what's really exciting about this job, this diversity.
"Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" - F. Nietzsche
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