In honor of Independence.

Not the kind of independence that separates countries one from the other, but the kind of independence that celebrates clarity of self, autonomy of expression, release from influence, creative assertion and fluency, freedom of intellectual curiosity, declarative liberation, release from the chains of social constraint…

“I am not nice. That has gotten me into a lot of trouble.” – Sylvie Guillem

Mats Ek choreographed the solo stage piece, BYE, in 2011 at the request of Guillem, considered the greatest ballerina of her generation. Guillem would soon leave the world of dance to move into another era, another chapter, another world of creative expression in her own life, and BYE is reflective of that transition.

“My ambition, if you can call it that, was to discover and learn and be excited by what I was doing. If I didn’t have that, I would find it elsewhere.” – Sylvie Guillem

This is a video of the film version of BYE, done in 2013, “… about a woman who takes leave of a certain stage in her life. It is a conversation that she has with herself that leads to new experiences.” – Mats Ek

Reflective of leaving,

Reflective of moving forward,

Reflective of each moment of emotional and physical life,

Reflective of what it means to be free.

Independence is something that ought to be celebrated every day, not just (officially) on Independence Day. I encourage you all to watch every single minute of this piece of brilliant choreography, whimsically, defiantly and embracingly danced by Guillem.

BYE is one of my favorite pieces of choreography, one of my favorite collaborations between dancer, choreographer and composer. When I watch it, I feel…free. It is a celebration of independence in every conceivable way.

“I think it’s going to be a big shock. I don’t know who I am going to be without this. So — let’s just face it.” – Sylvie Guillem

#SylvieGuillem #MatsEks #BeethovenOpus111 #IvoPogorelich #BYE #Dance #Ballet  

Sylvie Guillem Prepares to End Her Ballet Career:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/arts/dance/sylvie-guillem-prepares-to-end-her-ballet-career.html

Why Mats Ek is retiring, and taking his ballets with him:
http://dancemagazine.com/news/10-minutes-with-mats-ek/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HojXn0-t5Hw