He is one of the most prominent stars of the Italian dance summer because his installation “Le Bal de Paris” is repeated every day at the Spoleto Festival from 24 June to 10 July, and then at the Venice Biennale of dance from 22 to July 30. It was with this installation that last year in Venice she had won the Best V / R Experience Award at the International Film Festival.
Blanca, how did the idea of an installation that mix dance and virtual reality come about?
«I have always experimented with new means. I don’t just dance, but also cinema, video. Dance pushes me to other experiences. I like to bring it to the public, to give life to different ways of participation outside the traditional models. Getting the audience moving is an opportunity. Many love dance but don’t have many opportunities to experience it ».
A woman of multifaceted genius, like Homer’s Ulysses, it has been said.
“I was lucky enough to meet artists who did different things, all of my companions: actors, painters, musicians. In this way I was able to get in touch with very different experiences that formed me, we worked together, exchanged experiences ».
In “Le Bal de Paris” the viewer must first choose his avatar and perhaps a Chanel dress. Explained to those who know little?
«The show is designed for 9 people at a time, helmet on their head and computer in their backpack. Then we leave, we walk. The spectator chooses he sees the interiors of buildings, green exteriors. But in reality it moves in a space of ten meters by ten ».
Dance as a party, fun and surprise?
” Of course. for me dance has always been a great pleasure. I am far from those who consider it a pain ».
Up to the age of 16 he did gymnastics and was in the most important category of his sector. Then came the dance. How did it happen?
“I was walking around Seville. Someone noticed me: with a figure like this he should do dance. we discussed it and from there the plan to go to study in New York started. Five years at Graham’s school. ‘
That is: someone stops her on the street and advises her to dance and she follows him to New York?
“Of course. He was someone you could absolutely rely on. And then before we left we went to talk to my family. My mother had great faith in me ».
Only daughter in a family with eight siblings
«An Andalusian family. Like yours in southern Italy ».
Do you also have many children?
“Two; fifteen and seventeen years old “.
Will the dancers do?
«I don’t know if they will become dancers when they grow up. they haven’t decided yet. ‘
Among his opera direction there is a funny and fascinating version of Rameau’s “Indes Galantes”, also visible on homevideo. Does he love the baroque? Will you do other opera directing?
«I really like Baroque music. But beware I don’t do baroque dance, I do Blanca Li. I am working on a “Dido and Aeneas” for Les Arts Florissants, the baroque music ensemble directed by William Christie. It will make its debut at the Versailles Theater and then at the Liceu in Barcelona ».
You are the artistic director of the Teartros del Canal in Madrid. How do you choose the programming?
“It’s called Teatros del Canal, in the plural, because there are three stages. So the programming is very broad. We do not miss anything “