Video transcript
State Dance Festival 2022 - Q&A with Rafael Bonachela

[intro music]

RAFAEL BONACHELA: Hello. My name is Rafael Bonachela, and I am the artistic director of Sydney Dance Company I am honoured to be an ambassador for the Arts Unit and the dance programs that are made available to you through the New South Wales public schools. Congratulations on being selected to perform at State Dance Festival for 2022.

A festival like this highlights the hard work, passion, and drive from you as dancers. And the support from your teachers and your families to get you here. To come together in this way. To share your love for dance and creativity with each other and with audiences. It's a very special moment. The last few years have not been without their challenges. From lockdowns and Zoom classes, to dancing in masks and not being able to travel.

I am in awe of the way that young people have maintained their passion for dance. To be able to gather together from all across New South Wales is truly exceptional. And I am excited for you all. I know that you have some questions for me. So let's get to it.

ANYA: Growing up, did you prefer to be the performer on stage or more behind the scenes like the choreographer?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: When I was young, I absolutely loved dancing, but there was no dance school in my town. I come from a very small town outside Barcelona. So I had to dance and I had to choreograph. I had to do it all. I would put myself right in the middle, and I would convince my friends in school to dance with me. So I loved both things-- I loved dancing, and I loved choreographing.

ZARA: Do you recall the moment or person that helped you decide dance was the career path you wanted to follow?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: When I was young, I absolutely loved dancing. And when I was making the dance with my friends, I didn't know it was called choreography. I only found that out much, much later. When I was 15, my parents allowed me to get the train every Friday to go and take some dance lessons. And it was then when I met my teachers-- the first teachers that inspired me, that told me that, 'Oh, you might have talent. We think--.' Well, they actually told me that they thought I had talent.

So to hear that from my teachers and to have that support is really-- was my driving force to then want to become a dancer.

HAYLEY: I like to incorporate my Indigenous culture in my choreography. Have you incorporated any cultures in your choreography? And how?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: Yes, I have. And most recently, at the moment, in fact, we're working on my work, 'Ocho,' which I created a few years ago. And part of the music has this beautiful, gorgeous, amazing song by Aboriginal songwriter and singer, Rrawun Maymuru, who created this song, especially, for us. And I have had, in my career, the privilege to work with such a diverse group of artists that come from different backgrounds and that can enrich so much the work that I do.

ZARA: What would your advice be for young inspiring dancers like me, who are hoping to make a career of dance?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: My advice would be to always stay open to the opportunities that could come your way as a dancer. To also listen to your teachers. To also, if you can, watch as much dance as you can, whether it's live performance or whether it's through video or online so that you can be inspired. I also advise you to stay focused and to stay with that discipline that being a dancer requires.

Some dancers-- this might be harder because it is hard work to become a dancer. But also there is always that joy of performing. And you can never forget that. And the very last thing I would say is, be yourself. You cannot be anyone else but you. And if you work in yourself for yourself, you will achieve great things.

ANYA: Do your past experiences in your personal life guide or trigger how you choose to choreograph your pieces?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: Always. We all have a different life experience, we all have a different worldview, we all come from different places, different backgrounds. And that's the beauty of the world we live in and that's the beauty of becoming an artist that your experiences, the people you have met, your family, your colleagues will always influence your work. So whatever happens to me that day, that week, that month, and what happened before in my life will always be part of who I am and will be part of my work.

JAMES: After growing up and working internationally before coming to Australia, what have been some of the greatest influences on your choreographic style?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: I have been so incredibly lucky that I have been able to work with some of my favourite and greatest choreographers through my career when I was a dancer in Rambert in London in the 90s and in the 2000s. And I believe that there is something from everyone I have ever worked with in me and in my style and in the way that I work. Every choreographer that have been part of a process while they're creating a work and I was a dancer, I learned so much from them.

Then to be able to also see performances by other companies and be inspired by it, you know, whether it is something subliminal that you don't either-- that you're not even aware of, but it could be a feeling, or a sensation, or lighting, or a mood, I think it stays with you. And although-- there is a lot of influences that have made who I am.

OLIVIA: Do you have a daily ritual?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: As an artistic director, my daily ritual changes a lot, because sometimes I'm choreographing and that's fantastic and it might be for 5 weeks or 6 weeks. And I'm in the studio all day, and there's nothing that I love more than that. But other times, I might be doing all of the administration that goes around leading a dance company. All of the other areas of the organisation like education, like marketing, like press, I enjoy that very much.

So I try to stay physical every day in some way. I don't and I can't have the time to have the discipline that I used to have as a dancer. But yes, I try to stay as much as possible in touch with my body still.

ANYA: Do your routines change depending on the dancers you have to work with at the time?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: Absolutely. Each dancer is a unique artist that has something very special to offer. So when I work with different dancers, that will bring to me very different things, very different qualities, very different personalities, very different attitudes, very different techniques even.

So I really, really enjoy, and I thrive as a choreographer when there is a diversity of incredible human beings that have trained in different backgrounds and come from different places and what they bring to my work is always very special.

ZARA: Where do you find your inspiration for your pieces of work?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: Inspiration. Life inspires all my work. We live in the 21st century. I go to performances, I go to galleries, I read books, there is the internet. There is so many things in front of us every day happening. There is people. People that we meet, music that we listen. And you never know where inspiration can come from.

But if you're open, if you listen, if you observe, if you build relationships, if you collaborate with people, that will fill you with inspiration.

OLIVIA: Where do you see dance in Australia in 10 years time?

RAFAEL BONACHELA: Ten years time. You are the future in 10 years time. So I see a bright future for dance in Australia, because there is great artists right now really creating wonderful work, really investing in their practice, investing in the art form. And with all of you training in the way that you are and with all of your dedications, there is nothing but great future for dance in Australia.