Read this:
“What motivates me to collaborate? Human stories being shared with each other, human interaction, human ability to push each other to imagine beyond what we think we can imagine. What motivates me? The sense that in order to communicate with each other, to embrace and challenge each other, we have to constantly be in the present. . . What motivates me? Well, maybe to constantly repeat this question to myself until I run out of words to explain what actually motivates me! Because then there is just ‘us’, or ‘we’ left behind, a collection of artists, of different disciplines, different languages, different cultures, different education, but we are all in the same room, in silence, and all our passionate gestures and fierce negotiations, have come to a standstill, and with it, a sense that we all want a single ‘truth’, that this journey together has to end up giving birth to our creation. . . that somehow, we as individuals, are like small jigsaw pieces, but together, we form a single, but powerful and larger fuller picture.”
– Words by Akram Khan on collaboration. Inspiring, no? To be passionate, to run with words, to be honestly inspired by another human being – is to create, to collaborate and to enhance the solo practice, to expand and adapt to the ideas of the shared, the “we” in the bigger picture.
“When two artists are collaborating together, and what they bring together to the table is not open or clear from the beginning, then it has the danger of becoming confused, or simply, it has the danger of collapsing.” – this is perhaps the mistake I’ve made in the past, feeling that the orientations of those included will be defined through time and not negotiation. There is an organic development, but not all of this process can be silent. – “We were both frightened to lead each other, and at the same time, frightened to be lead by the other.” – well said.
“So what are my ‘values’ in a collaborative sense? I would like think that they are to do with revealing and understanding relationships, understanding the power of bridges between people from different cultures, different countries, different value systems. For me, relationships have two profound factors. Firstly, the understanding of the other: What inspires them? What drives them? What makes them turn into children? What makes them frightened, excited, sad, vulnerable etc. . . ? Secondly, the more important factor, what do I give to this relationship that takes them somewhere they would not be able to, if I were not in the equation, and vice-versa…And I suppose this is what I would like to share with you, that the basic principle of retaining one’s individuality and yet at the same time, being able to form and then serve a singular, collective vision.”
This may have been my difficulty in the past – focused constantly on what and how much I was bringing to the table without acknowledging the power and presence of others that can influence the overall project. It’s about being present as an artist, but about emptying yourself enough to be filled by another idea, impulse, drive. Bringing some to create more and overflow.
Something to ponder.
– referenced article published on akramkhancompany.net