I didn’t think it would take too long before Rebecca Hilton popped up in Monday’s Mentor. I’ve had the privilege of working with Becky – in class for a number of years, and most recently in a work she choreographed for.
I chose Becky for this week because I think I need a small kick in the butt. I’ve been working very hard lately, but I’ve lost the balance I’m seeking regarding life/dance. Now, I know this is always going to be a tricky gamble, but there’s nothing better than a teacher’s voice you greatly admire ratting through your head to get you moving. There’s one thing she said to me, two years ago now, when I asked her how to succeed as a contemporary dancer. We were sitting in a change room, chatting away and she looked me squarely in the eyes and said, “Rach, just keep going to class”.
I didn’t comprehend the impact of that statement straight away, I’m sorry to say. It’s simple enough, but until I really embraced the idea of constant practice, and the mental and physical qualities that that involves, this simple idea can slip.
One of the things I most admire about Becky is how down-to-earth she is. In dance, in life, in everything. In being so honest about herself and her own practice, she strips the ideals of movement away, releasing the bare bones, allowing you to consider what’s working for you, and what isn’t. Movement is dissected and reassembled using both intuition and logic. In completing her phrases you find yourself embedded in your own head, counting numbers and heading directions whilst your body disjoints itself with it’s own natural ease.
She seems to approach her life, and delivers her advice with the same directness she did on that day in the change room. She was a big advocate for European dance, exploring the different ideas and styles that are out there, and I’m pleased to think I took this on board, however subconsciously.
Here’s a nice little bio of Becky’s life so far: (taken kindly from this website)
Rebecca Hilton is a Melbourne born dancer, teacher, choreographer and director. After graduating from the Victorian college of the Arts she performed with Dance Exchange (Sydney) and Danceworks (Melbourne) before moving to New York in 1987. Upon arrival she joined the Stephen Petronio Company, creating original roles, touring, teaching and assisting the choreographer throughout the US, Europe and South America. While based in NY she contributed to the work of many fine artists of her generation including visual artist Mathew Barney (US), Michael Clark (UK), John Jasperse (US), Tere O’Connor (US) and Lucy Guerin (Australia) and availed herself of the incredible arts and performance culture New York City has to offer.
She began developing choreography in 1993 and has since made work in a myriad of situations, with groups large and small, people old and young, performers experienced and amateur and finds the creative process engrossing no matter who she’s working with. Her interest in generating performance is always shaped by the community of people doing it, whether they’re a professional contemporary dance company, a group of medical students from Monash University or a Krump crew from the outer Western suburbs of Melbourne.
Rebecca was Artist in residence at the Footscray Community Arts Centre in 2007. During this time she developed GO, a suburb sized performance involving over 150 diverse participants from the Western suburbs of Melbourne. GO featured in the 2008 Melbourne International Arts Festival.
In 2007 Rebecca collaborated with New York choreographers John Jasperse and Jodi Melnick on the performance piece, Becky, Jodi and John, which premiered at Dance Theatre Workshop (New York City) with a return season and European tour planned for 2009/10. In 2009 Rebecca began curating the annual program for Stompin, a youth dance and performance company based in Launceston, Tasmania.
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With such a plethora of experience across both dance and travel, she really is an inspiring mentor to just keep dancing. Time to avail myself on all the arts that London has to offer.
“Rach, just keep going to class…”
Update: I’ve just chanced upon a lovely little video featuring Becky in association with her collaborative work “Becky, Jodi and John”