July 25, 2007

Interview with Dancer-Choreographer Nadine Helstroffer

Nadine Helstroffer is one of dance's treasures--a poetic, luminous performer whose choreography reflects her insight into life, nature and spirituality. She has been a good friend for many years, and I'm pleased to present an interview we recorded in the home she shares with filmmaker John Bush. Among other things, Nadine and I talked about their experiences filming in Tibet, and I urge you to follow the links for more information about all of John and Nadine's projects. (Nadine's bio is included at the bottom of this post).

Listen to audio interview with Nadine Helstroffer (MP3 format)

Background Materials for Audio Interview

Nadine provided us with video excerpts from her upcoming film Shimmer (working title), which we discuss toward the beginning of the interview:

Vajra Realm

Vajra Realm is a 12-minute dance film performed outdoors at sacred Tibetan sacred sites. Here are two screen shots:

Vajra Sky Over Tibet Trailer

Vajra Realm is a special feature on the DVD for the film Vajra Sky Over Tibet. You can watch a video trailer:

Nadine Helstroffer Bio

Nadine Helstroffer, French-born, has been presenting her choreography in the U.S., Canada and France since 1981. Her work includes Clock Lock, Threshold and Earthbound. She has taught dance and directed workshops in France, Korea and the U.S. Since 1998 she has been leading the BodyResonance Workshop which explores the link between meditation and movement. She has been presenting her workshop at the Zen Center of NYC, the New School University, New York Insight Meditation Society and Bowling Green State University.

Ms. Helstroffer obtained a doctorate in philosophy under the direction of Daniel Charles of the Sorbonne (Subject: An Innovative Approach to Dance) at Nanterre University/Paris-X, France, in 1980. Her academic interests in Eastern philosophies and her exposure to the East through her dance career have guided her toward an integration of Eastern philosophies and Western movements. She collaborated with composers Yas Jaz from Sankai Juku Company, Philip Fraser (devotee of Shri Shri Ravi Shankar) and David Hykes, founder of the Harmonic Choir.

In New York, the Rubin Museum of Art commissioned her 30-minute solo piece, Absence Presence, performed in the gallery of the exhibition "Handprints and Footprints of Buddhist Art" in 2005 and filmed by John Bush. She was also invited by the museum to dance her choreography as part of a performance by Hykes's Harmonic Choir.

In collaboration with filmmaker John Bush, she is preparing a 40-minute dance film--working title, Shimmer--shot entirely outdoors in New York City. An excerpt--"Portal"--has been screened at Galapagos Art Space, curated by the experimental film group Ocularis, and has had a special screening at the 2006 High Falls Film Festival.

Vajra Realm, a dance pilgrimage with Nadine Helstroffer filmed in Central Tibet, was released in January 2007 as a special feature on the DVD Vajra Sky Over Tibet, the third film of the Yatra Trilogy by John Bush. It is distributed by WGBH Boston.

For additional information on Vajra Realm and all of Ms. Helstroffer's work, you can visit Direct Pictures.

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