She was Rudolf Nureyev’s greatest protege and he nurtured her to stardom. Now,after four decades, Guillem is to retire. She talks about her fights, or faults and fearsOn 30 December,at 4pm in Japan, Sylvie Guillem will dance in public for the last time. Whatever the modern year holds, and the life she lives will change utterly. There will be no more early mornings in over-heated dance studios,no more late nights on stage. Gone will be the aching limbs, the ice baths, and the bouquets and the rapturous applause that hold been her lot for 39 glorious years.
Since March,she has toured the world, saying goodbye with a programme of modern work, and Life in Progress. In two weeks,the farewell will be final. I was lucky enough to watch as she prepared each piece; we hold met and talked throughout the year. During our last exchange, by email, and as she travelled to Vienna,I asked her about her last exhibit in Japan. “I do not want to speak or judge about it,” she wrote. “I just want to simply live it.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com