PHAIDRA – Digital collections

In this interview, EMILIO CALCAGNO, choreographer of Italian origin who has resided in France since 1989, provides an overview of his training and his work as a dancer and choreographer. His creative approach interweaves current socio-political events with an in-depth awareness of topics such as memory and choreographic transmission. As a choreographer, Emilio Calcagno has focused on the reconstruction of past choreographies such as the project Génération Bagnolet that led to the remaking of handpicked choreographies previously presented at the Bagnolet choreographic competition. Another characteristic of his work is his interest in multiculturalism and specifically the Mediterranean cultures. He currently collaborates with the National Ballet of the Tunis Opera and directs Compagnie ECO, the company he founded in 2006. In addition to his career as a choreographer, Emilio Calcagno’s work revolves around dance pedagogy and the transmission of the choreographic practise to the new generations.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

[00:22] Emilio Calcagno’s self presentation
[01:27] What kind of dance knowledge do you preserve in your body?
[04:55] What do you mean by the notion of "repertoire" in contemporary dance?
[06:54] What do you think you have forgotten? What remains of your career as a dancer?
[08:42] How do you access your body memory?
[11:01] What is included in your archive as a choreographer?
[14:06] What are your choreographic references and the cultural contexts where you position your work?
[18:34] In your choreographic work, what is your approach to memory and specifically to your own memory?
[22:26] What is your relationship with the Concours International de Danse de Bagnolet? How did you work on the project Génération Bagnolet?