Roberto Olivan is considered to be one of the most interesting choreographers in Europe. He speaks to dance students Carla Schembri, Patsy Scerri, Valentina Azzopardi and Desiree Attard.

Contact Dance Company recently concluded its 10th contemporary dance hybrid. This is an annual event organised by artistic director Francesca Abela Tranter.

It adds new goals and initiatives every year, combining a dance exchange, artistic disciplines, technical expertise and an exploration of new methodologies.

Each year an international artist is invited to present new ideas towards movement studies and choreography.

Since the first edition, the pedagogical workshops have led to presentations and choreography that culminate in performances.

This activity has hosted renowned international guests in the past and this year was no exception. Roberto Olivan (Spain/Belgium) is considered to be one of the most interesting choreographers in Europe.

He is a sought-after dance practitioner and choreographer who has created numerous works for international dance companies and his repertory is performed in high profile theatres worldwide.

He is artistic director for Enclave Dance Company and is the founder of the international festival Deltebre Dansa, a platform renowned for its dialogue and aesthetic languages.

Currently, Olivan is collaborating with Alain Patel and producing a new work for a large circus production.

In his works, he skillfully combines dance, theatre and the contemporary art of circus. During his stay in Malta he choreographed a new work Born… Never Ask for Contact Dance Company, which will be premiered in the future.

Next year’s dance hybrid will be hosting Jose Agudo (Spain) and Claire Cunningham (UK), two artists of repute.

Olivan notes that it takes many years of hard work to define oneself as a dancer as well as to establish oneself as a choreographer.

Moreover, he stresses in his Spanglish tongue that it is “very different to be a dancer than to be a choreographer”.

He believes that being a choreographer is a journey; starting by allowing the dancers to get to know him and understand his technique and style.

Olivan emphasises that he learnt what his strengths were, and in every workshop he discovers how to share them in the best way possible.

“It is a very long process; starting slowly to eventually develop speed and precision.”

We witnessed this during his workshop. In fact all exercises were broken down and he made us repeat them several times to make sure each movement and step was understood.

The speed of the exercises increased as we went along, captivating several repetitions until movements became cleaner and sharper.

Olivan admits his aim is also “to push (the dancers) limits further”. He constantly repeats “you can do it” with Spanish innuendos and hissing sounds to create the expression of movement within.

Olivan indisputably motivates his dancers, encouraging them never to give up and always try again. He jokes he is a “pusher not a teacher; pushy with lots of affection”.

All he does is for the dancer‘s benefit, for them to reach their full potential. He frequently exclaims with a dynamic command of energy the word ‘andiamo’ to further motivate participants.

Even if the result is not perfect, even if it is just a little bit better, it is enough to put a smile of satisfaction on Olivan’s face. He would rather leave dancers with a thirst for wanting to learn more than achieving a great result with no passion.

Olivan started with break-dancing in the street and acrobatics, then discovered other dance styles.

He is trained in formal techniques such as classical dance and Cunningham (a radical technique that embraces space, time and technology). However, he claims they have not influenced his personal style, although they have helped him in terms of achieving physical strength.

He tries to learn something new daily and this is part of his ingredients for success.

Olivan mentions that one of his major influences is a style called Flying-low dance technique founded by David Zambrano, which deals with the relationship between the dancer and the floor.

Release (a technique that emphasises the use of gravity and momentum to facilitate movement) was also a major influence. He claims that when he discovered this technique “it released me”, and explains that it taught him how to use his energy economically.

In fact we were witness to this philosophy as the youthful class was ready for bed after a three-hour workshop, while Olivan could surely dance for another three hours.

Through his workshops, Olivan doesn’t primarily aim to achieve a certain technical level; rather, he aims for the participants discover their inherent way of moving.

He relates an experience which seems to support his ideal of bringing out whatever is inside us.

At the end of a performance a group of people with Downs Syndrome who were seated in the audience got up on stage and copied the dancers’ movements and within a few minutes everyone was on stage participating in this impromptu dance celebration.

This is a lesson to humanity Olivan exclaims; we should follow our true movement impulse.

How did Olivan feel about working in Malta?

The dancer was initially a little disappointed by the energy levels of the participants. He sees the Maltese as reserved, even a little too laid-back perhaps, but adds that this is no excuse.

The same situation applies to Brazil and yet they have some wonderful professional contemporary dancers.

He adds that “if I worked with you for one year, maybe something would click, I don’t know. But the impression is that you’re a little over-protected”.

Nevertheless he says there is nothing wrong with this attitude as long as one realises there is the possibility of another option by taking a more active approach. Perhaps Olivan was not fully aware that most participants dance for fun and not to pursue professional careers.

He thinks more Maltese dancers should adopt this active attitude.

Perhaps this should serve as a wake-up call for the local dance scene. We need to be aware of our approach to dance training; making a clear distinction between dance as a hobby and dance as a profession.

The four dancers are reading dance at the University of Malta (Mediterranean Institute).