English National Ballet’s Isabelle Brouwers on her lockdown dance life, going back to the studio & dancing in a mask

08/23/20 • 54 min

In this podcast, English National Ballet‘s Isabelle Brouwers gives us an insight into her lockdown experience that coincided with recovering from an injury; she also talks about how she prepared to return to the studio and what it’s like dancing with a mask.

https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/2Isabelle+Brouwers.mp3

It is an understatement to say that Covid has presented enormous challenges for the dance industry. Dancers have been especially hit, as they have strived to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing within the confines of their homes, often isolated and separated from their families as well as their dance colleagues. And this is before the industry-wide redundancies, covid infections and shifting government policies restricting and delaying live performances around the world.

Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Nath Martin

However, throughout this period Isabelle has remained positive. She shares how she used the time at home with her sister to rehabilitate her injured foot, while taking courses to further her academic career, and writing about dance and reviewing online shows. These goals helped to keep her focused and ensure she was ready to return to ENB’s new multi-million pound home in East London.

Listen to Isabelle describe the feeling of finally being back in the studio, and how the company has managed the dancers’ return to keep them safe, with staggered start times, one-way systems and dance social ‘bubbles’.

Isabelle is absolutely relishing being back at the barre, even though this means taking company class in a mask – something dancers around the world are having to get used to. It’s intriguing to hear a dancer describe how a small piece of cloth has an impact on how a dancer experiences their space, their body and their artform.

Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Alex Fine

Isabelle also looks back at her journey from Germany to the Royal Ballet School and English National Ballet School; her experience of joining ENB where she’s risen through the ranks from the corps de ballet to First Artist.

Isabelle talks about picking up awards including Youth America Grand Prix (2007), Genée International Ballet Competition (Silver Medal 2013), Young British Dancer of the Year in 2013 with nominations in 2015 & 2016, and ENB’s Emerging Dancer Finalist in 2017.

As Isabelle looks to the future, she discusses how Covid is affecting the upcoming season that would normally see her touring the UK and the world. And after six years with the company, she’s drawing on her experiences of working with acclaimed choreographers like Akram Khan and the hope of performing his new work ‘Creature’ later this year, to keep her inspired as the dance world and devoted audiences wait for live performances to recommence and for the show to go on.

PRESS PLAY or LISTEN ON ITUNES, GOOGLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY!

https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/2Isabelle+Brouwers.mp3 Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Nathan Carlson Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Alexander Yip

https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/2Isabelle+Brouwers.mp3

Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Nath Martin

Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Alex Fine

PRESS PLAY or LISTEN ON ITUNES, GOOGLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY!

https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/2Isabelle+Brouwers.mp3 Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Nathan Carlson Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet (c) Alexander Yip

Previous Episode

Guillaume Côté – National Ballet of Canada Principal, Choreographer & Artistic Director of Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur

In this podcast, National Ballet of Canada acclaimed Principal dancer and award winning Associate Choreographer Guillaume Côté talks about his 22 year career with the company that has fostered his drive to create roles and new ballets and perform across the world with companies including La Scala Theatre Ballet, English National Ballet, The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Hamburg Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet.

Guillaume is also the Artistic Director of Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur – one of the largest summer dance festivals in Canada. This year’s 29th festival is forging ahead and responding to the challenges of covid by launching a new project called ‘A Shared Solitude‘, with 20 artists, 20 creations, forming 1 voice. Each week from 5 July works will be released online from artists including:

Daina Ashbee on a score by Alejandra Odgers performed by flautist Caroline Séguin
Marie Chouinard on a score by Louis Dufort performed by percussionist Alexandre Lavoie
Guillaume Côté with Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the piano on a score by Éric Champagne
Anne Plamondon on a score by Cléo Palacio-Quintin performed by trombonist Patrick Richer
Crazy Smooth on a score by Marc Hyland performed by clarinetist Simon Aldrich

Listen to Guillaume talk about the how the 20 artists have created works during lockdown, life as a principal dancer, his love of music, his passion for ballet, being a dad and his partnership with his wife, fellow principal dancer Heather Ogden.

PRESS PLAY!

https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/2Guillaume+Cote.mp3 Also available to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and with other podcast providers! Guillaume Côté. Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic (courtesy of The National Ballet of Canada) Guillaume Côté. Photo by Karolina Kuras

Next Episode

undefined - Principal dancer Carlo di Lanno on joining Semperoper Ballett during the pandemic and preparing to perform to a socially distanced audience

Principal dancer Carlo di Lanno on joining Semperoper Ballett during the pandemic and preparing to perform to a socially distanced audience

Principal dancer Carlo di Lanno moved from San Francisco Ballet to Semperoper Ballett in Germany just as the coronavirus pandemic started to hit Europe.

After arriving in the company’s home in the city of Dresden, Carlo immediately quarantined for two weeks before going into the studio to take company class and start rehearsals for the season that has already seen cancellations.

Listen to Carlo talk about his lockdown dance experience and what it’s like joining a new ballet company when required to socially distance from your colleagues, while taking class metres apart from another, on rotating schedules.

Semperoper Ballett is stepping back on stage with a series of gala events called »Semper Essenz: We Will Dance!«, being performed at the wonderful opera house accompanied by their world-famous orchestra.

With so many dance companies around the world cancelling their entire seasons, furloughing dancers and making staff redundant, it is uplifting to see ballet dancers set to perform to live audiences with a live orchestra – it’s almost semi-normal!

Carlo also shares his journey from growing up in south Italy to dancing with La Scala in Milan, Staatsballett Berlin and moving to San Francisco Ballet and working with world renowned choreographers William Forsythe, David Dawson, Benjamin B. Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon and more.

»Semper Essenz: We Will Dance!« is on 25 September and 1, 4, 16, 18 & 25 October 2020 – get your tickets.

Photo: Sofiane Sylve and Carlo Di Lanno in On the Nature of Daylight by Ian Whalen

PRESS PLAY!

https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/Carlo.mp3

Podcast also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and other podcast providers!