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The contemporary dance company
performs the piece
calling glenn
,
choreographed by company
founder Danielle Agami (former
dancer and rehearsal director for
Batsheva Dance Company) and
featuring music by the Chicago-
based percussionist Glenn Kotche,
best known for his work in the
band Wilco. Agami spoke with
the Auditorium about Ate9, the
inspiration behind
calling glenn
, and
her dream collaborator!
AUD: You founded Ate9 in 2012.
What led you to create your own
company, and how has Ate9
evolved over the years?
DA: I founded Ate9 in order to give
a home to special talent — dancers
who hope to fulfill their passion
and commitment to dance as an art
form. While traveling in the US for
teaching and staging choreography,
I met a few dancers who truly
inspired me to take the step and
promise that more people will enjoy
these gifted few. Since then, the
journey of supplying both the artists
and the audiences with what they
need or want has been a full and
exciting experience.
AUD: What’s the inspiration behind
calling glenn
? The company’s
description of the piece says it’s
“inspired by exhausting common
rituals and desires” — were
there any specific experiences
that you were thinking of when
choreographing the piece?
DA: As we all know, habit is our
pleasure. All creatures have habits
and all of them get excited by the
chance to break them, but in reality,
they more often choose to avoid any
changes. There is a magical cycle that
comes from repeating something
again and again, but I believe we
know a bigger leap when we stop
for a moment and notice or even try
other options. Our fear from freedom
is costing us [a lot]. Our passion to
be seen, loved, fed, amused, own,
love, give, take, and receive are all still
addicting and consuming. Freedom is
unknown to us.
AUD: How did you make the
connection with Glenn Kotche?
DA: Glenn was introduced to me by
Catharine Soros, a patron of the arts
who knew of us and our work for a
while before she decided to take a
chance and ask us if we would like to
make something together. She was
right to ask and we are very grateful
for her initiation and the ongoing
trust and support the Soros family
shares!
AUD: What was the collaborative
process like? Did you choreograph
everything first and then work with
Glenn on the musical component,
or vice versa, or was it more of a
back-and-forth?
DA: Our process was flexible and
versatile. Glenn simply shared his
entire musical library for me to
choose a direction [for him] to
embark on and make new materials
for
calling glenn
. I had the freedom
to ask for any shift, change, and new
concepts, and Glenn always came
back with an interesting solution. We
feel much creativity in the process
– in fact, we are approaching a new
mutual commission these days.
AUD: You’ve worked with other
composers on other Ate9 pieces
— if you could pick one or two
dream musicians or composers to
collaborate with on future works,
who would they be and why?
DA: My dream composer would
be Stephen Colbert. I would like to
make dance to his monologues.
AUD: What do you hope people
take away from the performance?
DA: My only hope when making
work is that the audience will leave
thinking that dance is an interesting
and powerful form of entreatment.
AUD: Is there anything you’re
looking forward to doing while the
company is in Chicago?
DA: I look forward to learn which
vegan restaurant is the best one in
town!
CHERYL MANN
CHERYL MANN
Glenn Kotche
performing in
calling glenn.
Talking with
Ate9 Dance
Company’s
Danielle Agami
On November 16, Ate9 makes
its Auditorium Theatre debut
in the “Made in Chicago”
312 Dance Series!
Ate9 Dance Company
performing in
calling glenn.
18 |
AUDITORIUM THEATRE 2018-19
| September 26 - November 16, 2018