AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

“Gershwin’s music has an enormous emotional range — from jazzy rhythms to lyrical melodies. Some passages practically call for tap dancing, as in the film, but in the end I decided to work exclusively with the ballet company itself. At times, however, I deliberately introduce movements into the choreography that evoke tap dancing — a certain syncopation and swing. One of the characters in the performance is Adam, a pianist struggling with wartime memories. For this character I used Second Prelude, one of Gershwin’s more melancholic pieces. I also created characters who do not appear in the film — the so-called ‘shadows of emotion.’ They accompany the protagonists and symbolize their inner states: fear, desire, and memories. <...> It is, of course, a story about love, but also about the conflict between gratitude and genuine feeling. Most important, however, is Gershwin’s music itself — full of warmth, lightness, and a touch of melancholy — which is not very often interpreted through dance. I would like audiences to experience a moment of reflection in the theater, but also a sense of relaxation. Not every performance has to save the world — my Prometheus is philosophical and serious, whereas An American in Paris is meant to bring a breath of fresh air, joy, and the feeling that in the art of ballet one can discover complete harmony.”