Exclusive
interview with Gil Alon
by Lalitha
Venkat
What attracted
you to India? What were your first impressions of India?
My attraction to India was not
logical. I always knew that I have to come here. India appeared in my night's
dreams in a very lucid way. My first impression: Landing in Bombay where
people live on the airport's runaway, entering the city on the morning
of Diwali, 7am, people standing in front of the stinky drains in the slums,
brushing their teeth and bursting firecrackers. It was shocking, but I
fell in love immediately.
You have
conducted workshops in many countries. How different is your approach for
the West and the Far East including India?
There is no different approach,
for me the culture is only a veil. Inside, all are same.
You have
worked with the Tamil street theater group Koothu-p-Pattarai in Chennai.
How did you profit by this experience?
There are no words to describe
my connection to KPP. If I must use words, I can say that we are in love
and we took a vow to work together. After the festival, I will start a
new production with them.
What sort
of approach do you use when you work with children?
I don't give workshops for children,
only perform for them. For me children are equal human beings who happen
to be in a short body.
You participated
in the Butoh production "The Flower of the Universe" directed and performed
by the world famous Japanese Butoh masters Kazuo Ono and Yoshito Ono of
Japan. Did you train in Butoh?
Yes, the production was a culmination
of two months training.
‘Just a
Moment’ is a diary of your travel to the Far East. Have you always been
fond of travel? Do the experiences you gather influence the content of
your workshops?
I was always fond of traveling,
and now I can say that I am addicted. It is also a journey into myself
and it does influence my workshops.
Contact:
e-mail: gilalon2001@yahoo.com
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