Eddie Martinez first wrote an artist profile for the blog in February 2015. This week, we are excited to catch up with him three years later.
Photo by Claudia Scheer van Erp
Perhaps, I should start with what has absolutely not changed – my unwavering respect and admiration for the work of Pina Bausch. Sometimes I feel like I have become one of the guardians of her legacy. I see more and more how pieces that date from the 70s and onwards continue to resonate with so many people around the world. The work has cross-cultural impact. It is a language unto itself that is universal. Pina matched her talent and passion with her work ethic, which I also continue to respect and take very seriously. I expect a lot from myself. I expect a lot from my colleagues who worked with Pina over an extended period of time, and I expect a lot from the new members of the company who never worked with Pina. That is the Pina way.
As a member of the company that has worked in Pina's way for 23 years, I must help bridge a gap between the dancers who worked day in and day out with Pina and who rely on her work ethic, with a new artistic director and younger members of the company. We sometimes struggle to find common ground. Fortunately, our goal is the same – to create work that Pina would be proud of. It still has her name on it!
Original members of the company spent precious time with Pina, and we invested our hearts and souls into the work. Each of us retain ideas and carry memories of what was important to her creative process, whether we were learning a new role from someone else or creating a new one. The goal now becomes to effectively (and lovingly) deal with the transfer of this information to new members of the company. This can be quite a challenge. As a company, we are still trying to figure this out.
The most major change in the last 3 years is that I am older!! I will turn 55 in August! Normally 3 years means nothing; age is only a number. But dancing into one's fifties presents another kind of challenge. My body is aging… the wear and tear of many years of rehearsing, performing, and touring is taking a toll on my body. Actually, it is the long and rigorous rehearsal process that can be the toughest, not just the shows. I have begun to “downsize” as they say…taking myself out of pieces that are physically demanding.
The first show I chose to give up was THE RITE OF SPRING. Repeated back injuries simply made the show impossible for me to perform. More recently NELKEN proved to be the same thing. These shows were not just physically exhausting but emotional killers as well. VIKTOR is also a long and exhausting piece, a show I now share. Many of Pina's pieces can be from 3 to 4 hours long. It is very hard to sustain this at my age. The performing of these shows drains the dancer emotionally and physically.
This season will bring lots of touring and performances here to Wuppertal. We will be reviving pieces like 1980 and SIEBEN TODSUNDEN. There will also be two new commissioned works from Dimitris Papaioannou and Alan Lucien Oeyen.
Although my work with Tanztheater Wuppertal remains my primary focus, I also try to find valuable time to work on my own projects. I am currently scheduled to teach two 3-week choreographic workshops plus working on a performance piece with music students. This balance of dancing with the company and working on my own projects keeps me very busy and happy. I still love performing onstage, but I find myself gravitating more and more to working behind a table, coaching, directing and teaching. I enjoy this process very, very much. Every new interaction and every new project becomes another stepping stone to extend my boundaries, whether it's with non-dancers, musicians, actors, students, or professionals. I try to find ways to keep the ideas flowing and the curiosity abounding. Any and everything is possible. You just have to try and not let yourself or anyone else hold you back. I am not sure how all of this has happened, but am very grateful it did.
Between my ears I am still at my peak! I would like to extend my performing career a bit longer. My ego is in a good place for me to let go and let a new generation enjoy learning and performing these beautiful, iconic pieces. Fortunately, this letting go is made easier as I tune more and more into is my love of teaching, coaching and mentoring. Sharing with others what I have learned performing for Pina and the Tanztheater experience is gratifying.
I am learning to take a deep breath. I am relaxing into who I am am…who I am meant to be. And laughter is still the best medicine. I do not fear aging. Actually, I am learning to embrace it. It's all good!!
Photo by Claudia Scheer van Erp
Related posts:
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Life as a Modern Dancer 
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