I often think about what makes a good leader; a great leader. That
person who has the vision and derermination to trace and follow a path, and, at
the same time, is able to inspire, gather and lead many others, essential for
accomplishing the mission. So, I got very interested when my friend Caroline
Miller, Director of Dance UK, wrote to me about Rural Retreats, an international think tank looking at the future of ballet and dance. The
sessions bring guest speakers from the world of business, sport and the arts to
interface with the dance leaders and to share experiences and allow
opportunities to think 'out of the box' about the place of dance in today's
society. Are great leaders born or made? Or is
it a bit of both? Assis Carreiro, the Artistic Director of the
Royal Ballet of Flanders and the person who
conceived and launched Rural Retreats, and Thomas Edur, Artistic Director of
the Estonian National Ballet, give us their insight and tell us about the
challenges they´re facing. Interestingly, they both talk about egos; and they
both talk about people...mv
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| Assis Carreiro with Lynn Seymour and Karen Kain at Rural Retreat 2012. |
As
the founder and producer of the Rural Retreats, I approached the latest
gathering of Artistic Directors from around the globe with exictement, but also
nervousness, since for the first time I would not only be playing host but also
taking part, as I had just become Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet of
Flanders. This latest edition was,
therefore, a double bonus for me. On the one hand, I got to
produce a think tank that I am very passionate about and committed to delivering
to a community of leaders - desperate for support, peer discussion, debate and
stimulation from guest speakers from other professions. It has been evident
from the success of past gatherings how crucial and necessary they are to the
well-being and development of existing and future dance leaders. On the other
hand, the weekend was just what I needed four months into the role of artistic
director - an opportunity to learn and listen, to ask lots of practical
questions about the day to day job and deeper, philosophical questions and
thoughts about the art form that we are all so passionate about.
When
I conceived the Retreats twelve years ago, I would never have thought for a
moment that I would one day be leading a company. But, as time went by, I thought
it was a challenge I would relish and... here I am. I have to say that I couldn't have done this job
before now. I needed not just professional work experience but life experience
- that is crucial and it is the wealth of experience that I can grab from my
very deep bag that helps me find solutions and keeps me sain. And, having
a family, whilst adding constant challenges and negotiations, also keeps
me sain and makes me realise that there is more to life than ballet. They
are also the most amazing support system and fan club when the going gets
tough!
This
is very much a people job. As Artistic Director, I am responsible for careers -
their development - and these are fragile and short careers and it is all
personal. Dancers are constantly being judged and difficult decisions made. I
really do have to park my ego and look after 52 egos plus the artistic team,
guest choreographers and repetiteurs, administration team, board members and,
of course, the needs of our public. It is juggling a lot of plates at breakneck
speed, always with a smile and a strong, clear and positive attitiude...
The
challenges:
1)
Money, money, money: if there was the right amount we could just do our jobs,
but it is a constant frustration and challenge and, in these difficult times,
we really have to think out of the box of how to survive and continue to keep
our art form relevant and vibrant and understood by the wider world, outside
our small but fragile one.
2)
Being new: I am new so I have to prove myself to everyone and gain their trust.
That takes time. I had to put together an entire season in only 2 weeks - which
was sheer madness, but I did it and the team rallied around me to make it a
reality. This has been amazing and I hope have slowly begun to gain their confidence
and trust - as always the proof is in the pudding.
3)
Every day is a steep learning curb in year 1: I am not afraid to ask questions
and I joined a company with a wealth of experience, so I ask and learn and I
can also teach from my 32 years working in the profession, in a range of
companies and roles that have given me the confidence to take this new one on.
4) People: getting the right people
on board to come on the journey and follow my vision. If they aren't right,
they should find another boat to sail, as we need to work together as a tight
knit team of committed individuals. It is hard in dance, because it is often
not about whether people are great or not, but whether they fit into the new way
of working and are open to change and new ways of moving forward. In Antwerp I
am really trying to create a strong ensemble of dancers and fortunately
inherited a strong base from which to do this, but the technical and production
teams and administration are equally critical in making the whole ship sail in
the right direction.
5)
The joy: there always has to be some! The work of wonderful choreographers
performed by incredibly talented dancers and then seeing the audiences's
reaction; that makes it all worthwhile and the wonderful enjoyment of programming
for both and taking them on a journey - and me too!
Assis
Carreiro became Artistic Director of Royal Ballet of Flanders
in September, 2012. She was Artistic Director & Chief Executive of
England’s DanceEast between 2000 and 2012, where she created Rural Retreats, a series of
international think tanks supporting the developing of dance leadership for
existing and future artistic directors; Snape
Dances, an international dance
series at Snape Maltings; and the National Centre for Choreography. She led
DanceEast’s capital project, which in 2009 culminated in the opening of the
£9-million Jerwood Dance House on the Ipswich waterfront. During
1998/99, Assis was dance programmer at DasTAT for William Forsythe’s Ballett
Frankfurt. From 1994-96, she was Director of DanceXchange in Birmingham and went on to work for
Wayne McGregor|Random Dance. Prior to moving to the UK in 1994, Assis was
Director of Education, Community Outreach and Publications for the National
Ballet of Canada.
__________________
 |
| Estonian National Ballet (Photo: Harri Rospu) |
I've been
Artistic Director of Estonian National Ballet for nearly four years. I took on this
role after being a principal dancer, performing for many years with the English
National Ballet. The transition from being a self-contained freelance principal
dancer to dealing with, and being responsible for, a company of over 70 people
was huge. I had been thinking about how to deal with this over the years,
because I knew I wanted to be an Artistic Director one day. A few years ago,
I'd taken part in DanceEast's Retreat for future dance company directors and
spoken to other colleagues about the role, but nothing really prepares you for
the reality.
Lessons
leraned?
1. Don't do
it for the ego, do it if you like to pass on your knowledge.
2. Teach
somebody something and you will learn about yourself and your leadership style.
3.
Communication and talking to people is vital - yet you will be overwhelmed with
work and find you don't have time to talk to people. Make time, it's essential.
4. Try and
be reasonable and fair.
5. Be
prepared for long hours and huge demands on your time - but recognise you must
find a balance for your life outside work to stay sane.
When I
attended DanceEast's Retreat in England this year I had the chance to spend
time with 27 other Artistic Directors of dance companies from around the world.
We not only shared our challenges and opportunities, but also heard from
speakers working in elite sports, psychology and opera. We had lots in common.
Estonia is a
small country and every country is facing different challenges, but finance is
always the big question. It affects the artistic work we can create, but it can
never stop us from creating. Sometimes I think it's a creative opportunity to
have your resources squeezed. Lavish production budgets can mean that you throw
away the opportunity to express only with the body. That's what it's all about
- music and the body.
For me
personally, the challenge that concerns me most is dealing with individual
artists. I am constantly thinking about how to develop them, not just in the
immediate future, but in the long term. Keeping them motivated and fresh can be
hard. Dancers are strong and independent and often this characteristic is
overlooked because the art form is silent. This isn't something that society
easily relates to. Everything is about self-promotion, being interviewed on
television, having your voice heard - whilst dance is about showing what you
can do, rather than talking about it. Very few dancers will become famous and
those who will, will soon after be at the point when they retire from dancing.
Being the
Artistic Director of a ballet company means your most important asset is the
dancers. You are dealing with people who are striving to achieve something and
sometimes they can be misunderstood. All professional dancers are working
towards achieving their peak physical performance. It’s very similar to dealing
with talent in sport. My challenge as a leader is to show them that if they
listen to me they will see themselves dancing better and this is a long term
process. As an Artistic Director you have to show results, and when one dancer
succeeds, another will follow.
Thomas Edur has been Artistic
Director Estonian National Ballet since 2009. Thomas became an acclaimed
international ballet star, performing as a principal and guest artist with the
world’s leading dance companies, both as a soloist and in a world-renowned
partnership with his wife, Agnes Oaks. He is also a teacher and
choreographer with a lifelong commitment to promoting excellence in dance. In
2001, Thomas was presented with the Order of the White Star by the President of
the Estonia. In 2010, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed him
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), in recognition
of his services to the arts in the UK and to the UK-Estonia cultural relations.
________________
My thanks to Caroline Miller for all her help.
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