An evening with Davide Dato (Principal, Vienna State Ballet): September 9th, 2021

It may sound very commonplace and stereotyped but I truly believe that coincidences do not exist. And most of all, that many things are decided by time itself. But I guess I should explain this more closely...

It has been some years (perhaps 9 or 10?) since Davide Dato and I have talked about an Interview – I am sure that I remember seeing him for the first time on stage. It was during a „Young Talents's Gala" back in 2012. I was impressed.

But this interview never happened. He had no time, I had no time, injury, time off stage – the reasons were so many that I think it better not to try to count them – but now, and this is not a coincidence, there came the right moment for it. Just last May I wrote a critique in which I discussed many „reinventions" (mostly on the changes regarding the artistic aspects of some dancers) and was extremely impressed about Mr Dato's abandonment in Robbins' „A Suite of Dances" - you can read more about that under https://www.attitude-devant.com/blog/2021/5/23/a-suite-of-dances . It was obvious that he had undergone a change and it was clear that the right time had come to meet at last.

We arranged a date at a central Café very near the Opera and met last September 9th.

Unfortunately, due to some private matters, I had neither the time nor the capacity of completing this Interview before today. Once more „Kismet" has shown me that there are no coincidences and that time itself knows when it is best to do something – or at least gives you „the hint" of the appropriate moment that should be used for that. In the very end, it is up to us to decide when and how to move on.

But I always tend to live life as if cooking a Turkish coffee: nothing is better than patience and time to let the coffee grains sink to the bottom of the cup to get the best flavour out of them...

It is a pleasure to write at last about our very special meeting, even with this incredible delay.

Once more „attitude" fulfils its purpose: to be a platform to „secure" information for Dance Lovers and also Dancers – especially thinking of how new generations may profit from all this advice and knowledge that sometimes is located at the end of the boundary of illumination.

I say this because we are discussing Dance on paper – and so little, in comparison to other art forms, has been written about it throughout the centuries. But this may be a good thing.

Remember: that there are no coincidences!

I opened my notebook and started writing down – I normally do not use a recorder and feel that also in here time plays an important role – I can absorb so much more of the person I am talking to if I have the right „Tempo" in saving information. A recorder, a keypad can take me away from my own „rhythm".

„Dear Davide, let's talk about information and how it affects a dancer!" I say.

He smiles and you can feel that a film is running through his mind „Oh, Ricardo, I felt great pleasure when I arrived in Vienna: Libraries, Bookshops and Books, DVDs, the Ballet School itself and then, youtube – but not much at the time. I have started collecting everything I could about Dance. I have never stopped to do so ever since!"

„You did say youtube?"

„Yes, but I believe that there is too much technique on it. In the whole „Social media world" altogether. People seem to be more interested in „the Circus". And Dancers also believe that they are not good if they can't do that. Sometimes I get very annoyed with this over-appreciation of Technique!"

„Aren't there different forms of „technique" - and by this, I am not only talking about pirouettes, fouettés, elevation... you know what I mean?"

„Sure", he answers immediately „Moving an audience emotionally is also Technique. Even more than that. But if there's nothing „inside you", you'll never be able to do it!"

„That „little thing" called talent?"

„You say it! I think it is quite scary that people, more and more, oversee this!"

„I have been following your career for quite a good many years" I laugh „and I am always amazed how pin-pointed you are in each role – tell us please about your very own creative process!"

Another film runs through his mind and, very analytically he says „It all depends on the part. If there's „a story" (note: narrative ballet), it is of utter importance to read a book, inform yourself more clearly about facts, even historical ones, so you can find your character – at the very end come the „technical things" and he continues „when I was at school I thought that „everything came automatically" but it doesn't work this way", he laughs.

„Is this, would you say, „a rule" for you in all kinds of narrative ballets?"

„No... for me, for example, the „Nureyev Ballets" work quite differently for me. Then I concentrate before on the steps. After that, I start work in the Ballet's own language!"

I can relate to that immediately. Especially by not being really fond of Nureyev's choreographic work, which I personally find technically exaggerated (but brought him lots of money): a fact that audiences mostly „don't see" and that causes the ballet to fail, to „not sell". That's why I call them sometimes „thankless".

„But one thing is sure" he continues „just by doing them often, repeating changing, trying new ways of interpreting them, you can, at last, learn them!"

„Is there any ballet you would like to dance now?"

„Definitely Neumeyer's „Josephs Legende". My dream would be to do it now again. Now I think that I really understood this role at last!"

This reminds me strongly of the way Baryshinikov's interpretation of Albrecht in „Giselle" changed throughout the years.

„Also my „Lensky" in „Onegin" has changed throughout the years!" he says.

„Yes," I thought „I could see that!"

„Your favourite roles?"

„Of course „Lensky". I love to die on stage - but also Edvard Clug's „Peer Gynt", a role that fascinated me in its strength, depth, possibilities! And of course, Joseph, as mentioned before, but because working directly with John Neumeyer felt like something very precious!"

I can understand that. It is not an everyday „thing" to work with such a legend, with one of the few ballet geniuses from the present.

“Any further roles you feel connected to or have a special connection to?”

“Let us think of „Basil" in Nureyev's D.Q. Version. It is a terribly difficult role, in the technical aspect. Just the anticipation of dancing him makes me really nervous! I have to be in top shape to dance him... but when it is over, done and well-done, it is so gratifying, so rewarding... “Basil” has a special place in my relationships with the roles I dance: I'd say it is a kind of love-hate relationship..." then he bursts into a big, good, healthy laugh.

„Any roles you would not like to dance again?"

„I'd rather not answer that", he says in his typical, correct, well-mannered way. Yes, one can feel that while talking to a Gentleman.

„Any wishes? Roles you have never danced before?"

And nearly answering my question before I had finished asking it, he says „Romeo in Cranko's Version, Chevalier des Grieux in „Manon" and Balanchine's „Apollo"!"

I could not help but say and add to his list „I see you so much as „Armand" in Neumeyer's „La Dame aux Camelias"!" I could not help to put this bee in the bonnet!

„One thing that has never left my mind: I was present, Davide, in the Nureyev Gala during which you had an accident on stage while dancing „Stars & Stripes" with Nikisha Fogo! I remember you lying on the floor and it seemed as if the curtain would never close. Many of us had tears in our eyes... you left for operation and treatment for one year, yes, exactly one year! How has this affected the way you look at things?"

„Funny you should comment that Ricardo, because apart from the difficulties of treating an injury, that had felt as if I had become a shot on my knee, and not knowing if I'd be ever able to dance again, it made me realize what a short life we have!"

„I know, the clocks don't stop... „

„But it was easier than I thought" he adds in a somehow melancholic but extremely fragile, human way and this leads to my last statement and question:

„Davide, one of the qualities that I most admire in you is your capacity of giving life to characters – be they abstract or not, fill them with life, truth, sincerity. How can you... „
But he does not let me finish and smiling broadly that charming smile of his he says: „I will tell you my secret: stage fright. Probably that is where I get all my energy from!"

How clever of him to realize that. I have seen many cool dancers walking on stage very calmly and either not giving a good performance or simply getting the willies while on stage, destroying the performance completely. But I have seen also those who can transform this (nearly sickening) stage fright, even though they wish they would be sick and brought home into something more than wonderful. That is what the Viennese audiences have been witnessing during – at least – the last 10 years:

Davide Dato: Étoile – yes, a Star in the purest sense of the word.

Thank you, dear (or Grazie Mille, caro) for this lovely and extremely revealing talk.

Ricardo Leitner

November 11th, 2021