BWW Blog: Naomi Melvin - Somebody's Eyes: Interview with Jeff Dimitriou

Full disclosure, cast members were possibly reviewing choreography from our dance call before walking into our very first Footloose rehearsal. Our fabulous co-choreographer, Jeff Dimitriou, set the bar high prior to day one and we wanted to be ready. More importantly, there was so much recall from that audition day because it was an exuberant experience! And, the moves were accessible because they were married to impulse. The choreography Jeff gifts to us is full, extended and comes from the heart. Dancing it out on stage is totally visceral, but only when we honour the steps as intended. It is so interesting how the energy of a scene shifts drastically by simply "being bigger". There is no grand explanation, but the energy percolates when we give in to the story told through movement. Over lunch, Jeff and I took a corner of our rehearsal space and talked life, art and Footloose. If you did not know before, Jeff's artistry stems far beyond choreography - he is a painter as well. We began by talking about this side of his work.

NM: Are you painting every day? Every week?

JD: I paint a lot. I have my first exhibition this August at LAB Studio Design on King East. I have about 40 pieces in my condo right now.

NM: Can I come?!

JD: Only if you buy something! I'm just kidding. I've always wanted to be a painter but I would try to paint something in particular. From a big change in my life, painting became a real point of healing and I started working from instinct without expectations attached.

NM: I can understand that. I always found if rules we given to me in art class, I'd get blocked.

JD: Technique is important when it comes to dance. That's different because it helps the body move in the right way. But something like painting, if it's abstract and people are responding to it, that's enough. If I like it then, yes, it's beautiful.

NM: What is the first thing you did when starting the Footloose process?

JD: I read through the script and listened to the music. I knew what Footloose was. I've never seen the musical but I saw the movie ages ago. My process is different between directing and choreographing. Any given project will dictate the type of research I do. With Footloose, I listened to the music and developed a feeling of what I wanted it to be. First, I'll choreograph in my head. Then I'll get into the room and use the energy to further the choices and follow the impulses.

NM: To your mind, how might our version of Footloose resonate with an audience today?

JD: Well, it's about love and acceptance. It's about compassion and empathy. These are things that were prevalent back then and feel almost more prevalent today. The story's message needs to be talked about and people need to be shown some examples of what's possible. How can we bridge energies? Otherwise we are just going to be stuck where we are. We see this play out in the town of Bomont. I firmly believe that whatever the tragedy, there are three to four more beautiful gifts that carry more weight than the tragedy ever held for you. The quicker we can move past that energy and be open to acceptance and inclusivity, we're going to be in a better place. We all need love and communication. And on top of that, there's dancing and singing.

NM: Do you have a favourite method or motto that helps you stay present in the work?

JD: It changes all the time depending on the group and the project. I haven't found it for this project yet. For this cast, a phrase I would impart to you is, "be real, live as closely as you can to reality on stage as opposed to putting on a show".

NM: As we head into our final days of rehearsal, what's a challenge that you'd like to give the cast?

JD: Getting the choreography and blocking precise! It's important that the artists pick everything up because we need the work to grow. Lisa and I work the same way - we like to skeleton things. So as long as the framework is clean, we can add colour. The goal is to play with all the colours in the rainbow.

NM: You've worked a lot with pop music. Is there a crossover between your attack on a pop performance versus a pop musical?

JD: With a pop group, we usually frame a singer with backup dancers. The approach is different with a musical because everyone is building the story through song and dance.

NM: Talk to me about choreographing for a show where dancing is prohibited.

JD: It actually gives me more direction - parameters are a good thing! Every move must come from intention. I have such a wide range of vocabulary to pick from. Sometimes we have to make the steps mean something, but often they come from a purely gut reaction.

NM: What is your favourite song in the show?

JD: "Almost Paradise". It's so romantic. It's like, ah one day.

NM: And instead of graffiti above the train tracks, it'll be your art!

JD: Exactly.

NM: Finally, what is something that you must have at every rehearsal?

JD: My quartz crystal, my iPhone - so necessary, and my dog, Marty! He's usually the mascot.

...we absolutely love Marty over here at Footloose.

Randolph Academy's Footloose will run from July 28th to August 6th at the Randolph Theatre, Toronto, ON, Canada.

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