The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Getting to know you
Dancer Elisabeth Schilling shares her thoughts and feelings ahead of her performance of FELT at the Byre Theatre
Q inspire Which you? performers, alive or dead,
A and I love Boštjan Rudolf Antončič Nureyev from for his ROSAS passion for his presence. Q What was your plan B career-wise? A I didn’t have one, that’s why I am doing what I am doing. Q Theme song for your life? A One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston or Ligeti‘s Etude No.1 – very contradictory choices, I know. Q Last meal on earth? A Artichokes! Q Dream dinner party guests? A Charlie Chaplin, Céline Dion, György Ligeti, Empress Sissi from Austria, Rudolf Nureyev and Audrey Hepburn. Q First thing you’d do if you won £1 million? A Take some time off. And then I think I’d share it with organisations that help sick children. Q If you could rule for a day what would be the first thing you’d do?
A I’d make it a law to visit a conflict management course and make it a subject in school. There is so much violence in our lives on small and big scales. If we knew better how to deal with them we could handle them quite easily and the level of violence in our lives could be reduced substantially. Q Describe yourself as if you were a fine wine? A Fruity, bubbly, intense!
Q that Tell most us something people don’t about know? yourself A much I am love a huge to dance Céline for Dion her fan one and day. I’d so Q A Favourite Scotland, of holiday course. destination? Q What was the last book you read? A A monography on the composer György Ligeti (in preparation for a new work). Q If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? A Salad variations. Q What makes you happy? A Dancing, nature, listening to music and spending time with people I love. Q What makes you sad? A All the violence in life and on Earth. Q Have you ever had a paranormal encounter? A Yes, quite a lot. I somehow often know what is about to happen. I also sometimes sense people from afar really strongly, if we are very close to each other. Q What is the best advice you have ever received?
A Just before the premiere of his latest piece, A Quiet Evening of Dance by William Forsythe, I had lunch with him and asked him if he was nervous. He answered: “It‘s just an exchange of information.” I thought that was so smart and I think of that every time I am scared of performing or making.
Q What do you do to unwind?
A I struggle with unwinding. I like to walk around nature, listen to music and watch murder movies. Q Happiest memory?
A When I was 17 or 18 years old I won a special prize at a dance competition in Italy. It was that performance that convinced my parents to let me pursue my passion (which I would have done anyway). I think this was one of the first times I performed my own work on stage. It was pretty special. Q And most embarrassing? A In school I was famous for my laughing fits at inappropriate times, that was pretty embarrassing... Q What are you proudest of? A That I am a dancer. It’s been a tough path. Q Who do you admire most? A My mummy. She is so very kind and caring, an incredible mum and human being. Q What advice would you give to your younger self? A I’d like to say “chill out” but I don’t think I could have achieved so much if I’d chilled. Elisabeth performs FELT at the Byre Theatre on July 6. There will also be an installation by Elisabeth and related workshops on the day.