Catching up with Carolyn Bolton: “Real change takes time, consistency, and continuous re-evaluation”

This year’s event will include performances from ENBEldersCo, Ballet Club, Dance for Parkinson’s Performance Company, ENBYouthCo and more!

This International Women’s Day we’re delighted to catch up with Carolyn to talk about her journey into dance, her choreographic work for Re-Play with a re-imagining of Akram Khan’s Giselle and exploring what more the dance industry can do to forge equality.

How did your dance journey begin?

I have been working in dance for over two decades. I was first introduced to dance in the cafeteria of my local elementary school. It was my last year and the middle school I was going to offered dance instead of P.E.  I auditioned for the dance programme not knowing what it entailed or understanding that those around me had previous dance experience and was fortunate enough to be accepted.

From that point, I never stopped. Movement and generating movement have been present with me from the beginning. I was a natural mover and always responded to music creatively. I saw images in my mind and often sat for hours playing the same track repeatedly, scribbling in my notebook, positioning imaginary dancers on stage and describing what they might do. I would look at dancers in my ballet classes and imagine all the ‘what if’ scenarios and then later test them out. I loved bringing my moving imagination to life.

What inspires you within dance?

What inspires me in dance now is working with young people, especially those beginning their journey. I love to see them progress, develop an understanding of concepts, and start to apply what they have learned.

Working with young people also helps me renew my perspective of perseverance, resilience, courage, and vulnerability. Watching their journey reminds me of where I have been and the obstacles I have overcome, and I can then provide support, mentorship and guidance to them from my experience. Being a part of training young people is fantastic because you get to see their transformation, and to be a tiny part of that journey with them is magical.

Who inspires you within the dance community?

A significant role model for me and someone I reflect on often is my ballet teacher, Stacey Calvert, a soloist at New York City Ballet.

Stacey’s light and energy remain with me to this day. She was hardcore but sensitive, humorous but serious, and saw everything in the room. She had a readiness and a fire in her walk.  She commanded attention but was so generous and kind and loved dance. Stacey was an absolute inspiration to me as a teacher and a human.

You are the Creative Director of ENB YouthCo and also working with them for their Re-Play performance. What advice would you give to young people wanting to get into choreography or the dance industry in general?

I would say there is no right or wrong way, the important thing is to go for whatever you want to do. There are so many opportunities and pathways to choose from and as long as you remain open to learning and trying new things then there will always be a place for you. In addition, if the opportunity you desire does not present itself or exist yet, be brave and make it! Get in the habit of making and keeping a record of your work, you never know what someone may be interested in.

In collaboration with Jane Chan, you’re choreographing a piece for Re-Play based on Akram Khan’s Giselle. What inspires you about this production?

I wanted to tap into the emotional resonance of Akram Khan’s Giselle. We wanted to examine relationships and the traditions of relationships, reimagining Giselle and the Wilis. We wanted these characters to go through a conversational journey and to generate a choreographic structure which challenged the dancers to depend on one another. We were interested by some of the strong imagery and formations from the work but were strongly drawn to the strength and resilience of Giselle which we wanted to bring to the forefront.  In our story we play with the universality of love and loss and the complexity of its exchange. At some point the dancers are all Giselle and at some point they are all the Wilis.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Accelerate Action – How would you like to see the dance industry becoming more inclusive?

The dance world is becoming more inclusive, but for me what is important is the continuation of these efforts. Real change takes time, consistency, and continuous re-evaluation. It also requires hearing from, including and amplifying voices who are less represented in the conversations.

Over the past four years there has been a push for diversity, equity, and inclusion in dance organisations—policies have been developed, programmes have been started, working groups and roles have been created, and subtle changes have been made to programming.  People are trying but the why must be examined and the genuine desire to change must be there.

Ultimately, it’s about values and ensuring that any efforts being made sincerely align with a company’s mission. An outward projection of inclusion is just that if it does not reflect the organisations’ inner workings. For spaces to be more inclusive I would like to be a considered thought and not an afterthought. This takes intentionality, a prioritization of care and an open understanding approach to acknowledging, welcoming, and accepting difference.

Carolyn is the Creative Director of ENB’s YouthCo. Find out more about our youth dance programmes here.