We had the good fortune of connecting with Marion Helfenstein and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Marion, what principle do you value most?
The dance world can sometimes seem quite harsh, elitist, and unapproachable both from the dancer’s and audience’s perspective. I think developing awareness around it and creating more opportunities to break those barriers down has been on my mind for a while. It started within my own practice and lots of “un-doing” – coming from quite rigid ballet training – to get exposed to foreign styles and esthetics that enabled me to access, feel and see myself in a completely different way. This process continued by seeking out forms of expression more improved based and in unconventional set-ups, breaking the fourth wall to directly be in contact with the audience. It ultimately comes down to humans creating art for other humans. We are all made out of the same blueprint and speak the same universal artistic language calling upon all our senses regardless of our median. It is about being present and sharing a moment together here and now.
I think the way I was trained, overcoming lots of obstacles, injuries, and teachers who would be constantly demeaning, are the reason why I am extremely resilient and now fighting against preconceived ideas about who can and can’t dance. In some cultures dance is completely inherent to people’s lifestyle and incorporated into their daily activities whether it is to celebrate, mourn, heal – embody all emotions- or tie to a life’ rite of passage. A doctor in somatic practices said that “Without movement life is unthinkable”. I firmly believe that and more than ever in this time of hyper-technology era we have lost our way to ourselves and have forgotten that the essence of life is movement. When I was 19, I had a severe hip injury and the doctors told me I will “just have to do something else” or stop any physical activities for a few months and go back to my practice to “see what happens”. I thought to myself this makes no sense! How by waiting around and then going back to the same practice I should expect a different result? (This is one definition of insanity by the way!). I had to think outside of the box and stand up for myself. After searching, trying, exploring, and sensing, I eventually found alternative practices that transformed the way I connected to myself. This was the beginning of my journey, made of physical inquiries and self-discoveries, to ultimately shape and further my dance career!
I think dance and movement in general can be a part of anyone’s life if they so desire. My aim is to raise awareness around the fact that people have more agency over their well-being than they think, should they find a skilled teacher that is able to hold that space and create the conditions for their learning.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely hit some of the most touristic landmarks like the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn bridge or the Flatiron Building. I would also sprinkle some cultural hints throughout their trip and, depending on the current exhibits, take them to the most emblematic museums in the city like The Metropolitan Museum, The MOMA and the Guggenheim (starting from the top!). A Broadway show would definitely be on the list and we would wander around Times Square taking in all the lights and glitters, perhaps paying our respects to Madame Tussauds! We would slow down and take a stroll in the iconic Central Park but also the underrated Brooklyn Botanical Garden. After a long day on our feet, Bar9 would be a nice way to chill and witness the original piano’s dueling while sipping on a tasty drink! I would also want to show New-York City’s face from a more unusual viewpoint – taking the ferry all around Brooklyn and Manhattan to say hi to the Statue of Liberty while getting a tan and maybe linger on Little Island for a bit, taking advantage of all the festivals and shows like National Sawdust, Bryan Park festival or the Hudson River festival – to end the day by the piers, joining their Sunset Salsa Party! After all this excitement, we would wind up at Loulou, one of my favorite spots in New-York, the cocktails are outstandingly creative and the delicately crafted food reminds me of home! We would take the time to soak in the Dumbo vibes with its Brooklyn Flea market and stick around to walk along the East River while enjoying some scoops from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think my general ‘shoutout’ and feeling of being grateful really goes out to all the people in my life that believed in me more than I believed in myself. They saw possibilities when I did not and created opportunities to realize my full potential when I could not even dream of it! If I had to pick one good example I would choose Jamie Drye and Francesca Marinaro who are the artistic directors of Drye | Marinaro Dance Company. I have been lucky enough to work with them since 2016 and they could not have been more supportive, caring, and understanding – always trying to bring the best out of people instead of forcing through situations to make something happen inorganically. They have continuously challenged me, inviting me to look further inward to explore unknown, sometimes uncomfortable, and vulnerable places. They succeeded in building a supportive and safe creative environment allowing me to trust the process of pushing my limits and expose my insecurities to feel empowered to embody the best version of myself while mutually nurturing each other’s artistry.
Instagram: marion.helf
Facebook: Marion Helfenstein
Image Credits
Cathryn Lynne and/or tag on Instagram @CLynnePhoto Josef Pinlac @istillheartnewyork