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Berlin based performance artist and choreographer Alexa Wilson shares her reflections on the NZ dance scene after returning home to present two works at the Tempo dance festival.

"I feel like NZ is bursting to be in the world more than it was before, to be part of it. This is a big change!"

Alexa tells us about the new Footnote New Zealand Dance work, The Status of Being, and her experimental work Star Oracle which she has performed in Frankfurt, New York, Brussels and Poland.

During what hours of the day do you feel most inspired?

Most of the day!

How would a good friend describe your aesthetic or style?

Emotional roller coaster, bold. Complex, intelligent. Fearless, political. Exciting?

What aspect of your creative practice gives you the biggest thrill?

Thrill? Performance. Improvising personally keeps everything on the edge, connecting with the audience excites me; moving people, being moved. It can happen in rehearsal too. Epiphanies with performers and ideas in rehearsals, bringing them out of themselves through the work/ideas is also a thrill. I love conceptualising too, writing. Thrilling!

How does your environment affect your work?

I can perform and work in highly chaotic environments, as said many times I can channel “what's going on in the space”. It's always nice to be in an empty quiet studio though, like a blank canvas, or sitting quietly researching or conceptualising alone, these things are the gestation process and that's super important. I like buzz, but take my time with research.

Do you like to look at the big picture or focus on the details?

Both. I think the most interesting art does both, is highly intricate whilst always knowing its overall aim. Even if the aim is to confuse or be ambiguous or manifold, it helps to know exactly why it's doing that as the artist. Complexity and impact are important to me so there's a direct response followed by lingering after thoughts.

What's your number one business tip for surviving (and thriving) in the creative industries?

Passion combined with endurance. It's a long journey, you have to be tough in creative industries, because very often artists are very sensitive, intelligent people exposing themselves to the world. Talented bodies litter creative industries.

Which of your projects to date has given you the most satisfaction?

My solos Weg: A-Way and Star/Oracle both were highly interactive, very revealing, honest, sometimes funny and deeply connecting with the audience. Both had long lives and toured to many places which was endlessly fascinating for me to perform; Weg in NZ and Oracle worldwide. There's a synergy which creates tension and magic, which for me is very real and exciting. The possibility of failure precedes an incredible magnetism and aliveness.

Who or what has inspired you recently?

NYC inspired me in a way I wasn't even expecting. It blew my mind. It embraced and saturated me. I also fell in love with someone there, so love and he has inspired me in the past 2 years. Film/video and writing has inspired me a lot too, I see and read so much stuff. Berlin is an amazing city.

You’ve had a very interesting dancing and choreography path, can you tell us a bit about your background?

I danced as a kid, but went art, writing and academia as a teen. Ended up at Uni doing sociology (gender and film/media studies) despite photography and history being my top school marks, which inspired me toward performance art. Doing martial arts at the time I got interested in dance again, plus was inspired at Uni with body politics papers, which propelled me toward dance school. I've always been interdisciplinary, but am a very physical dancer too, which is why I danced for other choreographers like Douglas Wright and Malia Johnston. But I'm experimental, Sean Curham has been a big mentor for me in NZ. I always crossed dance with performance art – often brought in video as well, was conceptual and emotive. The path was rocky though as a choreographer, despite many successes also many obstacles. An MA in Film brought me back to film and writing, I love stories and moving image. Since then I've exploded with performance. Living in Berlin, plus performing worldwide and being exposed to so many ideas, study and artists has pushed my growth exponentially. I'm glad I made the step away from NZ because I had gone as far as I could already, and as hard as living away from home is – the challenge enriches my work and me as a person so much. I feel a lot more grateful for what I have and get a bigger picture, but I also get the freedom to move and grow and do what I do and keep inspired by both, when I can go between NZ and Europe.

Why should people seek out your upcoming tour The Status of Being with Footnote.

It will be a show unlike most that you will see in NZ dance on a big stage. It will be EPIC. It will be topical, exciting and political. It's a new company too, the performances are stunning. It's a blend of theatre, dance, video and performance art. It aims to question choice! It will be evocative, thought provoking and entertaining. It asks the audience direct questions to generate discussion.

You’re Auckland born and bred but Berlin based, how have you found the process of coming back to New Zealand for this period?

I've had so much fun being in NZ this time, even though it was the middle of winter! I've felt very welcomed by the Auckland fine arts community (performing at Artspace) and Wellington too and look forward to performing in the dance and fine arts scenes across the country. Wellington was amazing socially and Auckland as my home has been so nice to reconnect with on multiple levels. I always love how community NZ is, how people knowing each other is a beautiful thing and people can be brought together in meaningful ways. I always love getting into nature here, we are so lucky, I hope we can cherish it!

What’s your take on the NZ dance scene at this time?

It seems to be very separated now into mainstream dance companies, which get a lot of support often repeating similar things (apart from Footnote and Touch Compass who regularly commission new choreographers) and experimental work with original ideas on local levels, particularly Auckland, who don't receive so much support. I think it's been like that for awhile but it seems to be more extreme, a bit like how rich and poor are getting more extreme in NZ. In Europe its the opposite, experimental gets supported and its socialist.

What has surprised you about NZ at this time compared to when you left/or were last here?  

As just mentioned, the divide between rich and poor freaks me out, plus how expensive it is. We are quite Americanised, which has been the case for 30 odd years, but now very user pays and letting our country be bought up by foreign investment without capital gains tax, which drives the price of everything up. It seems quite clearly divided between left and right wing more than ever before because of the divide. We might be better off protecting ourselves from this direction being centre/left. I feel like NZ is bursting to be in the world more than it was before, to be part of it. This is a big change! It will help our perspective, help us grow up (without becoming as corrupt as the rest of the world hopefully).

If you could go back and choose a completely different career path to the one you've chosen, what would it be?

I think about this sometimes. I think I'd work in social development, development studies or with the environment. I would have made a great lawyer too. I might be a bit scary though.

What place is always with you, wherever you go?

New Zealand. Berlin. NYC. In no particular order.

What's the best way to listen to music, and why?

Loud! Live. Live music is a total buzz and a once off experience. I'm all about the ephemeral, which is why Berlin is awesome because it's a live music/art city that's where it thrives. Live in the now. (Though am a sucker for headphones fave new song on repeat too).

You are given a piece of string, a stick and some fabric. What do you make?

A comedy show. Of course.

What's the best stress relief advice you've ever been given?

Cuppa tea and a lie down. Seriously? MEDITATE!!!! Free yourself through self awareness.

What’s great about today?

I just taught a dance class at Artspace on Krd, which brought dance people into the fine arts world. There were old and young people there, it was energising and fun as well as sensitive. Then I went for a walk in the spring rain through Grey Lynn to get home. Life is great.

What’s your big idea for 2015?

Either a PhD in Vienna or writing/publishing a book and or a film (could all be combined). I already have an edited book waiting for me to publish, but haven't had time yet! Plus a video to finish up in my Beijing residency in 2015. I have so many stories, boy do I have stories. Any publishers out there? “Too many big ideas.” That's me. I'd like to create hope and activate empowerment through self responsibility and questions. That's my big idea for 2015.