Inside the National Ballet of Canada’s Premiere of Silent Screen: A Conversation with Medhi Walerski & Ben Rudisin

In anticipation of the National Ballet of Canada’s 2024/2025 season opener, I had the opportunity to speak with Medhi Walerski, Artistic Director of Ballet BC, and NBOC Principal Dancer Ben Rudisin about the Canadian premiere of Silent Screen. This 90-minute work, choreographed by Paul Lightfoot and Sol León, will be featured as a highlight in the company’s season debut on November 9, 2024.

Set to the music of Philip Glass, Silent Screen combines dance with projected silent film imagery, creating a distinctive visual experience. Choreographers Paul Lightfoot and Sol León have been significant figures in contemporary dance for over thirty years. Lightfoot, born in England in 1966, joined Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) in 1985. León, originally from Córdoba, Spain, joined NDT in 1987 after graduating from the National Ballet Academy of Madrid. Their collaboration began in 1989, leading to the creation of more than fifty works for NDT. In 2002, they were appointed house choreographers, a position they held until 2020. Their choreographic style blends classical and contemporary techniques, often incorporating theatrical elements and surrealist imagery.

If you haven’t heard of NDT, you’re missing out. It’s one of Europe’s leading contemporary dance companies, based in The Hague, Netherlands, and is easily one of the most beautiful dance companies in the world. Sadly, they don’t make it to Toronto often, so this is a great treat to be able to see some of their choreography.

The National Ballet of Canada will present Silent Screen from November 9 to 16, 2024, marking the first time Lightfoot and León’s work will be performed by the company. Yet, this production does have some of its own ties to Canada: Medhi Walerski first debuted in Silent Screen in 2005 with NDT, and today, the role is being taken on by Principal Dancer Ben Rudisin. I spoke with them about their experiences with this piece and their thoughts on introducing this cinematic and quirky work to Canadian audiences for the first time.

Walerski’s connection to Silent Screen goes back to its very beginning, as he was part of the original creation—a role that allowed him to tour the world with the piece, a rare experience for any dancer. “I’ve always been really excited about the physicality and the technique that Paul and Sol bring into their work,” Walerski expressed, emphasizing the demanding technique required by Silent Screen’s choreography.

Yet, it is much more than just technique. Walerski relished the chance to inhabit a character in Silent Screen, portraying a figure he and Ben Rudisin describe as “an alchemist,” a presence that blends worlds and experiences on stage. Returning to this role over the years, he found that each performance deepened his interpretation, a process that paralleled his own growth as an artist.

For Rudisin, the journey with Silent Screen started as an audience member. As a student at the North Carolina School of the Arts, he recalls being “blown away” when he first saw Walerski perform the piece. The skill, artistry, and emotional depth of the dancers left a lasting impact, one that Rudisin now draws on in his own interpretation.

Rudisin explained that even though Walerski originated the role, León and Lightfoot have made adjustments to the choreography that resonate with his personal style, allowing him to infuse elements of himself into the role. “When someone creates the role, that’s what you’re going for when you perform it too,” Rudisin shared, “but it’s exciting because Paul and Sol have adapted certain movements to suit me personally, making it feel like a part of me.”

Both Walerski and Rudisin spoke highly of Lightfoot and León’s approach to choreography, noting how their work stands out for its cinematic qualities, surrealist imagery, and its commitment to showcasing each dancer’s individuality.

In bringing Silent Screen to Canada for the first time, Walerski believes it will add a new dimension to the National Ballet of Canada’s repertoire, challenging the dancers and revealing new aspects of their talent and artistic range. “The cinematic storytelling resonates today,” he shared. “It’s also a chance for growth and creative exploration, showing the strength and versatility of the dancers and the company, because it’s challenging in terms of physicality, acting, and interpretation.”

Rudisin agrees, saying he hopes the audience will be drawn into the full emotional range of the piece, from its moments of stillness to its bursts of kinetic energy. “I think the audience will be really captivated,” he said, “by the story that’s being told, and the way it’s being presented.”

Tickets are on sale now—don’t miss Silent Screen.

The National Ballet of Canada premieres Silent Screen on November 9, 2024, running through November 16 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (145 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 4G1). Tickets range from $54 to $211 and are available for purchase here.

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• Photo One: Photo of Séverine Ferrolier and Vladislav Kozlov of Bayerisches Staatsballett in Silent Screen. Photo by Nicholas MacKay.
• Photo Two: Photo of Medhi Walerski. Photo by Michael Slobodian
• Photo Three: Photo of Ben Rudisin. Photo by Karolina Kuras.
• Photo Four: Photo of Eline Larrory and Severin Brunhuber of Bayerisches Staatsballett in Silent Screen. Photo by Carlos Quezada.

Written by Deanne Kearney. DeanneKearney.com @DeanneKearney