Q & A with Vito Bernasconi

We had the pleasure of interviewing Vito, current soloist with The Queensland Ballet.

1. In 3 words what does ballet mean to you?

Passion, Courage, Creativity

2. What would be your favourite ballet to dance?

Sir Kenneth Macmillan’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. While I’ve performed Tybalt, Mercutio, Lord Capulet and Lead Mandolin, I’ve never performed Romeo and hopefully one day I can experience the role.

3. Do you believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form?

I believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form to watch and perform in metropolitan areas, and the more outreach we can undertake as a community, the more possibility there is to affect many more future dancers and performers in wider reaching areas of this country and the world. 

4.  What do you believe is a typical misconception about ballet that you would like to set straight?  

I have a few:

Ballet is not just for girls, it is for anyone and everyone. Ballet does not define your sexuality. MYTH: Ballet is easy. FACT: Anyone who does ballet requires a high level of physical, mental, psychological and emotional fortitude. It is an art form for the strong, focussed and determined. 

5. What are you reading right now?

I have just finished ‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ by Scott Carney, and am excited to have begun reading ‘Mr. Einstein’s Secretary’ by Matthew Reilly. He’s one of my favourite authors. 

6. 1 thing that most people don't know about you?

I hate sand out of context. Unless I’m having a beach day and able to rinse it off, it really annoys me. 

7.  Why is the work BWB does so important? 

Everyone needs art in their lives and I believe that everyone deserves to express themselves creatively and passionately in any way they wish. With the mission of bringing ballet to as many people as possible, BWB is ensuring that more people have the possibility to have ballet enriching and enhancing their lives. 

8. Favourite ballet to watch?

I have always admired After The Rain by Christopher Wheeldon. The music, Spiegel I’m Spiegel by Arvo Pärt, and choreography have an incredible symbiotic connection and it has been a dream of mine to one day perform the main Pas De Deux.

9. If you could go back to a point in time in your life, what advice would you give yourself?

I would go back to any time that I’ve had a big decision to make and remind myself, ‘Trust your instincts and follow your heart’. 

10. You have been given an elephant! You cannot sell it or give it away, what do you do?

I would call it Dumbo, Trunks or Stampy and wonder how I was going to get it up to, and fit in, my apartment! I would also be obligated to come into any awkward conversation to comprehensively and effectively express, ‘the elephant in the room’.

Ballet and Innovation

Recently I have been fortunate enough to participate in the Ci2016 innovation conference. It was extremely interesting, full of motivational speakers who spoke about innovation from the perspective of enabling humans to live better lives. 

A presence that was missing came from the arts sector. Most of the representatives were large government and private organisations. 

As dancers do we not create every time that we are in the studio, on stage. Our job, surely is to move people. The heart sends up to 15 times more messages that are up to 5000 stronger to the brain then the brain does to the heart. 

There was also interesting discussions around the education system and how this stifles creativity and puts children in a box-to sit exams and write papers. How do we change this perception that creativity is a dead end for a successful and fulfilling career when technology is paving the way precisely for those who are creative and innovative. 

How do we utilise innovation to help dancers? How can we use the technology available to monitor health, to connect those who do not have the pathways to access dance education and performance and foster continuous growth and development of this beautiful art form?