by Dance Consortium’s Spring 2024 LIPA Placement students, Erin O’Connell & Julia Lewanczyk
Daniel Reca has been a long-standing member of the São Paulo Dance Company. For eleven years, he has contributed to the works of excellence the company produces, and his time spent as a professional dancer completely encompasses not only the company’s vision and values, but also his own personality and Argentinian heritage.
While we were on the road with the company, Julia Lewanczyk and I had the pleasure of asking him some questions about his time at the company, and listening to him reflect on the joy that dance brings him in life.
Pictured left to right: Julia Lewanczyk, Daniel Reca, Erin O'Connell
What is a memorable moment that has had a significant impact on you in dance?
“The big changes. When the door first opened for me in professional work, only two of us made it. My original dance school made me who I am today and is responsible for how I understand dance, which I am so thankful for. When I joined São Paulo Dance Company, it was like entering a completely different world. I went from training in a classical company, to one that was very versatile, where I needed to really feel my body and experience a different way of moving. Every creation in São Paulo is so unique, they are all memorable moments.”
How much of the audience can you see?
“There is a group moment in “Anthem” which is backlit, and we can see most of the stalls. At this moment, I am looking at my dance partner, but I can feel the audience watching. It is personal and emotional, and we are working together, connecting with the audience, to try and appreciate it. It is at points like this that I feel I am almost not breathing. When we bring out the candles in this piece it feels mystic and ritualistic, and I have a good view of everybody watching.”
Daniel Reca raised up during "Gnawa" / Photo by Erin O'Connell
Which piece is your favourite?
“My favourite is “Anthem”. I was part of the creative process, so it has a piece of me in it and my personality is present. We don’t leave the stage during this piece, so we don’t disconnect from the audience. It is a journey that begins and ends on the stage.”
How do you capture a moment when photographing dance?
“I like to recreate the curiosity of the movement and give a little taste of everything. I enjoy creating very dynamic videos, so the viewer feels the urge to watch them over and over again. Super close-up photos, where you can see the expressions, the perspiration, and the details of the skin, create really poetic images. It has to communicate what the piece is about. It is a message, it is a moment, it is beauty.”
Company members performing “Anthem”, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre / Photo by Erin O'Connell
What’s the most unusual location you’ve danced in?
“We run a program in the company called “My Dancer Friend” in which we take our choreography to places where people may not have the opportunity to see dance. We visited a children’s hospital for cancer. As we danced and moved around their beds, we noticed that these rooms were like an extension of their homes. There were toys, pictures, and paintings on the walls, and I started crying, so I had to leave. It really touched me. To see the expressions on the parents’ faces – the tiredness and hope. This was unusual in a special way.”
What do you think sets apart an exceptional dancer from others?
“Personality. This is the only way you can be yourself on stage.”
Company members performing “Anthem”, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre / Photo by Erin O'Connell
