5 Questions with Eugenia Repelskii
We are very eager to welcome Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, or the Trocks as they’re lovingly called, back to our stage for the first time since 2012. As we await the laugh-out-loud antics of this seriously stunning and gender-bending ballet troupe, we are happy to have connected with the company’s slightly esteemed but highly tolerated dancer Eugenia Repelskii* to learn a bit more about her in just five questions.
1. What first got you into dance?
My mother Maria Repelskii bought a one-way ticket on the Trans-Siberian Railroad where I found myself dancing for our supper.
2. What is your earliest memory of dancing?
It was at my baptism…. Andrei Repelskii, my Godfather, rented out a swimming basin. I spent a good hour flailing for the Holy Spirit which taught me a valuable lesson… sink or dance.
3. What is your process?
My process is long and arduous, yet short and sweet…. Teeming with self-sabotaging peaks and valleys. Going out of my way to get in my own way is a stalemate that allows me to find the depth and complexity in every role.
4. What inspires you to perform/create?
Waking up every day in America, thinking of all that I would not be able to do in Russia.
5. What is the dancer’s role in today’s world?
The role of the dancer is to channel all emotions sequestered within themselves, learning how to channel those into their art and interpret their meanings to those that can benefit from this self-awareness. However, if this self-awareness is not understood, subjective interpretation will always be the golden parachute for Art, absolving the artist from needing therapy to be successful.
Bonus Question: Do you sing in the shower?
I used to sing in the shower… until the police showed up saying a neighbor claimed I was abusing feral cats.
*Many thanks to Joshua Thake and his alter ego, Eugenia, for having some fun with us for today’s post!
