With Animal Anima, Herman Cornejo invites us to a unique experience that fuses dance, mythology and a deep reflection on humanity and our connection with nature. The work, inspired by an unfinished project of Vaslav Nijinsky during his passage through Argentina, is on stage in the prestigious New York Joyer Theater until February 23, 2025.
During our conversation with Cornejo, the acclaimed dancer shared how the piece arose from his deep connection with Nijinsky, his fascination with Guarani legends and his desire to carry a message of transformation and unity. Animal Anima is a work that not only captures the essence of classical dance, but also invites the public to immerse yourself in a unique sensory experience, where music, movement and legends come alive in a visceral way.
If you have not had the opportunity to see this visionary work, you can not miss it. With a powerful message about reconnection with nature and the importance of spirituality in these times, Animal Anima is an invitation to feel, reflect and transform us through art. The functions are available until February 23, so it is the perfect time to live one of the most outstanding proposals of the season.
Do not miss the opportunity to be part of this work that marks a before and after in the career of Herman Cornejo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPV0DJWA6YW
Animal Anima is inspired by an unfinished project by Vaslav Nijinsky. How did you discover this connection with Argentina and what led you to develop it in this work?
To begin with Nijinsky is the dance icon in general, the one that opened the doors for men’s dancers in this area and thanks to him, the school and company of Buenos Aires was created thanks to his last tour he made in South America. In my career as a dancer, I have interpreted many of his roles having a more direct connection with him. Then, meet this gift from this ballet and know this story, I felt the duty to do it and bring it to the stage.
The piece fuses dance, mythology and reflection on the human condition. How was the process of translating these concepts in motion?
When I started reading the Legend of Urutaú, I wanted to go a little further and be able to write a little more about the essence of the Guaranís, which was a very strong connection with our planet Earth and a very strong understanding with the stars. For me, being able to show this on stage was not only going to be through movement, but through music. That is why I decided to bring two composers to join on this trip to create classical music to be able to dance it, but also more native and nature sounds.
Do you feel that dance has a special role in the reconnection of the human being with nature, as proposed by the work?
The work proposes it with a depth of being able to give this connection message. The work was created during the pandemic when we were all with that uncertainty that it was going to happen, so each movement had that feeling of belonging somewhere. It is a work where one does not have to know of dance to understand the work, if not to be spiritually sensitive.
Animal Anima opens at the Joyce Theater, an emblematic space for dance in New York. What does it mean for you to present this project in this scenario?
A luxury. A gift. Because of the theaters here in Manhattan, the Joyce Theater is the ideal theater for this work since the public of the Joyce Theater is a very understood and open audience to new things.
Throughout your career, you have played great figures of the classic ballet. What challenges and freedoms did you find when developing a character as conceptual and symbolic as Anima Animal?
For me it was a bit to decontract what classical dance is and to be able to travel a little further, especially going with what is the story of this ballet that is the transformation. I feel that my career is also in a moment of transformation, so it joins very well with this theme of Urutaou.
After this production, are you interested in continuing to explore projects of this type that mix history, culture and mythology?
Yes, let’s say that for me an animal is the first part of this ballet. I always viewed this work in three parts, a trilogy, so anima animal is part of this trilogy.
For our New York audience, why is it important to go to this type of event and support us?
First and main, I believe that dance and art have the power to cure and join. I think it is an ideal time to join and be able to show the world how strong we are.
