Teja Sever prihaja s Primorske, študij baleta je končala v Mariboru, zdaj nadaljuje na Balletto di Verona, kjer je najstarejša študentka v ekipi Eriberta Verardija. Za devetnajstletnico pa zelo odlično dekle, ki ve, kaj in kam hoče. Pogovor sva naredili pred areno v Veroni, prevod v angleščino je pravila Claudia Sovre.
Draga Teja, uspelo nama je, da sem te obiskala v Veroni. Bi lahko za začetek najinega intervjuja povedala, zakaj si izbrala prav Verono za nadaljevanje baletne kariere?
Verono sem izbrala zaradi tega, ker sem želela nadgraditi svoje pridobljeno baletno znanje. Nisem se še počutila dovolj pripravljeno za delo v gledališču in vedno bolj sem prepričana, da je bila Verona prava izbira.
Kaj je to, kar te tukaj najbolj navdušuje med tvojim že skoraj že enoletnim študijem v Veroni?
Izredno me navdušuje intenzivnost treningov, ki so res neprimerljivi s Slovenijo. Veliko delamo sami na sebi, saj nas je v razredu veliko, zato moramo vsako korekcijo vzeti osebno, jo preveriti na sebi in popraviti svoje napake. Tudi na ta način nas pripravljajo na delo v gledališču, kjer so korekcije plesalcev večinoma splošne in podane na hitro.
Delaš samo s profesorjem Eribertom Verardijem ali tudi s kakšnimi drugimi pedagogi? Opiši mi malo, kako poteka pedagoški proces v Balletto di Verona?
Skozi redno tedensko delo večinoma delam s profesorjem Verardijem in njegovo ženo profesorico Anno Guetsman. Občasno pa imamo treninge s tudi profesorico Cristino Bonutti, ki je sicer končala šolanje v Scala di Milano. Ob sobotah imamo pogosto priložnost udeleževati se treningov z gostujočimi koreografi ali profesorji modernega/sodobnega plesa, da lahko svoje znanje nadgradimo tudi v tej smeri.
Prihajaš s Primorske, šolanje si nadaljevala v Mariboru, zdaj pa si se znašla v Veroni. Si nekakšna baletna vagabundka? Ti pakiranje kovčkov in menjanje lokacije ne predstavlja težav?
Sploh ne, ker sem že od malega vedela, kaj hočem delati, kaj hočem postati, in če želim doseči zastavljene cilje, se moram premakniti, kamor me zaneseta pot in usoda. Tudi moja mama pravi, da kljub temu da se imamo v družini izredno radi, nisem toliko navezana na dom, da se ne bi mogla odmakniti z domačega ognjišča in od svojih staršev.
Kje pa vidiš svojo prihodnost, Teja? Tukaj boš kmalu preživela eno leto. Razmišljaš morda o nadaljevanju študija?
Na to vprašanje trenutno težko odgovorim. Šla bom tja, kjer bom dobila pogodbo za sodelovanje z baletnim ansamblom. Upam, da bo to mesto, ki bo prijetno za moje življenje vsaj za nekaj časa. V glavnem, kamor me usoda ponese, tam bom moj prihodnji dom.
Vam šola tudi omogoča, da se prijavljate na različne avdicije za pridobitev pogodbe? Kako to gre pri vas?
Seveda, in to je ena od stvari, ki mi je tukaj najbolj všeč. Tudi to predstavlja eno od velikih razlik s Slovenijo. Lani, ko sem zaključevala 4. letnik, nas nihče ni vprašal, kaj bomo potem, ali vzpodbujal, da bi se udeležili kakšnih avdicij pri nas in po svetu. Tu pa res skoraj vsak dan sprašujejo, če sem našla kaj novega, če sem naredila predstavitveni video, ali imam kaj že kaj dogovorjeno. Res je vzpodbuda z njihove strani ogromna.
Se mogoče šola tudi postavlja v vlogo nekega managerja ali samo sugerira?
Definitivno delujejo tudi v vlogi managerja, saj je veliko nekdanjih učencev profesorja Verardija zaposlenih v raznih gledališčih po Evropi, kjer pozna tudi veliko direktorjev in baletnih mojstrov, s katerimi je v stiku in pridobiva informacije o potrebah v baletnih ansamblih.
Študij na Balletto di Verona je tudi precejšen finančni zalogaj, kajne?
Je kar zalogaj, predvsem za moje starše. Mislim, da je letno je okrog 2000 evrov, morda malo več, potem pa so tukaj še stanovanje, hrana, plus vsa baletna oprema, špice, skupaj se kar nabere v zajetno vsoto. Res sem hvaležna svojim staršem, da mi lahko to omogočajo.
Seveda to tudi nekako upravičiš s tem, da dobro in predano delaš.
Absolutno. Prav vsak dan znova se potrudim, da dam vsak dan vse od sebe.
Imate na koncu šolskega leta kakšen izpit, produkcijo, dobiš kakšno potrdilo?
Decembra smo imeli nekaj predstav baletne predstave Hrestač. Ob koncu leta naj bi po besedah profesorja tudi pripravili neko klasično predstavo, kot sta npr. Trnuljčica, Paquita ali kaj podobnega. Lahko pa končni nastop predstavlja tudi gala večer, kjer se vsi predstavimo z variacijami ali skupinskimi točkami. Drugače imamo izpit aprila in potem, ko dobiš pogodbo, prejmeš od šole tudi potrdilo o uspešno končanem šolanju.
Zdajle sva nekje v okolici arene, Verona je precej turistično mesto. Kako pa je živeti v Veroni?
Meni je tukaj super. Sicer prostega časa nimam veliko, ampak se ob nedeljah zelo rada sprehodim naokrog, predvsem ob reki. Ko je vreme lepo, je res čudovito.
Kaj pa najbolj pogrešaš iz Slovenije? Če sploh kaj?
Gotovo pogrešam družino in prijatelje. Morda tudi kakšen dodaten prost dan, saj jih tukaj ni veliko in bi včasih prav ‘pasalo’ cel dan počivati. Ampak mi ni hudega, se kar dobro znajdem tukaj.
Kaj pa ljubezen, Teja? Si se kaj zaljubila v Italiji ali ne?
Ne, to še ne. Ampak pustimo času čas. Se nikamor ne mudi.
Še en nasvet za vse, ki bodo gledali tale tvoj portret, za plesalce, ki se odločajo iti v tujino študirat. Kaj bi jim svetovala?
Jaz bi jim svetovala, naj se vsekakor podajo v tujino. V Sloveniji sicer imamo dobre profesorje, kot sem jih imela jaz v Mariboru, ampak v učnem načrtu nimamo niti približno dovolj ur baleta in drugih strokovnih plesnih predmetov, potrebnih za izšolanje kakovostnega profesionalnega plesalca. Tujina pa to omogoča.
Teja, zakaj plesati?
S plesom lahko izraziš svoja čustva. Kadar imaš slab dan, greš v baletno dvorano, delaš, plešeš in takoj je vse videti bolje.
Ples je način življenja?
Ja, definitivno!
Lepa hvala in uspešno želim.
In English
Dear Teja, finally we managed to see each other in Verona. To start our interview, could you tell us why you chose Verona to continue your ballet career?
I chose Verona because I wanted to upgrade my acquired ballet knowledge. I didn’t feel ready enough to work in the theater yet, and I’m more and more convinced that Verona was the right choice.
What excites you the most here in your almost one-year study in Verona?
I am extremely impressed by the intensity of training, which is truly incomparable to Slovenia. We work a lot on ourselves, because there are many of us in the class, so we must take each correction personally, check it on ourselves and correct our mistakes. This is also how they prepare us for work in the theater, where the dancers’ corrections are mostly general and given quite fast.
Do you work only with Professor Verardi or with some other pedagogues as well? Tell me a little about the teaching process at the Balletto di Verona?
During my regular weekly work, I mostly work with Professor Verardi and his wife Professor Anna Guetsman. From time to time, we also have training sessions with Professor Cristina Bonutti, who also graduated from Scala di Milano. On Saturdays, we often have the opportunity to participate in training sessions with guest choreographers or professors of modern / contemporary dance, so that we can upgrade our knowledge in this direction as well.
In ballet terms, we can say that you come from Primorska, you continued your education in Maribor, and now you have found yourself in Verona. Are you some kind of ballet vagabond? Packing your bags and changing locations isn’t a problem for you?
Not at all, because from an early age I knew what I wanted to do, what I wanted to become, and if I wanted to achieve my goals, I had to move where my path and destiny took me. My mother also says that, despite the fact that we love each other very much in the family, I am not so attached to home that I could not move away from the home hearth and from my parents.
Where do you see your future Teja? You will spend a year here soon. Are you thinking about continuing your studies?
I have a hard time answering this question at the moment. I will go where I will get a contract to work with a ballet ensemble. I hope this will be a place that will be pleasant for my life at least for a while. Basically, wherever fate takes me, that will be my future home.
Does the school also allow you to apply for various auditions to get a contract? How’s it going for you?
Of course, and that’s one of the things I love most about it. This is also one of the big differences with Slovenia. Last year, when I was finishing my 4th year, no one asked us what we would do next, or encouraged us to take part in any auditions in our country or around the world. Here, almost everyone asks if I have found something new, if I have made a presentation video, if I have something already arranged. The encouragement from their side is huge.
Is the school perhaps also putting itself in the role of a manager or just making suggestions?
They definitely also act in the role of manager, since many former students of Prof. Verardi are employed in various theaters in Europe, where he also knows many directors and ballet masters, with whom he contacts and obtains information about the needs of ballet ensembles.
I have to ask you, Teja, how much does it cost to study at such an Academy?
It’s quite a mouthful, especially for my parents. I think it’s around EUR 2,000 a year, maybe a little more, but then there’s the apartment, food, plus all the ballet equipment, pointe shoes, and it all adds up to a hefty sum. I am really grateful to my parents for allowing me to do this.
Of course, you somehow justify this by working well and with dedication.
Absolutely. Every day I try again to give my best in every way.
At the end of the school year, do you have an exam, a production, do you get some kind of paper, to put it bluntly?
In December, we had a few performances of the Nutcracker ballet. At the end of the year, according to the professor, they should also prepare a classical performance, such as Sleeping Beauty, Paquita, or something simular. The final performance can also be a gala evening, where we all introduce ourselves with variations or group numbers. Otherwise, we have the exam in April and after you get the contract, you also receive a certificate from the school that you have successfully completed your education.
We are now somewhere around the arena; Verona is quite a touristic city. What is it like to live in Verona?
I like it here. Otherwise, I don’t have much free time, but on Sundays I really like to walk around, especially by the river. When the weather is nice, it really is wonderful.
What do you miss most about Slovenia? If anything?
I sure miss my family and friends. Maybe even an extra day off, because there aren’t many of them here, and sometimes it would be good to rest a whole day. But I don’t mind, I’m fine here.
What about the love of Teja? Did you fall in love in Italy, didn’t you?
No, not that yet. But let’s give time to that. There is no rush.
One more piece of advice for everyone who will be looking at this portrait of you, for dancers who decide to go abroad to study or not. What would you advise them?
I would advise them to go abroad. In Slovenia, we have good professors, as I had in Maribor, but in the curriculum we do not have nearly enough ballet lessons and other professional dance subjects, which are necessary to train a high-quality professional dancer. Abroad makes it possible.
Teja, why dance?
You can express your feelings through dance. When you’re having a bad day, you go to the ballet hall, work, dance and immediately everything looks better…
Dance is a way of life…
Yes, definitely!
Thank you.
