Channeling the Adversity of the Pandemic into Celebratory Dance with Nicolas Fiery

With the exception of frontline workers, much of the world waited as comfortably as possible for the pandemic to pass in hopes of returning to a familiar way of life. Nicolas Fiery could not rebuke such a notion quick enough. An internationally lauded dancer and choreographer, Fiery seemed set on increasing his creative output during the unprecedented lockdown of the past year and a half. Commissioned by the Alliance for the Visual Arts Gallery and Art Center (AVA Gallery) in Lebanon, NH, Fiery conducted himself as a champion of keeping dance alive when such an idea seemed highly unlikely.

Nicolas Fiery

2020 was a constant barrage of defeating statistics: number of Covid infections, number of deaths, and countries on the brink of economic collapse. Initially, Nicolas Fiery had no intention to create anything that touched upon the topic of Covid; that is, until he understood that art rather than history would tell future generations how it felt to be in the pandemic. This was the impetus that sparked “Bound”, Fiery’s hopeful inspired piece which broke a thirteen-month long pause in live performances at the AVA Gallery. Consisting of three movements (“Synchronicity”, “This Isn’t Love”, “75 Pages Of Happiness”), “Bound” communicates the emotional spectrum of real people during this global crisis. Inspired by and set to the music of Jazz trumpeter Rachel Therrien (Grand Prize Jazz Award at the renowned Montreal International Jazz Festival, Juno nominee for Best Jazz Album, and enthusiastic supporter of Nicolas Fiery’s work), “Bound” is a duet between Fiery and dancer Sofía Forero. The physicality of Dance required physical recalibration during the creation and rehearsals. Utilizing zoom, open air [park] spaces, Green Space Studios in Queens, and accoutrements like masks and gloves, Nicolas and Sofia experienced the realization of this piece in a way unlike any other before. Rather than hindering, these constrictions fueled their approach and increased the connection with an enthusiastic audience. Fiery relates, “Dancing this piece on stage makes you live all the stages of the pandemic again in about 15 minutes, and that alone is a memorable experience. I was moved by the reactions of the public to Bound. After each performance we had a long Q&A with the audience; it was powerful, emotional, and revealing. It showed that the process had a meaning and that the piece will live beyond it.”

Bound

The overwhelming response on the part of the public to “Bound” created an outpouring for the return of Mr. Fiery’s work. He and AVA Gallery Executive Director Heidi Reynolds agreed that two more original works “Are We?” and “Our Gift to the World” would also be presented as part of a series. “Our Gift to the World” is a meditation which connects spirit, physical body, and breath. Like “Bound” and “Are We?”, it also features Nicolas and Sofia as the only two dancers. The beauty of two dancers together onstage illustrates both the isolation and the connection we all experienced during Covid. There is a personal story as well as one of community illustrated in these works. “Are We” is danced to word poems written by each artist. This piece highlights the connection between dance and words, something Nicolas clarifies stating, “Dance is connected through words since they are both languages. Movements are for dancing what words are for writing. I remember one day when I was a teenager, I was listening to “Regards Croisés” by the French band Danakil, and asked myself ‘How can I convey in dance a story and a message as clear as a song with lyrics?’ This is related because the athletic physicality of dancers isn’t the only thing that the audience can focus on and lose track of the choreographic intention. Over the years, I found that dance is a particularly unique language. I realized that the reason why I can travel in so many countries and convey emotions to people that don’t speak my language is because dance is universal in its own way.” This concept is starkly evident in works like “Bound” which is comprised of dance techniques that include modern, Hip-Hop, Popping, Locking, Jazz, Ballet, Contemporary, Salsa, and others. Fiery’s creations are a pan-dialect that universally transmits the human experience.

Nicolas Fiery and Sofía Forero in Are We?

As Nicolas prepares for a 2022 return to the AVA Gallery of new works currently in creation, he reflects on how art heals the creator as well as the recipient. He confesses, “I didn’t realize it right away, but creating Bound was also my way out of this crisis and a way for me to process in order to move on. Creating a piece of this kind requires you to look at the big picture, and to mature from it. In a sense it was liberating. I was happily surprised and touched by the testaments that we received during the season. We offered a smile and a lot of hope to our audience. We built a new environment between them and us, positive and supportive as I had missed.”