In the scientific world, the word ‘pilobolus’ refers to a sun-loving fungus. In the dance world, Pilobolus is a group well-known for its inventive and provocative performances. Pilobolus performed at the “74th Academy Awards” this year, on “Oprah,” on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and across the globe. The Mirror got a chance to talk to one of the founders and the Artistic Director Jonathan Wolken. Wolken spoke about the evolution of the group through the past 37 years and its plans for the future.
The Mirror: Where did the name Pilobolus come from?
Jonathan Wolken: Pilobolus, the name, came out of my scientific background. When I was young, I worked in a biophysics laboratory and I became acquainted with various fungi, and Pilobolus are particular fungi that are light-sensitive. Pilobolus is a very small, very pretty, very good-smelling and light-loving fungus.
It grows, bends and twists toward the light and then loses its head entirely. It’s really a quite interesting specimen for something so small.
But the meaning of the company really has less to do with the nature of the actual fungus, but more just the sound of the name, which has a lovely kind of lilt, I think. It’s also unusual. There are no dance companies I know of named like this. It’s a catchy name for a catchy company.
TM: How is the dance company like the fungus?
JW: Fungi have their own very particular niche in the world of plants and animals. Pilobolus, likewise, occupies its own very particular niche.
We draw widely from the realms of dance and theater. We work collaboratively. We are certainly Darwinian in our evolution. When we are rehearsing for the creation of new work, it’s an all-day proposition. We work all day, at least nine to five.
The idea of our creative process is that anything goes. It just depends on whether it works. Is it interesting? Will it have an unusual impact? Does it make you sit forward in your seat and say “wow?” The answer is always innovation. We don’t want to do the same things again.
TM: Where do the dancers come from?
JW: All over the place; some from the New York area, some from much farther. We audition when we need new dancers and, therefore, the group is eclectic, with all kinds of people from all kinds of places with all kinds of abilities. We’re not constantly auditioning, not more than once a year.
TM: How old are the dancers, on average?
JW: The youngest dancers are in their early 20s and the oldest in their early 30s.
TM: Why do you like performing at the Quick Center?
JW: We have performed at the Quick Center many times. It’s an intimate stage – that’s the first thing and the best thing. People see everything, all the nuances going on.
The show in Fairfield will not be a shadow show [as seen at the Academy Awards, “Oprah,” “Ellen”…]. The shadow work we’ve been doing is very recent. We kind of invented it for ourselves by request as an interesting phenomenon. That you could do so much with something so little is a striking effect. Our work with shadows began just before the Academy Awards and we’re continuing to develop it, but the show we usually do is movement based, not shadow based.
TM: What are influences for movement?
JW: In general, I think all of our referencing is widely eclectic. From when I was a kid, Dr. Seuss and “Looney Tunes,” all the way out to what I read today and my scientific background- anything. When you come into the studio to be creative, it all goes with you. Everything you do. Everything we think. Even mundane things.
TM: What reactions have you received from your performances?
JW: Some people remark on the details of the piece. Some people are shocked by the inventiveness of what they see. People who are trained to look at modern dance in the traditional sense, or ballet, or any other dance form are often taken by surprise by what we do. People in the theater world are shocked by the very particular movement theater we do.
TM: What are your future plans for the group?
JW: I think to continue doing what we’re doing, to work on projects of all varieties that are interesting and innovative, to spread the, what is called, the mycelium, which is the root structure of the company in all kinds of different directions, and I think to continue to tour, to make new pieces of all varieties. We work very hard.
TM: Do you think fame has changed the group?
JW: No. It doesn’t change the fact that when you go into the studio, the question remains, “What are you going to do?”
It doesn’t matter if a million people know you or a billion people know you. You walk into the same room and you still have to invent.
Pilobolus will be at the Quick Center this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30.
Click here to watch some of their performance before going to see them
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