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Dancer Dane Hurst on art as a ‘sacred act' and ‘as important as a daily meal'

The artistic director of Joburg Ballet speaks about his inspirations, including his early exposure to the great fine artists, as well as what is catching his attention in the world of performance. Amid a historical production of Swan Lake through a collaboration between Joburg Ballet and Cape Town City Ballet, we speak to acclaimed dancer and choreographer Dane Hurst, the Johannesburg company's artistic director, about transcending limits and the heights of human achievement. When did you first identify as an artist? I grew up in the 1980s and saw James Brown and Michael Jackson dancing on the television, which was my first realisation that I was attracted to dance. I was attracted to the hip-hop my eldest sister was listening to and felt a sense of excitement when she stayed up late recording music off the radio to create mix tapes. I was inspired by the artwork my younger sister created and the cool fashion sense of my middle sister, so I took a little inspiration from all of them. But it was the mystical fusion of classical piano, flamenco and dancing feet on a dusty wooden floor that captured my imagination. As a child I watched dancing feet moving to music while I sat under a table alongside my grandmother tapping her foot on the pedal of her sewing machine as she made costumes for the Toynbee ballet school. This is what transfixed my attention and, as a result, dance became my primary focus. What branch of art most stimulates you? I'm very much drawn to all forms of art. However, photography and fine art draw my attention most. I took up art as a major subject in high school and spent my time bunking classes to sit in the art class and paint and draw still-life pictures and skeletons while talking to the incredible art teacher, Linston Erasmus. He introduced us to the world of art, architecture, famous artists and the important art movements. He made us see the world in a completely different way and introduced us to Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Gerard Sekoto, René Magritte and William Kentridge and other masters. Which artists in said discipline have significantly inspired you, and why? I've always been attracted to the works of Dali, Magritte and Kahlo, and specifically Song of the Pick by Sekoto. It is the arresting power and symbolism in their work that makes you stop and think. It's the absorbing nature and power of the message in their work that draws me in and inspires me to create work that has a similar impact. What is art's most important function? Art exists as a means of helping us express the things we are unable to articulate with words or actions. It creates a sense of awe and wonder at the incredible beauty that can be created by the human being. Seeing art is a sacred act, an unspoken appreciation of the capability and capacity of others to transcend the limits of our imagination. Art makes us believe in the unimaginable; it can force us to dare to dream the impossible. Art is as important as a daily meal; it is a reminder of how incredibly ingenious and beautifully diverse we are as humans. We all have the capacity to create and be creative. Art is there to remind us of the beauty, fragility and urgency of life. The local creatives who excite you? I absolutely love the art of Zanele Muholi, Marlene Dumas and Mary Sibande. I recently discovered the amazing work of Arthur Dlamini and his collaborative work with artist Ryan Shava. In terms of all-round lifestyle creatives, I'm very much inspired by Baked Ink, an artist working across tattoo artistry, fine art and fashion. For performance and choreography I love Vincent Mantsoe, Gregory Maqoma and Dada Masilo. Most recently it is the work of Mthuthuzeli November, the Figure of 8 Collective and Darkroom Contemporary that I find interesting. Which specific works do you return to again and again, and why? I have a random collection of old books, films, CDs and vinyl that I revisit time and again as it stimulates my thinking, inspires my creative thoughts and re-energises my desire to create. I'm busy rereading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin, which is an awesome book to delve into on any occasion. In terms of film, I always return to West Side Story, The Red Shoes, McQueen, The Red Balloon, Diva and any of the Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton films. My grandfather and father played in a jazz band called the Cuban Combos, so jazz is a natural inspiration. I've recently been listening to all of Kyle Shepherd's music, and I created Resonance for Joburg Ballet inspired by his South African History !X album. What are your thoughts on the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution? AI is rapidly changing the world and there is no way of moving away from it. Thankfully, I am in an industry where the human body is required to deliver and perform the work. Dance is meant to be experienced live, and nothing beats the real experience of witnessing the height of human achievement. AI is having a major influence on art and literature, however; it makes the process of digging deep to discover and work on something too easy. It's an advantageous tool, but I think it's dangerous as we'll start to depend more and more on computers to do our thinking, which will take away our natural cognitive development and lead to a slow devolution of faculties. If we can integrate the benefits of AI and use it to enhance our lives, then that is a massive positive. But if it comes at the expense of inadvertently dumbing us down, it is a dangerous direction in which to travel. Any project you're unveiling or wrapping up? Joburg Ballet just completed its first weeks of performance of Swan Lake in collaboration with Cape Town City Ballet, which is the first collaboration between the companies in 30 years. The production had a successful run at the Joburg Theatre and will culminate at the Cape Town International Convention Centre at the end of July. It has been an incredibly complex yet rewarding journey for both companies. It has proven to be a definite win for the dance industry and is a monumental moment for dance history in South Africa. DM Mick Raubenheimer is a freelance arts writer. This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.