Celebrating the presence with moving and dancing
When we met Aina Genovés in her studio near Palma it only took a few minutes and she was dancing around. The Majorcan all-rounder is a movement artist, performer, choreographer and actress. Her work expands the boundaries between disciplines; combining body, mind, soul and movement through different mediums such as dance, film, photography, performance and fashion design.
After graduating from Conservatorio Profesional de Danza in classical dance in Palma in 2011 she moved to Rome to continue her studies at D.A.F (Dance Arts Faculty). Her training includes world-renown artists and schools such as International Ballet Masterclasses, Prague with Ángel Corella, Ècole National de Danse de Marseille, Festival Dansez Maintenant, France with Pau Aran and Juan Kruz; and P.A.R.T.S Summer Workshop with Fumiyo Ikeda.
In our interview we talked about people’s fear of dancing, her background as well as her future plans.
Could you please introduce yourself a bit? How did you enter into the artistic world? What’s your training and background?
I’m Aina born and raised in the island, since I was a child I remember myself dancing in my room with my cd player and making little plays for my friends who came to my house. My mum is an artist too so I think most of my creative language comes because she embraced that side of me. I was always such a dreamy imaginative kid so at the age of three my mum brought me to ballet classes. In my first show my shoe went off and I remember me sitting in the middle of the stage putting my shoe again when the show kept going.
After a couple of years it was natural for me to continue dancing until i was 6. I passed the exam for the Conservatorio of Palma and started professional formation. It was a game until I was 14, but then the discipline became more sever and you had to go to school and dance at the same time, that was hard to handle. With 16 I ended up my dance degree in classical dance and I needed something more so I studied fashion design and at the same time I did dance workshops in different European cities that opened my mind. That was when I discovered drama in Madrid that I felt was my next step to grow and feel fully creative. Four years later I finished my art performance degree. So, my background could be a mix of dance, movement, fashion design and performing arts.
Is there a performance/ project/ a collaboration etc. you’re particularly proud of? Why?
There’s one particular performance called “You can’t sit with us”, that I did during the lockdown (s. photos by Xavi Herrero below). It came literally in my mind when I was sitting on a chair. I like to think about the use of objects and the idea of decontextualizing their use. I performed that piece in Ibiza and Madrid and I’m looking forward to investigate and continue this direction to go further.
Why do you think so many adults are afraid of moving/ dancing? How do you get their fear off in your classes?
Nowadays we forget easily about our body. We’re always busy with our minds, computers and phones. We don’t realize all the energy is inside of us and if we don’t move the energy get stuck and we feel anxious or stressed. When we decide to do something that implicates move, your body and you change instantly. You are having a sensation of relief.
I think we’re scared because in our society we are used to judge and not to play. We are not educated to know that our body is a super powerful tool to feel good. So that’s the first thing to let your movement out, just play and let yourself surprise of how your body can move. My mission is to create a safe space to feel comfortable and let everyone know that there’s no movement that is good or bad. Embrace your own and unique movement. Because when you feel good in your skin the energy doesn’t lie.
How is it to grow up in Mallorca? What does the island give you that you can’t get anywhere else?
When I was little I was always surrounded by the sea or the mountains to do hiking all weekends and spending time outside as much as possible, even if we lived in Palma. As much as I love traveling, I also love my island and I really think that there’s a special thing felt from all the Mallorquines that you always want to come back. I don’t have words to describe which is this specific feeling but I know everyone who has been here can feel there is something, that’s why they decided to live here and call the island home. I always say, that I would fall in love with Mallorca if I would came here for a vacation.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I don’t have a specific way to inspire myself, could be with a good conversation or just listening to music. I think it depends on which point of your life you are. In one moment you can be inspired by so many different stimulus. I think a huge inspiration that I can recognize for myself is to travel and connecting with people. That makes my mindset to think outside the box.
Do you have a quote or motto that fits to you or your way of living?
Actually I have many and they change every season, but I always have affirmations in my head: “Come back to your essence” or “What belongs to me will simply find me.”
What’s coming next? Where do you want to go artistically?
Right now my goal would be to work on projects, different projects in different artistic fields like costume design for theater or dance, dance-video projects, curating spaces for performances, creating content for movement projects or acting. I’m quite open to create and the thing that I like the most is to share with other artists working and creating.
One specific project is that I would love to develop is to guide pop-up movement events in different cities: curating the space, the music and the aesthetic creation of a unique experience.
Oh yes, that sounds super good. Many thanks Aina for this inspiring interview!
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