Why did I choose Derevianko for the triple role of God, Witch and Demon in my ballet "Demons"? In the first place because of his highly original physique. Volodia really does personify the Greek daimon, who is not a negative being but, rather, a supernatural one. Indeed, I would say that it is hard to find the right adjectives to describe Derevianko. He is simply the greatest dancer in the world, he is unique.
Furthermore, Vladimir has an overflowing personality, to say the least. His physical personality is very strong. You only need to spend a few minutes beside him to feel the intense energy that he emanates. That being said, who else could have interpreted my "Demons"? Such strong physical qualities made Derevianko the perfect dancer for the role of Dionysius, the god of transgression, symbol of that "physicalness" so typical of the culture of Ancient Greece which attributed physical charactertistics even to its gods.
The second role which Derevianko dances in "Demons" is that of a witch who is possessed by the Devil. Something very strange happened the first time that Derevianko and I met in the rehearsal room: while I was explaining the ballet and the Witch's role to him, I had the distinct impression that Volodia had tuned out and was no longer listening to me. There and then I thought he was assuming an attitude of superiority, that he was playing the star. Then I realised that he was already imagining himself in the role and that he was already mentally interpreting it. In a way, he was, just like the Witch in "Demons", in a state of trance. An artist is truly a great one when he is able to "become" (not simply to "interpret") a character. Volodia does this continuously: other persons, other bodies, live within his own body, just as they live within that of the possessed Witch.
It is marvellous to work with Vladimir: when I enter the rehearsal room, I normally don't have set ideas and so the dancer is free to offer me inspiration: Vladimir has so much inspiration to offer! He is a modern actor, as well as a modern dancer. He is supple and has an open mind. The last solo in "Demons", for example, blends my style with Volodia's classical technique. A truly creative process occurred between the two of us. I don't often use the word "creative" because it smacks of "divinity" but in this case, as we are speaking about Derevianko, I think the word is really and truly appropriate!