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Behind the Piano: Reina Okada on playing for ballet

We’re really looking forward to your visit to Ripon this weekend. It’s definitely a first for Ripon concerts to welcome a pianist specialising in accompanying ballet so it would be great if you could give us a brief insight into what it is like playing for dancers.

In the first half of your programme you will be performing a standard piano recital. Please could you explain how playing for dancers is different from playing a solo recital?

When playing for dancers, I need to understand what they need from the music. This involves knowing the choreography (if it isn’t improvised), how the movements relate to the music, and the timing, tempo, breathing and expressive intentions behind the movement. I then need to adapt my playing accordingly, while keeping an eye on the dancers as much as possible and anticipating how they are going to move.

Related to this question, I am interested to understand who leads, the pianist or the dancers? How does that work in the moment?

I think this can vary depending on who you ask, but for me, it’s both. The choreography provides certain things we need to follow, but ideally the dancers also need the right tempo to be able to dance at their best. At the same time, the pianist can inspire the dancers and help create the atmosphere, so it’s very much a two-way relationship.

This weekend in Ripon you will be playing Pictures at an Exhibition along to a film screening of the ballet. What do you need to think about when you play alongside a film instead of live dancers, as you will in Ripon?

It’s actually very challenging, because the communication is one-way: the dancers on screen cannot respond to my playing, and I have to know the film version very thoroughly. For example, if the dancers begin moving on the very first note, without any preparatory movement, or if they start moving on the second beat, I need to identify a visual cue that tells me exactly when to start playing. In some sections, where the choreography doesn’t clearly show the rhythm, it can also be difficult to judge the exact tempo just by watching. I also have to keep my eyes on the screen almost constantly, which is quite a challenge in itself! I’ve therefore spent a great deal of time analysing the film in preparation.

Most people know Pictures at an Exhibition as an orchestral piece. What does the piano version give you that the orchestra doesn’t?

My understanding is that Alexei Ratmansky chose the original piano version specifically for this production because of the particular character and energy of the piano. Its more intimate quality can create a special connection with the dancers, allowing the music to respond to each step and enhance the physical impact of the movement.