In an interview to several Italian daily newspapers, the Albanian modern dancer Klejdi Kadiu stated, “It’s not just an issue of good luck-that is not sufficient. There have been many other dancers far better than I am, who never had any luck and today can barely afford to feed themselves. It is only right to say things as they are.”
We have seen him performing on television, we have seen his photographs in the most famous Italian magazines, we have see him reach the very summits of dancing classifications, but now this Albanian artist has gone from the small screen to the stages of the theatres and has conquered theatres all over Italy. This time Kadiu will be interpreting the role of Romeo in the famous Shakespearean tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. This show has received excellent acclaim at every step; the critics have had the very best to say about the performance of Kadiu.
“How is the “Romeo and Juliet” tour going?
“It’s going very well. The public has been most positive and the critic’s raves have been very encouraging. The public is happy.”
“What does a tour with the theatre signify for you?”
“This tour is another part of my career, it is something I have been wanting to do for some time. This is the first time I have danced in a theatre in Italy. Romeo and Juliet is a classical ballet, a story which is known by all.
What does it signify to you to be able to interpet the role of Romeo?
Its a role like every other role, in terms of hard work. It is not too hard to interpret. No role is truly difficult when you love what you do. When I receive a proposal to play a role,I first try and work out whether it is suitable for me or not. I have done no special preparatory work for this role, I dance I don’t sing. I don’t think it was all that hard for me to interpret, it was a role like all roles.
Your career in Italy began with “Amici”, is there any big difference between work on television and on the theatre stage?
These were completely two different experiences. As everyone says, in the one case there is direct contact with the public and in the other case there is none. Neither of the experiences remove anything fron one another; both of them are beautiful, but there is really no comparison.
Which do you prefer?
I enjoy both of them, I mean in terms of dancing. When I commit myself to achieving something-that’s it- I must see it through to the end and I always strive to give my very best even if I am asked to dance in the streets. I don’t believe you can give less if you’re working for television or more if you’re dancing on stage. If I did make a differentiation, I would be using my profession as a means of making money alone. But I do this because this is what I love doing. I believe that every experience triggers different emotions, that is true, but this doesn’t mean that the one experience is more significant than the other.
Has television had an impact on your dance moves?
Yes, without doubt. Television gave my dancing an extra point because it gained me the respect of the public. Now many individuals regard dancing as an art, a voccation and not just as a pastime. Today, the public is well aware that dancing takes study and a huge amount of discipline. Discipline and method are everything, and not only in dancing.If you don’t have any discipline today, you do not get far. In danciong you are working constantly to improve your phsyical fitness and that is not an easy job, because every physically based voccation becomes increasingly difficult as the years pass. Today, many people want to dance. Television has had a tremendous impact on making dancing very trendy.
Is it sufficient to become a professional dancer?
Passion is important up to a point. Dancing is not for everyone, or perhaps more acurately, it is for everyone if they know how to do it. It is no coincidence that dancing schools fill up with youing people dreaming to become lead dancers; but you have to know ehether you have the talent or not. After eighteen years of age, many of theyoung people abandon dancing. Things are channeled into a natural selection process and only the ones who have the technical and physical potential remain.
What plans do you have for the future?
I will continue to dance, that is my profession and I will continue to dance for as long as I can.
