IN November, the Tramway hosted the Estonian National Ballet for a trio of contemporary performances, the latter of which was a surprisingly local affair.
The piece, Echo, was choreographed by Estonian dancer Eve Mutso and saw dancers perform against the pull of elastic belts suspended from the ceiling, before casting them off and leaping across the stage in a moment of liberation.
And it is in Scotland that Mutso found her own liberation as a performer, moving from Tallinn in 2003 and eventually becoming Scottish Ballet’s principal dancer.
“There was a fantastic energy and vibrancy with dancers from all over the world. We had an interesting repertoire,” she says.
‘‘It is why people began to love Scottish Ballet again.
“It only took half a year and I felt so at home in Scotland. It is vibrant and welcoming and warm. It was my place straight away.”
In a career which saw Mutso leap from the classical to the contemporary and back again, it was Scottish Ballet’s creative environment that proved decisive in her choice to stay and dance on Scottish soil.
“The atmosphere here in Scotland is what kept me here. It was always rejuvenating for me. Every work brings challenges but it gives you a toolbox so you can use your experiences. It is a very safe environment but you had the support to work on new things.”
Nominated by the Critics’ Circle for the National Dance Award for Outstanding Female Performance, Mutso was also nominated as Best Female Dancer in 2005 and 2013.
In 2014, she choreographed and performed in her first production, and now teaches at Aerial Edge, a trapeze school in Glasgow.
Many may see the transition from performer to director a daunting, perhaps melancholy undertaking. Mutso took it in her graceful and determined stride.
“You realise when you step out that the life of a freelancer is full of challenges and that you have to find your own rhythm. New projects give you that same rush of adrenaline and help create your own new future,” she explains.
While her career has changed direction, her impact on Scottish dance is significant. As a board-member of Indepen-dance, an inclusive dance company for people with disabilities and people without disabilities in Scotland, Mutso has found a new outlet for her talent and vision.
More than 400 children, young people and adults attend weekly Indepen-dance classes and the group has performed across Europe, as well as during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Of the staff , 40% have a disability, one of their artists has received a Lifetime Fellowship from the Society of Performing Arts and two other staff members have been accepted on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s masters degree course in Learning & Teaching in the Performing Arts. All successes in which Mutso has played a leading role.
At the Tramway, Mutso watched as her life of dance took flight through the movements of her Estonian counterparts. A full circle moment.
“I didn’t think it could ever happen. Being here for 15 years and to see it performed by my home company brought my two home countries together. It was overwhelming.
‘‘I think Scotland and Estonia share the same values and openness. We come in different sizes and shapes and colour but we all have something to offer. Scotland is a beautiful and inspiring place to be.”
The performance was striking in its ingenuity, impressively engineered and delivered with genuine passion and emotion. It was a performance from Estonia, but, like Mutso, made in Scotland.
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