KASHMIR
How did you get your stage name?
My name invokes the luxurious texture of cashmere, the sensuality of my movements and that sweet and gentle look in my eyes.
When and how did you get into dancing?
I started dancing when I was about four. Around sixteen, it turned into a serious passion and I enrolled in the New Zealand School of Dance where I studied classical and contemporary dancing. Three years later, I had blossomed into a well-rounded professional contemporary dancer. Nevertheless, my ultimate goal was to be a part of the Crazy Horse troupe, but didn’t know how, seeing as the distance between Wellington and Paris is so great. It was during a North American tour with the Black Grace Dance Company that I decided to audition. Time was ripe for me to hop on a plane and try my luck! Today, I feel like a little girl from the other end of the world who’s come to Paris to fulfill her dream. In a way I’d say I was created, both physically and mentally, to be a dancer at Crazy Horse Paris, I feel like this is where I am supposed to be.
Do you ever feel like you’re naked when you’re on stage?
Not at all! When I’m on my stage, I’m draped in my character, Lola Kashmir. Even for my first show, I forgot I was naked. Only when I got off stage did I say to myself: “Now wait a minute, I’m not wearing any clothes!”
What makes the Crazy Horse such a magical place, even after over sixty years?
Oh, there’s a lot of magic on stage! The idea of dressing the dancers in light is of course what defines Crazy Horse Paris, but its uniqueness is also found in the technical and artistic details, such as the arching of the dancers’ backs, the way they walk, do their hair, the “crazy rouge” lipstick and a few other secrets that you only find out about if you become a Crazy dancer yourself. All these preciously guarded iconic and historical ingredients are what makes the Crazy Horse, ever since its creation by Alain Bernardin, like no other venue on earth.
How would you personally define femininity?
It’s difficult to give just one answer, since femininity is many-sided and constantly changing. We women go through a lot in both body and soul and I have the feeling that every day, women are showing that they are powerful human beings. So if I had to choose just one word to describe femininty, it would be just that: power.
Do you have a trick to help you overcome stage-fright?
Yes, when I’m too nervous, I do something I used to do with my mother. I pretend I’m tearing off a stress mask and throw it on the ground! Always works for me!
What is a bit crazy about you?
I’d say it’s my insane energy. I’m the only dancer who runs 5 kilometers and does 100 pushups before every show!
Which scene of the Totally Crazy! show do you think is the most amazing?
They’re all beautiful, but the one I really enjoy performing is Good Girl. I love throwing my legs sky-high, playing with the long, glistening chain curtains and singing playback! It’s a joyful and uplifting number, one of those that make me want to be happy and remind me of how lucky I am to be dancing here on this stage.
Discover Lola Kashmir in video :Â
Photos : RĂ©mi Desclaux, Antoine Poupel
Video : Paul-Henri Pesquet
