If I were 22: Botis Seva

If I was 22: I wouldn’t compromise the vision

I have been in situations where I have jeopardised the artistic vision of a work just to please a person or organisation. But I’ve learned you should never compromise your art or artistic outlook to please the person that is holding the money. They rely on artists to create work, but without them, you cannot fulfil your art.

Learn how to apply for opportunities and shape the brief to fit what you want to research and/or create. You don’t have to create a work to fit a commission brief, rather fit the commission brief to create the work. It’s about finding balance and communication.

If I was 22: I’d save money

Being self-employed means you can get stung by your tax returns. I’ve learnt to put away 20% of my earnings from each job, to take the sting out of that post-Christmas payment.

Also, plan ahead. An artist without a long-term goal or at least a yearly plan can come into financial difficulties, especially in this climate. Having a yearly and a five-year plan helps me to stay focused and directed on my journey. Of course it will change, but at least you are prepared.

If I was 22: I’d take time to not continually push out work

It’s impossible to say yes to every opportunity that you are offered, regardless of the money. It’s not about the money for me, it’s about what I have to say. Not every opportunity will serve a purpose and you have to learn how to decipher what will propel you forward and what will keep you where you are now. Is it worth doing a three-month project that doesn’t actually develop your work or allow you to grow as an artist?
It’s also ok not to keep pushing out new work, but develop ideas, research and try out other options in existing work. If you continue to work and work on an idea, refining the movement language, finding the right dancers and production team, refining your artistic preferences, then suddenly, a show that less than 30 people would attend at Barking Broadway Theatre five years ago can sell out the Lilian Baylis at Sadler’s Wells.

If I was 22: I’d find the right people to work with

I founded my company ‘Far From The Norm’ in 2009 and have worked with various dancers. It’s only in the past two years that I have found and used the same cast to collaboratively create my work. Dancers are hard to come by, especially when you only have access to London. Keep an eye on potential dancers; maybe they aren’t ready now but you can nurture and invest in them for the future. Keep an open door policy in rehearsals, invite understudy dancers, dancers to shadow the cast or watch rehearsals.

It’s very easy for dancers to become settled and comfortable, so bringing new talent into a studio can bring out new qualities and dynamics in the company and in the work. Experimental, hip hop based dancers are rare, so without investing and offering insight into what I want, how can I expect to find the ‘perfect’ dance artists?

If I was 22: I wouldn’t rely on organisations or funding

There was a time in the UK hip hop scene where large organisations were seen as the gatekeepers to careers. I say no – it’s about self-investment. Over the past five years I have funded my own work, my dancers have given their time for free and I have done work for free, but I have never taken advantage or been taken advantage of.

Be prepared to pull your finger out and graft harder with little funding. You can make magic on a shoe string.

Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy once said: “Money is an issue when you don’t have it! Money is an issue when you do have it!”

Botis Seva will present his new work Woman of Sun on Thurs 24 & Fri 25 November at the Laban Theatre.