Interview with the lovely Lucile Grahn by Kamilla Austria

My name is Kamilla Austria from the Der Tagesspiegel a German Newspaper here with Miss Lucile Grahn and we are going to interview and ask this lovely lady some questions about her life.

Austria: Velkommen Miss Lucile Grahn, how are you today?

Grahn: Very well this morning, tak.

Austria: Very well let’s get started.

Austria:

Q- What was it like to live in Copenhagen, Denmark during the 1800s?

Grahn:

A- When I was born the Napoleonic War and the Gunboat War had recently ended. The Copenhagen fire of 1795 destroyed a quarter of the city and left 3,500 homeless, damages were quickly repaired and most of the city was rebuilt by the 19th century. Towards the end of the 18th hundreds trade and the wealth or the city reached its highest level. When I was born it was very fortunate for me to not be born into a poor family. Unlike many I had a house and a comfortable life. The Industrialization really helped things move along with the repairing that gave relief to many.

Austria: Very interesting.

Q- Now what grew your interest in the arts in your early life?

Grhan:

A-  I can't quite remember how it all started. The Industrial Revolution was happening when I was born, I could have easily chosen to work in a factory, made clothing, or even to take the traditional role of being a housewife, but I had a greater calling, and that was dance. My interest grew during the Romantic Ballet Era, that gladly gave me a push into the industry. The graceful, majestic, astonishing moves of a ballerina and even a dancer in general captivated me! Moving in certain ways at different times to make beautiful choreography to me was like owning a candy store all to yourself as a child. I’ve must have realized that even as a lille barn (Danish for young child). Taking my training seriously helped me to become stronger faster, I wasn't focused on playing with dolls all the time, oh course I did, but I had bigger dreams than just that.

Austria: Interesting, so Mrs. Grahn.

Q- What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interest and talents you have as an artist?

Grahn:

A-  I started dancing early and studied at the Royal Danish Theatre at a young age were August Bournonville taught me. Taking an almost immediate fancy to me and my dancing. He favored me and saw me as a shining star, this helped me improve and become even better with his encouragement and his admiration in me. Also helping me get noticed by putting me as the leading role in Valdemar by Bournonville, my mentor at the age of 16. Soon our relationship soured and that pushed me away to go dance with the Paris Opera Ballet. I'm glad I made this choice, but I never returned back to Copenhagen after that.

Austria:

Q- How was the world of art like in your particular art field when you entered it?

Grahn:

A- Being born in the Romantic era made me outstandingly lucky, at this time the dance world start to become more noticed into all over the globe. The plots of many ballets were most often about spirit women—sylphs, wilis, and ghosts, who enslaved the hearts and senses of mortal men and made it impossible for them to live happily in the real world. There was romance, hinting the word “romantic” in almost every ballet during this time. Since ballet is so graceful and peaceful it was destined to boom in the Romantic Era. During the Industrialization people focused on new technology and modernizing. But this actually helped and didn’t make everyone oblivious to the world of performing arts. Opera houses and Theatres opened all over the place so people could go enjoy performances. It also helped that the Queen enjoyed seeing these performances.

Austria:

Q- How did the major cultural, economic, and political situations of the time impact your work?

Grahn:

A- The growth of politics, economics, and technology help greatly with the impact of my work. Since people were making more money, they were more likely to come see shows. The looks of cities and people were improving, with people living longer and that olders like to come see our performances the most. Entertainment was also booming, people liked to be astonished and to forget the hard work they had to do. Their work was dangerous, ballet isn't easy either. Just like others we have to be away from our families to travel for performing but they only travel to go work at factories. We were still under a monarchy, but it was nice that the Queen like to come see vast performances.

Austria:

Q- What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?

Grahn:

A- Dancing in the Pas De Quatre definitely my biggest accomplishment. If one of the most remembered dances out there. Fanny Elssler, was invited to take part in the dance but declined, I immediately accepted to do her role. Her Majesty's came to come see it, that gave me significant pride. The theater was so crowded it looked like a bunch of monkeys in a barrel! (Grahn laughs loudly) It was a highlight of my life to be next to such successful dancers, other than myself of course.  (Grahn and I both laugh, then she suddenly gets serious.) I never thought in my life that I'd make it so far, to be so...so proud of myself. And to let thousands of people see my passion love for dance.

Austria: Does it ever bother you that you were their second choice and not their first choice?

Grahn: Absolut ikke! (Danish for: Absolutely not!) I am extremely grateful and appreciative that I even got to participate in the Pas De Quatre.

Austria:

Q- What were the key opportunities you had that led to turning point in your life and art?

Grahn:

A-Being the leading role in Valdemar by Bournonville, that was my first big performance  and this truly sent me into the dance world.  I was finally started to get noticed and was glad I did so at an early age of 16. Without this opportunity I still think I would have made it big but this helped me really know that that was what I was supposed to do. Dance is not just for the audience and the paycheck, it's also for your inner self. Dance lets you express yourself through the continuous movements, it lets you forget. Clearing your mind of everything bad and making you pure. (Grahn smiles) It's like an unspoken paradise, then no one really understands but yourself. They might think they do but they don't.

Austria:

Q- What hardships are roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to be an artist?

Grahn:

A- I didn't face many, even though it is a challenging field I worded hard to get where I did. Hard work is everything during the industrial era and in a performing arts career. It's almost like the American Dream, that hard work can make you successful. The American dream did come true for me even though I’m not American, I think that the American dream is more of a World dream instead. You know?

Austria: Yes I completely understand.

Q- Now what personal stories best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?

Grahn: Um, I'm sorry I don't really have any. There isn't much I can tell you about my young years or even my older ones. If it helps I got married.

Austria: Oh to who? Do tell!

Grahn: Friedrich Young.

Austria: Can you tell us anything about him? How you met, how long have you been married, do you plan on having kids?

Grahn: Um, well we have been married for 51 years.

Austria: You don't know anything about him or your past do you?

Grahn: I do!

Austria: Sure, next question.

Q- How did your work impact the world of art?

Grahn:

A- Finally something I can answer (Grahn and I laugh). Hopefully I left a big mark on this world. To show you don't always have to be book smart to make it, not saying I wasn't. The Pas De Quatre left a huge mark in the dance world, almost every dancer knows of it. I hope I'm not sounding bias.

Austria: Not at all.

Grahn: Good. As I was saying I might be forgotten, I mean won't everyone sooner or later? But before then I know that I have inspired other that know about me and admire me, even though I'm not in any history books that kids read in school. But that's ok, I don't need to be. As long as I have made a difference.

Austria: Bravo Mrs. Lucile Grahn. Thank you for joining us.

Grahn: It was my pleasure.

Director: Cut! That's a rap people!

Cites and Sources:

1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucile_Grahn
Wikipedia Updated: May 1, 2015

2) http://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucile-Grahn
Written by: Ivor Guest, Updated: 2, 25, 2015

3) http://www.behindballet.com/four-ballerinas-and-a-tea-tray/
Written by: Caitlyn Lehmann Updated: 9, 30, 2013

4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pas_de_Quatre
Written by: Wikipedia Updated: 4, 12, 2015

5)http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Dansk_Biografisk_Leksikon/Kunst_og_kultur/Dans/Solodanser/Lucile_Grahn-Young

Written by: EAsc and Rnell Updated: The article comes from the third edition of the Danish Biographical Lexicon,published 1979-84.

6) http://www.britannica.com/place/Copenhagen

Written by: EAsc og RNell

7) http://www.britannica.com/place/Denmark
Written by: The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica Updated: 1-28-2015

8) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83jQOQBG3vw

9) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Danish_Theatre
Written By: Wikipedia Updated: 9-16-2015

10) http://www.mydanishroots.com/history-culture-heritage/a-brief-history-of-denmark-denmark-in-the-1800s.html

Written by: Anders Buch-Jensen

11) http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaellinger/en_GB/theme/industry/article
Written by: Casper Jorgensen

12) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_ballet
Written: Wikipedia Updated: 6-17-2015

13) https://danceappreciation4.wordpress.com/romantic-ballet-2/

14) http://michaelminn.net/andros/history/pas_de_quatre/
Written: Gus Dick Andros Updated: August 1993
15) https://www.google.com/search?q=pas+de+quatre&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=573&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAjgKahUKEwi4g57qwIPJAhVEJx4KHdLJCK4